i just need to know if a regular old desk lamp and a regular old lightbulb will work properly as a red eared sliders heat source, and will allow him to bask properly!!!
2007-03-15 02:16:41 · 5 answers · asked by monkeysoup14 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
The need is to warm the tank water up to 75-80 degrees F, and the basking site to about 90 degrees F.
If your heating and lighting system can do this, great.
However, if your turtles are in the right sized tank (10 gallons per inch of shell length), a desk lamp would be unable to warm the water up enough for health. It can work OK for basking, but not for heating usually.
Try the info at http://www.austinsturtlepage.com for more about raising turtles!
2007-03-15 05:38:44 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A regular desk lamp will work. However you do need a special bulb.
Aquatic Turtles, like red eared sliders require UVB rays for them to "digest" calcium and other nutrients from their food. This lamp also helps to prevent shell rot, which can look like fuzzy white/green mold on their shells.
A uvb bulb can be purchases from any pet store in the reptile section.
If you habitat is small a 60 watt bulb should be fine for the basking area. But you can try 75 and 100 sizes if it isnt hot enough.
Goodluck!
2007-03-15 02:51:31 · answer #2 · answered by kodeeisdabombyo 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thats what I use for my male, Houdini. He loves it and it gets the temperature right where it needs to be. You need a thermometer to judge it(needs to be about 90*) and place the lamp at the accurate place so you dont burn or bake your turt.
You also need a UV light. They are pretty cheap at small pet stores, but at PetCo and stuff they're almost $40! Crazy! Even a 10gallon light hood with an 18" UV light will do as long as he can bask within 7" of it, to recieve the full benefits.
Good luck with your turt. Have fun ^.^
2007-03-15 05:25:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe a really high powered light bulb like a 100 watt would work. I would call your vet or pet store just to see what they say. Maybe you can use an old lamp but have to get a certain kind of light bulb.
2007-03-15 02:22:48 · answer #4 · answered by Summer 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, it can only be a temporary solution for RES need UVA and UVB rays.
You can get either:
a) 1 UVA and heat bulb and 1 UVB bulb separately (2 in total)
~or~
b) 1 UVA/UVB/heat bulb although those can be slightly more costly.
*TIPS*:
-Your turtle should have at least 7% UVB
-If it doesn't say UVB on the box, there is no source of UVB in the bulb.
2007-03-15 11:25:33 · answer #5 · answered by Chelsea F 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋