Turtles need two types of light, one that will provide UVB rays, and one that will provide heat. You can’t have a proper turtle tank without those two types of light. But do they also need to be on during the night?
Turtles don’t need light at night. It’s actually better for turtles if there are no lights on during the night. Having a light on during the night can actually confuse the biological clock of the turtle.
Now let’s get a little more in-depth at why it would be bad to have a light on during the night, and have a look at some types of lights that you can use during the night if you want to take a look at your turtle.
Why Turtles Don’t Need a Light During the Night
When you keep a turtle as a pet you usually want to do your best to replicate some of the conditions that they have in the wild. And in the wild, for a good part of the day, there is little to no light.
If your turtle were to be exposed to powerful lights 24/7 it won’t be able to maintain a proper sleep schedule, and this will affect its health.
But if you want to see your turtle during the night, there are a few types of light that you can leave on, that won’t bother your turtle and won’t affect it in any bad way.
Night Light Types You Can Use
Special night lamps for turtles usually are usually made out of red, blue, purple, or black glass and they let out a very dim light that won’t bother your turtle while still allowing you to see it. You can think of this light as the one that the moon gives.
Those kinds of bulbs also produce some heat, which makes them great for juveniles who need more heat than adults, but they can’t replace a heating lamp which is essential for all turtles, regardless of their age.
Naturally Lighting the Tank During the Night
Overall the best and simplest way to light up a turtle tank is to place it in a naturally lit room.
This way the moon will be able to light the tank in the same way it lights the ponds and lakes where turtles live in the wild. And during the day the sun will provide some extra UVB rays.
What to Do If You Can’t Keep Your Turtle in a Naturally Lit Room
For a long time, I also kept my tank in a room that was naturally lit by the sun for most of the day. But unfortunately, I had to move the tank out of that room at some point, so I started looking for the best way to light the tank.
I tried using the room light, I tried using a couple of lamps that I had around the house, and they were OK, but they were definitely not great. So in the end I decided to try a light that was designed for this.
I choose to use the ClassicLED Aquarium Light for my turtle tank. There are some really great things about this light. One of the best things is that the light is powerful enough to help the plants grow really fast, a lot of lights are not powerful enough to help the plants grow and that can be kind of annoying sometimes, but with this lamp, I had no problems with this.
Another great thing is that it won’t get damaged as soon as a couple of drops of water hit it. In the past, I used lamps that would stop working as soon as a drop of water hit them, but this one seems to have no problem with this ( but this doesn’t mean that you should drop it inside the tank and expect it to work just fine after that).
So even if a normal light can work OK, a light that is made especially for this definitely has its own advantages.
Don’t Forget the UVB Light
Since we talked so much about turtles and light, I want to remind you not to forget about the UVB light.
UVB light is a light spectrum of the UV light that plays a very important role in the life of most reptiles, and that also includes turtles. UVB light plays a vital role in the production of Vitamin D3 which is essential for the calcium in the body.
Without UVB light turtles (as well as humans and many other animals) wouldn’t be able to get the proper amount of Vitamin D which can lead to improper bone growth, metabolic bone disease, softshell, shell rot, and many other bad things.
When choosing a light bulb you have to be careful not to confuse UVB light with UVA light. UVA light helps regulate behaviors such as feeding, diurnal movement, mating, and similar activities. And while all those things are good, this is not the kind of light bulb that you want to get for your turtle.
I’ve used a lot of different types of bulbs and tubes over time to light my turtle’s basking area. Here are some of my favorite bulbs and tubes that I’ve used.
The bulbs that I’ve used are the Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 UVB Mini Compact Fluorescent. My turtles had no problem while I was using those bulbs, so in my experience, they are completely safe. And here is the Lamp Fixture that I used, the cool thing about this lamp fixture is that it allows you to place the lighting and the basking bulbs in the same fixture so you don’t have to get two different ones.
I was completely happy with this setup, and my turtles had no health problems. The only reason I changed this setup is that I was moving and I took that opportunity to change things up for my turtles as well.
At the moment I am using the Zilla Slimline Tropical 25 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture with the Zilla UVB Fluorescent Bulb, and I am really liking this setup, and so do my turtles. The only thing that you have to be careful of when you get this setup is that you have to make sure that you have a good place where to put it because it won’t be as easy to place as a bulb setup. Other than that I can just say that this tube UVB light is working great.
One final thing that you have to know about UVB light is that the bulbs and the tubes will start producing the UVB light even if they will still produce normal light. Most manufacturers will recommend you to replace them after 12 months, but from my experience, that is too long. After 12 months every bit of UVB light will be gone from that light so I would recommend you replace it somewhere between 7 and 8 months. Around that time the bulb/tube will have lost most of its capacity to produce UVB light but not all of it.
Final Thoughts
So turtles don’t really need a night light, but if you really want to see your turtles during the night you can always move the tank to a naturally lit room, or buy a special night light for turtle tanks.
I hope this article answered all the questions that you had about turtle night lights. But in case you still have some questions you can always leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them as soon as possible.
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I have a 50 cent sized baby box turtle. I just finally got her a real glass tank after being in the same.big.cardboard box with a light heat lamp, it have off a little heat but I always had the box covered because of the AC in the room, today I bought a 10 gallon with a little water pool and a dome to go into and sleep.whoch she is right now,. But I just noticed the bulb I got is a 50w heat lamp.bulp because the setup I bought came with a blue light and I know the colored lights are not good for turtles basically. I see all.this stuff on here about the UVB light but I just read the box after reading this article.and it says it’s a UVA light bulb 50w. The tank is at the mid.to.high 80’s like the chart at the store said a box turtle should be at. Now I covered the tank which does have a metal screen lid that slides in and out, pretty cool, but, it’s not UVB, as you mentioned, so should I go back out tomorrow and get her the UVB light bulb and if so what wattage or is this bulb I have now that she seemed to like while in there tonight because now she’s in a sealed home and not a box which air can get through specially when she had little windows cut out so we could see her, it’s my son’s turtle actually. I did this because the other day I noticed the back part of her she’ll is curling upward around the edge and it freaked me.oit because it seemed to have happened within a day or two cause I check her everyday and feed her worms and crickets which she loves….. She was doing great the last two years we’ve had her and then I saw the shell doin that. I want her happy and comfortable so please do l.k what to do here. And beacsue she is so little is that wattage too hot because it is a very bright light and outs off some heat. She is the coolest little girl, and I clean her when she needs it. Up until now she was in a cardboard box a big box with a water access that she did get into and soak etc etc and she eats. It had newspaper on the bottom to keep the cardboard covered and a rubber mat with the tiny holes like a table thing where it won’t slide etc I’m sure you know what I mean. But now she has a green mat that came with the cage and temperature guage and the heat lamp and much bigger pool area to swim in. Anyway sorry.mesaahe.is so long I just wanted to get this figured out, I don’t want to fry her. The lap.is.thd kind that just sits right on top of the screen lid like.rihht on it with the light shining straight down. Thanks for your time and please do lmk. I appreciate it,.maybe I need a clip to clip it in on and the light isn’t so close to the lod.so.she.dont.het blasted with soich heat. Idk. Thanks and hope.to.get a response soon… Sincerely Roy.
Hello Roy,
It’s great to see you making improvements for your box turtle’s enclosure. Here are some considerations regarding lighting and temperature:
UVB Lighting: Box turtles require UVB lighting for proper calcium metabolism and overall health. The bulb you mentioned, labeled as UVA, isn’t providing the essential UVB rays. You should definitely invest in a UVB bulb. The wattage will depend on the size of the enclosure. For a 10-gallon tank, a 5-10% UVB bulb with 13-26 watts should suffice. Make sure it’s a tube-style UVB bulb.
Heat Lamp and Distance: If the heat lamp you have is too close and too hot for your turtle, it can potentially cause issues. Consider raising the lamp or using a lower wattage bulb to maintain the right temperature without overheating the enclosure. You should aim for a basking spot temperature around 90-95°F.
Thermoregulation: It’s essential to provide a temperature gradient within the enclosure. This means having a warm basking spot at one end and a cooler area at the other. Ensure the turtle has the option to move to a cooler area if it feels too warm.
Basking and Shelter: Make sure the basking area is well-suited for your box turtle. It should be dry and easily accessible. You can use flat rocks or logs to create a basking spot. Additionally, provide a hiding place for your turtle to retreat to when needed.
Hydration: Ensure your turtle has access to clean water. A shallow dish should suffice, but it’s crucial to keep the water clean, as box turtles often defecate in their water.
Substrate: The substrate you’re using should be appropriate for a box turtle. Coconut coir and sterilized topsoil can work well. This mixture can help maintain humidity and provide a suitable environment for burrowing.
If your turtle’s shell appears to be curving or pyramiding, it’s essential to address the husbandry issues and consider consulting with a reptile veterinarian for advice on the best course of action.
Providing the right lighting, temperature, and environment will significantly benefit your box turtle’s overall health and well-being. Thanks for being a responsible and caring turtle owner!
Hi Maurizio,
My name is Darla Sanchez I live in California born and raised. Thank you for the advice for your turtle in what lights to use, but I’m not sure if this one counts. So I have a blue light that they sell for fish to glow at night, will that kind of light be ok to leave on when it’s time for him to go to sleep??? I’m just not sure. If not he will be in complete darkness. And I’m really sorry I can not leave a tip I don’t have any credit cards and I’m super low on cash still trying to get the rest for rent. Well thank you and if you answer it probably won’t be the last time we chat 💬 if that’s ok with you. Thank you be safe and hope you have a blessed day and night.
Hello Darla, I’m here to help, and you’re absolutely welcome to ask more questions in the future. You don’t need to worry about tips – I’m here to provide information and assistance.
Regarding the blue light you mentioned, it’s generally not necessary to leave a light on at night for turtles. They benefit from having a day-night cycle, just like in the wild. In nature, turtles are exposed to daylight during the day and darkness at night. You can turn off the blue light at night to let your turtle have a natural resting period.
Complete darkness at night is perfectly fine for your turtle, and it’s actually better for their natural behavior and health. If you have any more questions or need further assistance in the future, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help. Have a great day!