Lamp timer settings

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Kimberley
Posts: 48
Joined: 03 Feb 2020, 17:53

Lamp timer settings

Post by Kimberley » 12 Mar 2020, 15:17

Hello again :)

I have a question about the timers of my lamps. The lamps of Timmies enclosure are on for 12 hours. I have timers and they go on at 7 am and off at 7 pm. Recently Timmie has chainged his times and goes to bed around 4 pm. I think he is more settled and relaxed now and that's why it is different.
When the lights go on it takes him 45 to an hour to get up :D and he goes to bask and after that to eat. He basks, walks, climbs and eats leftovers during the day and goes to bed around 4 pm.

Can I put my timers on 7 till 17? Or should I keep it the way it is? It would save power to do so since he's in bed.

Kimberley

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Lamp timer settings

Post by Nina » 12 Mar 2020, 18:44

Hi Kimberley,

It's difficult and I'm not sure I know the answer to that. I have my lights on from 6.30 a.m. - 6.30 p.m. at this time of year, and later as the days get longer. My two are usually already up by 6.30 a.m. but often take themselves off to bed at 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. (although sometimes they stay up later). They rarely stay up until the lights go out at 6.30 or 7 p.m., and although I have anguished a bit about the extra cost of heat and light, I do think it's a good idea to try and replicate the hours of light in the actual day and so have just kept the lights on for that length of time. I comfort myself with the knowledge that I don't have non-hibernating large tortoises like leopards or sulcatas as the heating bills for friends of mine who keep those are huge (whole rooms have to be kept warm enough for them throughout the winter).

You could try turning the lights off a bit earlier -- although as luck will have it the first day you do that Timmie will decide to stay up later and you will find him sitting in the dark in the middle of his table wondering what has happened :) Try it and see how it goes.

Nina

Kimberley
Posts: 48
Joined: 03 Feb 2020, 17:53

Re: Lamp timer settings

Post by Kimberley » 13 Mar 2020, 08:24

Hi Nina,

Thanks for the reply.
Yes you are right, I'll leave it as it is so he can have a choice!

Kimberley

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