Temperature, Humidity and Lighting for Tortoises
TEMPERATURE
Turtles are ectothermic animals, cold-blooded, so it is necessary to provide them with a source of heat . The size of the terrarium must be large enough to be able to establish the hot spot at one end and the cold spot at the opposite, that is, have a thermal gradient that decreases towards the other end, where the turtle will surely choose to sleep. , as it will identify the cold and warm areas of the terrarium.
- The hot spot is the part of the terrarium where the heat bulb will be placed. It is very important that this heat comes from a bulb, that is, from above. For turtles, blankets, cables, rocks or any other source of heat that does not come from the top of the terrarium are not recommended.
- The cold spot is the opposite extreme to the hot spot, this is achieved naturally with the size of the terrarium and ventilation. There must be some temperature variation with respect to the end of the hot spot, so that the turtle is able to thermoregulate as it sees fit.
In the hot spot we must achieve the maximum temperature suitable for the species of our turtle. This temperature varies according to the species, in Russian tortoises (Agrionemys Horsfieldii) and in the testudo genus (Hermanni, Marginata, Graeca...) for example, this maximum temperature is usually around 30ºC, in African species such as Stigmochelys Pardalis or Geochelone Sulcata, this temperature it is closer to 34-35ºC.
You can see the temperatures according to species at the end of this article.
Therefore, depending on the species we have, we will have to achieve our maximum adequate temperature at the point just below the bulb, otherwise it is likely that it will end up somewhat lethargic or with a lack of appetite.
At night we must maintain a lower temperature, also different between species, generally around 20-23ºC. It is usually enough to turn off the heat source. But in cold houses or at times of the year where the cold outside influences the terrarium too much, it will be convenient to keep a heat source on to keep us at the right temperature. We will have to play with the different devices on the market to automate the terrarium. In this article I show you how:
You can purchase our thermostat that automates everything and install it in your terrarium without any difficulty:
For more information about the different bulbs on the market, visit our article: Heat bulbs (pending writing)
Sometimes, when the daytime temperature of the room allows it, we may not have any heat source on, but if we require it, there are thermostats with a day/night option that will control the heat source according to what we program, thus getting rid of problems and Headaches.
If, due to the environmental conditions of the room where the terrarium is, it is necessary to turn on the heat at night, the ideal is to opt for ceramic or infrared bulbs so as not to disturb the turtles with light. ( Types of heat bulbs ).
What power do I buy the bulb?
There are different types of heat bulbs : ceramic, infrared, spot, HID. In each of these types of bulb we find a variety of powers that sometimes surprises, 25-50-75-100-150-200-250w….. in other brands 35-50-70w.
Well, there is no universal power, depending on the manufacturer they will give certain temperatures, you have to play with the size of the terrarium and the orientation of the bulb to obtain our desired temperature .
In the following photo we can see how the temperature achieved varies depending on the distance at which it is placed from the substrate for a specific bulb:
A trick to not fail is to take a higher power and connect it to a thermostat, so the problem is solved because the temperature that we will have will be what we want, the one programmed in the thermostat.
HUMIDITY
Proper humidity levels are very important to the overall health of your turtle . Like the temperature, the humidity factor that we must achieve depends on the species of our turtle, there are species from tropical climates such as the Chelonoidis Carbonaria that require high humidity levels of approximately 80%, but there are also species, for example, African ones that due to its climate they should have around 40-50%. Nothing would happen to maintain high values in a timely manner in species that do not require it, because in nature when it rains the % humidity increases remarkably, but it can be a problem if it persists over time in specific species: pneumonia, rot, infections eyepieces etc.
How do I lower or increase the humidity in my terrarium?
Well, not only one factor intervenes , we have to play with the ventilation of our terrarium, the position of the drinker and the heat source, the substrate... everything influences.
We can lower the humidity of the terrarium with good ventilation of the interior air, placing the drinker away from the heat source or choosing a substrate that retains little humidity. On the contrary, we can raise it by doing the opposite, decreasing the ventilation of the terrarium, putting the drinker under the heat source, choosing substrates such as coconut fiber that retain moisture very well, installing a humidifier, etc.
There is very little variety of humidifiers for terrariums, the most used and the one that I recommend, given the good comments from my clients, is the following:
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Can I keep high humidity levels in any terrarium?
NO , in PVC YES . In wooden terrariums, medium or high humidity levels end up causing problems for the terrarium: it swells, warps, leaks, etc.
LIGHTNING
Turtles necessarily need a specific light source for reptiles, that is, a source that provides UVB . You should use a full spectrum light with UVB light in your turtle's terrarium, every day. UVB light promotes proper synthesis of vitamin D3 and is involved in proper skeletal and shell development.
That is why we can find turtles with bone malformations , this is due to the incompetence of their owners, who have not given them adequate lighting or food, or both.
UVB radiation also influences the activity of our turtle and its level of appetite and reproduction.
How long do I keep daylight in the terrarium?
Approximately 10-12 hours of continuous light . This is easy to control thanks to the timers that exist on the market today, we can set the exact hours and minutes in which it will turn on. They are very cheap. You can see more information about them and about how to automate the terrarium here: Timer.
What UVB bulb do turtles need?
Well, once again, it depends on the species since in the market we can find manufacturers that offer different UVB factors under the same bulb, desert species are the ones that need a higher factor. These factors are also called UVB indices.
Currently , the best quality UVB bulbs on the market , which really offer the radiation they indicate at the distance they indicate, are HID (metal halide) and mercury vapor bulbs, it is true that they are more expensive, sometimes up to double , and that some need a device called an electronic ballast without which they cannot work, but they are of the highest quality and have a longer useful life .
It will be convenient to analyze the height to the substrate because in some models the distance at which the animal receives the radiation is minimal and we may not be providing them with sufficient UVB-UVA radiation.
The most famous UVB bulbs are HID equipment and Mercury vapor .
The second is the most used because it is somewhat cheaper and can be used now, without having to buy the electronic ballast.
All UVB sources expire , so they must be replaced once the useful life indicated by the manufacturer has expired. HIDs and mercury vapor sources have a longer useful life, although the cost is higher, especially for HIDs that need be connected to a ballast in order to function.
Letting sunlight through the windows does not work, the crystals block radiation. These bulbs usually have an expiration date, which varies depending on the brand or model. Although it continues to emit light, when the useful life specified by the manufacturer is over, they stop emitting UVB rays, so you must be careful to change it regularly.
It is also very important to know the distance to place the bulb with respect to the substrate, the manufacturer also indicates the ranges in which they are no longer effective. Too short a distance will cause thermal burns and going too far will logically decrease the radiation factor.
In the following photo we can see how the radiation varies depending on the distance at which it is placed from the substrate:
Each species needs a different radiation factor, think that a desert animal where the radiation is practically direct and higher, cannot have the same radiation factor as a jungle animal such as a Chelonoidis carbonarias turtle from the Amazon jungles, whose factor must be less.