How long should a turtle basking light be on?
If you are a first-time turtle owner, you probably have a lot of questions. And that’s a good thing.
Every beginner should make the research to familiarize himself with the responsibility of keeping turtles.
As you’ve guessed, setting up an appropriate lighting system in your turtle tank is very important. It’s not something you want to mess it up.
How long the basking lights should be on is another thing you should closely pay attention to.
In this guide, you will learn how many hours per day you should run the lights. In addition, we’ll answer some related questions, as well.
Let’s get started!
How Long Should a Turtle Basking Light Be On?
The turtle basking light should be on for 10 to 12 hours per day. All turtles require a normal day and night cycle, just like they have in nature.
Despite many other differences, turtles share one common thing with humans.
They both need a regular day and night cycle to live a healthy and long life. There are two ways to achieve that in your turtle tank.
The first one, which I certainly don’t recommend, it’s to switch the lights on and off in your turtle tank manually.
The second one, which in my opinion is a far better way, it’s to set up a timer.
Switching the lights on and off manually is a time-consuming task, which in the end, you’ll certainly mess it up.
As I mentioned earlier, set up a timer, and you won’t have any problems in near future. It’s quite handy for the time you are on vacation, as well.
What Is a Basking Light?
Basking light is a lamp, commonly known as a daylight lamp, which produces both light, and heat, as well.
Why is the basking light so important?
Basking light is essential equipment that plays a major role in the health of the turtle.
In nature, wild turtles enjoy basking in the sun. In our home tanks, we need to replicate the sunlight to keep our turtles healthy. How do we do that?
By setting up a basking light, of course.
These types of lights help turtles in several ways. As cold-blooded animals, turtles need external heat to maintain their body temperature. Hence, the basking light. The heat also helps the turtles in the fight with germs. And if that’s not enough, the warmth helps in better digestion of the food.
Final Thoughts
The basking lights should be on for 10 to 12 hours per day. Set up a timer for convenience, and you are set to go. That is the only thing you should know.
I hope this article was helpful and answered your question.
