When you are lighting up your turtle tank from the inside, you need to be sure that you have your priorities straight. The amount of light that is really produced by your bulb is the most crucial factor. Although it is certainly not unimportant that the wattage matches to the real bulb size and that it is a Reptisun, Vitalite, or any other high-quality UVB emitting brand that you wish to buy, this is not what determines whether or not your turtle is healthy!
If I'm being completely honest, all you need to do to ensure that your turtle is healthy is purchase an older model of fluorescent tubes that contain a filter for blue light (this makes the light emissions bluer, which turtles appear to prefer more than the natural yellowish sunlight), and you don't need to worry about the number of watts that your lamp produces.
Now, let me be clear: I'm not saying that you go out and get an old-fashioned fluorescent lamps bulb with some filter blue. Even while this results in bluer light emissions, which turtles appear to prefer more than the natural yellowish sunshine, this alone is not enough to ensure the turtles' continued good health. I'm just saying that the wattage of the lamp is not the most important factor in determining whether or not your turtle will live a long and healthy life, but you still need to get the wattage right when you buy a new lamp!
Lighting for turtles
If you are just getting started with the lighting for turtles, you should always make sure to purchase an additional 10% above the maximum value that is recommended for your particular species of turtle. To give you an illustration of this, the appropriate amount of water temperature for a red-eared slider would be approximately 10% higher than the 30W mark, or even 20W if you have some pretty large specimens. I've made two lamps that aren't too complicated to prove how this system operates.
Before I show you the homemade UVB light creations I've attempted, I'm going to walk you through the steps you need to take in order to purchase a bulb that emits UVB light. Do not purchase an additional light for this purpose if, for some reason, you already have a sufficient number of lamps in your tank.
Your turtles are going to have all kinds of health issues as a result of this because it will create a temperature difference that is far too great between the basking zone and the rest of the enclosure. Nevertheless, if you already have lights installed in your turtle tank, you should not get rid of them!
Now let's assume you want to get a new UVB emitting bulb, and we always want to strive for the greatest wattage we can acquire. What should you look for in a bulb? These light bulbs come in two different varieties: T8 and T5 lights. Tube is indicated by the letter T, and the number after it informs us how many times the diameter has been halved (so a T8 has a diameter that is 8 times smaller than a T12 lamp, while the T5 has a 5 times smaller diameter). T12 lamps typically consume roughly 24-28W of power, whereas T8 bulbs use anything from 10-20W. But the wattages of these lights might also vary depending on how old or how recently they were manufactured.
What kind of temperature should be kept in a tank homes turtles?
The temperature range of 70 to 85 degrees is ideal for a turtle that is kept as a pet. A suitable environment for a turtle will offer a warm area for basking as well as a cooler, shaded region where the animal may escape the heat if it becomes too much for it to bear.
Because turtles are cold-blooded animals, they are unable to control their own internal temperature. As a result, they must always have access to a warm environment in order to survive. If you maintain the appropriate temperature in the enclosure where your turtles are kept, it is safe for them to merely sit in hot water; this will never cause any harm to them.
Is it important to have UV lights for a pet turtle?
UV lights, often known as ultraviolet lights, are essential for the health of tortoises and turtles. They are unable to produce vitamin D and do not have a proper calcium metabolism since they are not exposed to that sort of radiation. This may result in a wide variety of ailments, and sadly, it's one of the most prevalent things that we encounter in my office. When it comes to UV lights, once more, if you are keeping your turtle in an enclosure that is outside, you do not need a separate light since the sun will do the job for you. However, the lights that are accessible to us for keeping turtles indoors include fluorescent lights and mercury vapor lights, and the two most frequent sorts of these lights are the fluorescent and mercury vapor kinds.
Therefore, fluorescent lights can have the appearance of being either small or coiled, or they can take the form of a long tube fluorescent bulb. They do create a significant quantity of UV light; nevertheless, the distance from the turtle is critical in this regard.
If you are more than two feet away from the pet when you are shining the light on them, it is likely that they will not be getting a significant amount of exposure to those helpful rays. The use of fluorescent lighting also does not result in the production of any heat. When utilizing a fluorescent UVB lamp, it is imperative that you also provide an alternative source of light or heat in addition to providing a basking space, as the majority of reptiles have a requirement for this.
Large, spherical bulbs that contain mercury vapor are known as MV bulbs. They also release a great deal of heat and UV rays. To reiterate, making use of these bulbs might occasionally make your setup more straightforward. Once more, you need to be certain that the temperatures are just right. It should not be too hot or too cold below that bulb, and it should also not be too far away from the animal so that it may get UV rays from the bulb.
These bulbs are sold at pet stores and other retail establishments that cater to the needs of reptiles. However, once more, you should not mistake them with bulbs that state they are UVA basking bulbs or full spectrum lamps. These bulbs do not emit UVB in any form. When it comes to selecting the bulb, the most important thing to check for is whether or not it emits UVB.
Price of standard incandescent
The price of standard incandescent basking bulbs is often lower than that of the UVB-emitting bulbs, which may run up to ten times as much. If you are unable to locate a UVB bulb in your neighborhood pet store, there are a variety of online retailers from where you may get one at this time. It should be emphasized once more that a source of ultraviolet light is an essential component of the habitat of any turtle or tortoise. It is of the utmost importance that you provide your turtle or tortoise access to that light; otherwise, they run the risk of being unwell.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a fluorescent or LED bulb is required in order to generate UV light suitable for turtles. Position the lamp so that it is visible from one end of the enclosure, and make sure there are places the turtle may hide in case it becomes anxious or wants to flee.
Make sure there is sufficient space in front of the heater when building an interior environment for a turtle. This will allow the turtle to bask beneath its heat source without being very close to any other sources of warmth, such as lights or filters. After you have completed all of these preparations, you may finally introduce your new pet to its new home and enjoy watching it swim around.
