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| Star Tortoise Treasury | * Indian, Sri Lankan, and Burmese Star Tortoises... plus a few other tortoises... |
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Indian/Sri Lankan Star Tortoise (G. elegans)
Burmese Star Tortoise Other Starred Tortoises Angulate Tortoise Misc. Pages
Submit your tortoise lighting and heating tips. Email me, or post on the comments board or guestbook.
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Indoor Lighting & Heating for Star tortoises
Sri Lankan Star tortoise First, read the Indian/Sri Lankan and Burmese Star tortoise indoor housing page. Additional indoor housing info can be found on the substrates, hideboxes, allergic keepers p.1 (more on substrates), and p.2 (enclosure materials, air quality etc.) pages. UVB lighting You can provide indoor UVB lighting with fluorescent bulbs or mercury vapor bulbs (MVB). MVB's provide both UVB and heat, but with fluorescent bulbs you'll need a separate heat-producing basking bulb. Fluorescent bulbs Strip light Mercury vapor bulbs (MVB) Another UVB bulb I use in my indoor tortoise enclosures is the T-Rex 'Active UV Heat' I mostly use MVB's as the main indoor UVB source and fluorescent UVB bulbs as additional light fixtures in tortoise tables to brighten the rest of the enclosure. MVB's have high wattage, typically 100-275W, and they get very hot. Thus, they may not be suitable for very small enclosures. Follow the manufacturer's advice for the minimum installation height, and double-check that your light fixture takes the high wattage of your MVB. For example, my deep dome fixtures are rated to take max 160W bulbs. Then just adjust the bulb height up or down, but above min installation height, to achieve the ideal basking temperature. Ideally, a MVB bulb should be positioned vertically, in other words, straight down. Some tortoise keepers use wire deflectors (open wire lamp fixtures) with MVB's, especially with the higher wattage ones, to help prevent bulb overheating. Because I don't like the bright light shining into my eyes, and I only use 100W MBV's, the deep dome fixtures work well for me. Avoid touching, bumping, and moving these bulbs to prevent early burnout. If a MVB goes off, just wait. This bulb will turn itself off if it overheats, and will turn itself back on if it's not burned out. Also, if turned off on purpose, the MVB will not relight for at least one minute. It's recommended to wait 5-10 minutes before turning the MVB back on. Note: T-Rex also makes a MVB called 'UV Heat'. This newer bulb is cheaper than the 'Active UV Heat' bulb. According to one reptile supply seller, it also puts out less UVB. Thus, it's more suitable for forest or shade loving reptiles.
A 4ft x 2ft acrylic (plastic) tub with 13" high walls. Daytime light, UVB, heat, and a basking spot is provided by a MVB in a deep dome light fixture attached to a large-size reptile lamp stand. A 4ft long strip light with a fluorescent UVB bulb provides additional lighting for the entire enclosure. Nighttime heat is supplied by a ceramic heat emitter in a clamp lamp fixture attached to a small-size reptile lamp stand. For additional security, the lamp fixtures and cords are attached to the light stands with strong zip ties (cable ties). For scale, the hiding log is a giant-size Turtle Hut (11"W x 11"L x 5"H). Note: IF YOU ARE NOT ASTHMATIC AND HAVE NO SEVERE ALLERGIES, just replace the felt-like reptile carpet (not fake grass astroturf) with a more natural substrate like soil or mulch. See the substrates and allergic keepers p.1 pages for substrate info. UVB deterioration & UV meters UVB bulbs should to be changed every 6-12 months because their UV output degrades over time. MVB's are more expensive than linear fluorescent UVB bulbs, but their output last longer. You can track the UV levels with a small, handheld device called a UV meter. With it, you can monitor the intensity and ageing of your UVB lamps, but you can only compare bulbs of the same type. Solarmeter 6.2 and Zoo Med UV Radiometer are two UV meters suitable to testing reptile UVB bulbs. UV meters are very easy to use. Just hold down the button and search for the area with the highest reading. Check the UVB readings when the bulbs are new and then periodically, always at the same distance. The general recommendation is to change UVB bulbs when their output has decreased by 30%. The UVB reading is displayed in microwatts (µw) per square centimeter. For examples of readings I took with my Solarmeter 6.2, go to the UVB readings page. This device is not cheap, but it may save money in the long run, especially if you have many indoor enclosures, because you won't need to change UVB bulbs prematurely. Plus, you know how much UVB your tortoise is actually getting. Daytime basking bulbs If you are using a fluorescent bulb for UVB, you'll need a separate min 50-75W reptile basking bulb for heat. Regular household bulbs provide heat as well. Always adjust the number and wattage of heat bulbs to fit the size of your enclosure by measuring the warm and cool end temps. Even with a MVB, which provides UVB and heat, you may still need a second heat source to keep the enclosure warm enough. Clamp light fixtures with ceramic sockets are perfect holders for standard-sized basking bulbs, or a regular household light bulbs, for daytime heat and basking. Check the wattage rating on the fixture to be sure it takes the wattage of your heat bulb. For example, the 5.5" clamp fixture is only rated for a 75W bulb. Ceramic heat emitters Ceramic heat emitters (60W or higher) are great for overnight heating, because they emit heat but no light. They can also be used as additional heat sources anywhere and anytime. In a large enclosure, you might need a higher wattage bulb or several lower wattage bulbs. Wire reflectors or clamp light fixtures (5.5" and up) with ceramic sockets can be used with heat emitters, but do double check that the light fixture is rated for your bulb's wattage. Lamp safety You might want to consider purchasing a reptile lamp stand Some plastic containers have an extremely slippery surface. This can cause a clamp light fixture to slide down to one side, or even fall off, and create a fire hazard. Using a lamp stand with a light fixture that has a metal loop hanger (not a clamp light) will You can also buy a clamp lamp safety cover Further, UV and heat lamps can be installed securely by suspending them from sturdy ceiling hooks or wall brackets. Undertank heat mats Some tortoise owners use Zoo Med undertank heat mats However, many tortoise keepers recommend an overhead heat source, not an undertank heater. They feel that bottom heat is unnatural for tortoises, and may even harm them. Undertank heat mats may work best for tortoise species that require warm, high humidity conditions (e.g. Redfoot babies). They can help warm up any wet, cold substrate. If you do use an undertank heat pad, especially for a dry area tortoise species, do so with some cautions. ZM undertank heat pads can only be used on glass tanks. They should not be used on acrylic tanks (may crack), plastic tubs, or wooden boxes. A few other heat mats are considered safe on plastic and wood enclosures (e.g. Intellitemp). Do check the product labels. Follow the instructions [offsite link] for installation and use of ZM heat mats, and do glue the small rubber feet (provided with the heat mat) under the glass tank to create some air space underneath to help prevent overheating. The undertank heat pad must be placed on the outside of the enclosure (bottom or side). Never inside the tank. If you place the mat under the glass tank floor, test the temperature in several spots inside the tank at the substrate level. Or the very least, do a temperature check with your hand. The glass above the heater should feel pleasantly warm to your hand, not too hot. If your tortoise is a burrower, he may dig through the substrate all the way to the glass bottom and lie directly on top of the hot heat mat. Attaching the heat mat to the tank wall is a safer way to install it. Temperature Indian/Sri Lankan and Burmese Star tortoises like warmth. The daytime temperature in the indoor enclosure should be about 90-100+ °F in the basking area under the heat bulb, and about 75-80 °F in the cooler half during the day. This way, you'll have a temperature gradient from 75 °F to 100+ °F inside the pen, and your tortoise can select the temperature zones he likes. For adults and subadults, nighttime temperature can drop down to 70 °F or so, but preferably keep babies warmer (75-80 °F). At night, the enclosure should be dark. Ceramic heat emitters (CHE) are perfect for nightime heating. They provide heat, but no light. Through the warm summer, no additional night heat may be required if the enclosure is fairly dry and the temperature stays above 70 °F. On the other hand, if you keep the enclosure substrate wet or damp, it's a good idea to use a CHE to raise the nighttime temperature (especially for babies and youngsters). Star tortoises are prone to respiratory problems if kept in too damp and cold conditions. Humidity Many Star tortoise owners maintain a moderate humidity level of 40-60% in the indoor enclosures. Still, some say humidity for Stars should be less than 40%, and some say it should be as high as 75-90%. In general, a 45-55% humidity level is recommended for Indian Star tortoises. For babies a higher humidity level, 65% and up, may be preferred. Temperature controls Ideally, use a thermostat or a rheostat with ceramic heat emitters and heat mats to control the temperature. A rheostat is a dimmer switch that regulates the flow of electricity on a constant rate based on the user setting. A thermostat turns the heater on and off or regulates the electricity as needed based on the enclosure temperature. A non-proportional thermostat works on a on/off mode, and a proportional thermostat (e.g. Helix) constantly adjusts the amount of heat to keep it at the target level. Many people like thermostats better because they are automatic and will adjust the enclosure temperature if the room temperature goes up and down. Rheostats, on the other hand, work best in rooms where the temperature is relatively stable. For example, the Zilla Temperature Controller Mercury vapor bulbs (MVB's) cannot be used with dimmers or rheostats, but you can use a timer (automatic on/off) with them. Timers I have many of my enclosure lights and heaters plugged into power center timers Electricity usage Out of curiosity, I tested my UV and heat bulbs with an electricity usage monitor. My 100W UV/heat mercury vapor combo bulbs actually use 114-120 watts! In comparison, a 20W linear (long) UV fluorescent bulb and a 75W reptile heat bulb use 87 watts combined. My 60W ceramic heat bulbs use about 59 watts, and 75W reptile basking bulbs use about 72 watts. Thermometers & hygrometers I use a variety of thermometers and hygrometers (humidity gauges), including analog, digital with no remote sensor, digital with a probe, and a temperature gun. Readings between different types of units may vary, so compare them. Always check the temperatures at both ends of the enclosure to ensure an adequate temperature gradient. Measure the temperature at the substrate level where the tortoise lives. Ideally, use humidity gauges at both ends of the enclosure as well. Or move the devices around to check the temperatures and humidity at various locations. Dial thermometers with plain, light colored backgrounds like solid white, are much easier to read than ones with colored picture backgrounds, especially from far away. Digital thermometers tend to be more accurate and are not much more expensive. With these, often just the probe is placed inside the tub. A temp gun |
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or 'shop light' fixtures are perfect holders for linear (long) UVB fluorescent bulbs. Reptisun brand linear UVB bulbs are popular, but there are other brands. Reptisun bulbs area available as 
bulbs. The required bulb length depends on the fixture model you are using. 
especially if you are using a large UV/heat combo bulb (MVB) with a deep dome fixture. These stands are adjustable in height and depth, and allow you to position the lights exactly where you want them. They come in two sizes. The larger model, LF-20, is better suited for UV/heat combo lamps. The larger foot on the LF-20 makes it more stable to hold such a large and heavy light fixture.
prevent this, but you can also secure clamp lights with an extra clamp. I use welding 