Habitat - Indoor :: What is proper lighting?

[flavacrisp]

Our new turtle Duane is in a room with lots of light all day. We got him/her a basking UVA light (that the pet store recommended) which we turn on a couple hours a day and he uses to bask on his platform. Do we still need to get a UVB bulb too? When do we turn this on? Our little baby is so cute, but I never thought it would be so complicated and expensive.

[jenaero]

Yes, you'll need a uvb as well. It should be on 12-14 hours a day (at the same time as the heat lamp).

[urbancleopatra]

Do yourself a HUGE favor... go to home depot and buy the following items; two halogen clamp lamps (not halogen bulbs though), surge protector, light timer, 75 watt household bulb (the white kind because they're softer on the eyes). Plug those lights into that timer and set that to mimic natural sunlight hours (as in it changes throughout the year). Put the 75 watt into one of the lamps and buy a reptisun 5.0 uvb and plug it into the other lamp. Now clamp those lamps onto the side of the tank and aim them at the basking dock.

[flavacrisp]

Thanks for the advice! Will try to post some pictures of Duane soon