i keep them in my rubber tub for 2 hrs a day in the sunlight + the rubber is opn from above so i cover the rubber tank with a transparent cloth so that the birds don't take them away)..is it ok?? or still i need to provide them with uva and uvb lighting???
2007-05-09 23:03:35 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
If this tub is outside and getting direct sunligt then you are ok. If theis tub is getting light through a window, your not giving them any light at all as the rays can't penetrate glass. If they only get two hours of sunlight, this is a problem as turtles need 12-14 hours of UVB and UVA lighting. If this is the case you do need to get them the proper lighting. The cloth cover is a good idea, by the way, but you may want to tape it to the sides or something as if the birds get really determined, they may rip the cloth away. I also wonder how you keep their tank warm the rest of the day. Not to water, but the basking spot as well. Water heaters are great for warming the water but the basking area really needs to be heated too so that they can bask. Get two thermometers: a dry land thermometer and a wtaer thermometer so that you can regulate their temps. They will die if they aren't warm enough as they are cold blooded and can't create their own body heat. Their water temps need to be between 70 and 75 degreese F and their basking area needs to be between 80 and 90 degreese F.
2007-05-10 02:41:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
if you can get a screen like the one you have in your windows at home that would only filter out 30% of the uvb rays. that might be a little better than the transparent cloth unless it is a mesh style cloth. they probably need more than 2 hours though. like 8 would be more like what they would get in the wild. but you are certainly on a good start just knowing your turtles need uvb and are trying to do something about it.
2007-05-10 02:49:43 · answer #2 · answered by lizardman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thats actually good, but a UV light would still be beneficial while they are not in the sun. Also, try going to the hardware store and buying the fencing that they put around gardens to cover the tank. That way, more UV light will be able to get in and birds still wont be able to take them away.
Other than that, it sounds good. Do you have a spot they can bask thats hotter than the other spots? They need that too.
Good luck with your turtles. Have fun!
2007-05-10 02:54:06 · answer #3 · answered by Sputz 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well that trasnparent sheet may actually block alot of the rays, the turtles really need 8-10 hours of uv exposure. you really should have a uvb strip bulb in its indoor habitat and a uva heat lamp.... deffinitly get the imitation setup indoors, it helps with shell growth, absorption of nutrirtion, and shell condition. flukers makes a great multi bulb fixture that will hold the basking bulb, night bulb, and uva bulb...they cost ranging 30-40$ and the lights will probably cost you 30-40 all together. but it's worth it, it increase the health and life of your RES!
2007-05-10 01:14:14 · answer #4 · answered by Twilite 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I found an abandoned red-eared slider in a canal as a kid and brought him home. He turned out to be a she and she lived another 10 years with us and grew to be this huge old thing.
In those days there were no such things as UV bulbs for pet reptiles and I just knew that she needed to be in the sun for a while each week because she was a reptile.
I think bulbs ar ejust necessary if you can't promise your pet some amount of sunlight regularly. Your plan sounds perfectly fine to me. Just make sure they do not overheat or leave them in the sun when it looks like a really hot day cos I noticed my turtle used to seek the shade when it got too hot.
2007-05-09 23:10:56 · answer #5 · answered by aken 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Commercial bulbs are just a substitute for the real thing which you are providing. The problem may be that the cloth is blocking or filtering the essential rays. Is is possible to use something like a screen top instead?
2007-05-09 23:15:40 · answer #6 · answered by Thea 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hello..am not sure that's long enough for the proper UV...if they are predominently in the house...wild animals decide what's long enough, it's not something you can time..I'll post a very good reptile site for you, it won't have an answer, cuz there really isn't one, but it has the care sheets for all reptiles of any kind..Take Care :)
2007-05-10 04:26:14 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can get uv lights for indoor turtles, they are very effective, two hours per day outside in the sun is fine for your little friends.
2007-05-10 02:14:02 · answer #8 · answered by iamaustralian 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
u still need to supply them with light inside the house because their cold blooded.
2007-05-09 23:12:23 · answer #9 · answered by chewbaer90 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋