anyone offer any advice on tortoises?!

[smeeinit]

we have just bought a 6 month old spur thighed tortoise and am unsure what to do about lighting/heating as im getting conflicting views!
i was told by seller to just put a regular 25/30 watt bulb in the vivarium,then i read that it needs uvb lighting then i read it shouldnt have uvb lighting as it can cause eye defects?!!!
heellllllp!!!
she doesnt appear to be eating either would this have anything to do with the lighting?
im sooooo confused!!

My friend has two tortoises and I think she puts them under a heat lamp thing...they may not be eating as just came out of hibernation and not ready to do so yet....why dont you google tortoise care and see what comes up?

You should really do some homework.
I have a tortoise but it still lives at home with my parents .
Have had her from the age of 6 at an estimate she is 50-60 years old.
We always thought that we knew how to care for he but only last year i discovered stuff i didn't know.
Hibernation -anytime between october-march i believe,prior to this they should have vitamin injections ,weighed etc.My tortoise used to self hibernate under a conifer tree with straw but now we box her up.
Suitable housing-Mine lives outside most of the time,unless really cold,she has a makeshift house filled with straw.When it is too cold moves into my parent's conservatory and has a box with straw and heater on.
We have never used lighting .
They need soaking at least once a week ,this helps to hydrate them.
Food my tortoise loves-Kos lettuce,little gem lettuce,tomatoes,cucumber,dandelions (adores these)Dried food pellets.
My parent's and i are considering rehoming ours as we sometimes feel oerwhelmed by what we should be doing for her,although not knowing everything about them hasn't done her any harm.

grandad used ot have a tortoise that just lived in the garden. in teh winter he would go find him, put him in a box under the stairs and then he would come crawling out one day in teh spring.

he has outlived my grandad and is now living with my aunt in france.

sorry no advice at all.

Meant to add
She gets bunged up with eggs each year and has to go to the vets to have a synatocin (sp?)injection to deliver the eggs.
They are big too and can lay up to 10.

thanks people.
i have done a lot of homework mrsb.but im getting conflicting views on the uvb lamp. the british tortoise society says not to have one as it can cause eye defects but other places say they have to have one!
very confusing!

The tortoise trust have all sorts of useful information - you are well advised to contact them and get membership. Your other source of information should be a veterinary specialist. There are few of these about - your local vet may well not see such species or know much about them. Hopefully though a local vet should be able to put you in touch with a specialist who can help you.

thanks beautifulgirls, my vet actually keeps tortoises so im going to pay her a visit tomorrow.