Noob worry questions

hi there

I haven't got my tortoise yet, I want to make sure I am fully prepared before I undertake it. So I have a couple of questions, sorry if they seem stupid.

1. We are going to get a tortoise table. I have read that top soil and sand is the best substrate but I do not have the storage for the remaining bags. Any one got a suggestion for where I can buy less, or pre mixed, or if not is the aspen substrate suitable until we move house and have a shed etc.

2. I'm aware I need a heat/UVB lamp, but I know it needs to be off for about 10 hours. Do people here have a lamp that provides heat without light? If so what do you recommend? A seperate fitting or the same one?

3. Do anyone have concerns that leaving a heat lamp on while you aren't home will be a fire hazard?

4. If I put my tortoise table on top of a heat of drawers, will the heat lamp damage the chest of drawers underneath?

5. Which multivitamins do you recommend for increased calcium and UVB?

I think that's it for now. Sorry if they're stupid.

No to the sand. Sand can cause eye damage and can cause internal blockages. Fir bark is good and so is 100% cypres Mulch.
2 a che, ceramic heat emitter bulb. Provides no light but does heat. I plug mine into a surge protector.
3 I use miner- all from sticky tongues, its multi calcium an minerals.

What kind of tortoise, and how old? A table will not hole humidity and heat in. Doesn't work well for babies. Read the care guide in the species specif section.

You may need to cover the table to keep the warm air inside. I use this for day:



and this for night:



Some people use this for night:



All my lights are on timers. When I'm away from home the lights are on just like when I'm home. If you hang the lights and don't use the clamp feature, there really isn't anything to worry about. But the clamp frequently fails, causing a fire hazard. I use this for the lights:



I have modified my stand so that it extends across the length of the habitat and this give me room for two light fixtures on one stand.

I use orchid bark for substrate. Depending upon the kind of turtle/tortoise in the habitat, I may add some potting soil to the orchid bark. My substrate, with spot cleaning, lasts a whole year.

Unless your habitat leaks, there shouldn't be any damage to the chest of drawers under it. The light won't cause any damage.

I use powdered calcium supplement - just a pinch a couple times a week. Occasionally I will soak babies in a few drops of liquid bird vitamins added to their soaking water. Brand names aren't important.

Miscellany said:

hi there

I haven't got my tortoise yet, I want to make sure I am fully prepared before I undertake it. So I have a couple of questions, sorry if they seem stupid.

1. We are going to get a tortoise table. I have read that top soil and sand is the best substrate but I do not have the storage for the remaining bags. Any one got a suggestion for where I can buy less, or pre mixed, or if not is the aspen substrate suitable until we move house and have a shed etc.

2. I'm aware I need a heat/UVB lamp, but I know it needs to be off for about 10 hours. Do people here have a lamp that provides heat without light? If so what do you recommend? A seperate fitting or the same one?

3. Do anyone have concerns that leaving a heat lamp on while you aren't home will be a fire hazard?

4. If I put my tortoise table on top of a heat of drawers, will the heat lamp damage the chest of drawers underneath?

5. Which multivitamins do you recommend for increased calcium and UVB?

I think that's it for now. Sorry if they're stupid.

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Hello and welcome. We will need to know which species, what size, and where you are to give good advice.

In general:
1. Tortoise tables are not good for all species and life stages, as babies, all species need higher humidity than what can be offered in a typical open topped enclosure in a typical home.
1a. Sand and soil mixture are not a good substrate for any species at any age. Aspen is much too dry. I prefer coco coir, coco chips, or orchid bark for most situations.
2. Again, some species need night heat and other don't. Depends on what you are getting. I light timer will keep your bulbs on for the correct amount of time.
3. If your bulb is mounted correctly and in the correct fixture, the danger is very minimal.
4. If the heat lamp is hot enough to damage the chest of drawers, then it is much too hot for your tortoise and an adjustment would need to be made.
5. Again depends on species, age and a few other factors. None for some, and more for others. An a adult male russian living outdoors and grazing on a good varied, weedy diet, really should't need any supplementation. A baby sulcata living indoors and being fed mostly grocery store greens over the winter will need more.

Read this. It might offer some insight:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

I'm so sorry, of course you need to know. I plan on getting a Hermann, the ones I've seen are about 1.5 yrs old.

An FYI on the orchid bark -- I just switched to it, based on forum recommendations & my Russian is so miserable in it that I'm going to have to throw the whole lot of it away within 3 days of putting him in it. It's impossible to burrow properly in and Russians love to burrow, so if you have a Russian you may not want to put him in orchid bark.

W Shaw said:

An FYI on the orchid bark -- I just switched to it, based on forum recommendations & my Russian is so miserable in it that I'm going to have to throw the whole lot of it away within 3 days of putting him in it. It's impossible to burrow properly in and Russians love to burrow, so if you have a Russian you may not want to put him in orchid bark.

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Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please as you advise new people what to do, remember that there are people here that have been housing russians on orchid bark literally for decades, and our tortoises are quite happy and healthy on it.

Tom said:

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please as you advise new people what to do, remember that there are people here that have been housing russians on orchid bark literally for decades, and our tortoises are quite happy and healthy on it.

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Not looking to argue with you on it. I know you like it for your tortoises. That's why I went with it. On the other hand I just wasted $50 on new substrate that will have to be dumped in the trash 3 days after I bought it, because it's impossible to burrow properly in. Just trying to save someone else the same hassle and expense.

I appreciate the advice from everyone. If ever I've met a topic with differing opinions this one takes the prize!!

So bearing in mind it's a Hermann I plan on getting, and it will be in a warm room with heat lamp etc, am I going to off it with a Tortoise table?

For reference, this was the one I was thinking.

W Shaw said:

Not looking to argue with you on it. I know you like it for your tortoises. That's why I went with it. On the other hand I just wasted $50 on new substrate that will have to be dumped in the trash 3 days after I bought it, because it's impossible to burrow properly in. Just trying to save someone else the same hassle and expense.

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Like I told you on your other thread, if you mix some potting soil in with the orchid bark your Russian will be able to burrow into it.

Miscellany said:

I appreciate the advice from everyone. If ever I've met a topic with differing opinions this one takes the prize!!

So bearing in mind it's a Hermann I plan on getting, and it will be in a warm room with heat lamp etc, am I going to off it with a Tortoise table?

For reference, this was the one I was thinking.

Click to expand...

I don't keep Hermanni, but if I did, I certainly WOULD go by Chris's care sheet:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

This is an excerpt regarding the substrate, from that care sheet:

"A suitable substrate is clean top soil mixed with coconut coir or peat moss. I prefer to add sand into this mix to help generate a substrate that replicates what they experience in nature more closely. However, using sand has been known to cause impaction in reptiles which can lead to death. Although in more than 20 years we have never experienced this with any of our tortoises kept on it, this does not mean it won’t happen to your animal(s). Use caution or simply don’t use the sand. The substrate can be up to 4” deep to allow for burrowing. Burrowing is 100% normal! Do not be alarmed by his behavior while they are this young."

Yvonne G said:

Like I told you on your other thread, if you mix some potting soil in with the orchid bark your Russian will be able to burrow into it.

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Found it! Thanks!

Miscellany said:

hi there

I haven't got my tortoise yet, I want to make sure I am fully prepared before I undertake it. So I have a couple of questions, sorry if they seem stupid.

1. We are going to get a tortoise table. I have read that top soil and sand is the best substrate but I do not have the storage for the remaining bags. Any one got a suggestion for where I can buy less, or pre mixed, or if not is the aspen substrate suitable until we move house and have a shed etc.

2. I'm aware I need a heat/UVB lamp, but I know it needs to be off for about 10 hours. Do people here have a lamp that provides heat without light? If so what do you recommend? A seperate fitting or the same one?

3. Do anyone have concerns that leaving a heat lamp on while you aren't home will be a fire hazard?

4. If I put my tortoise table on top of a heat of drawers, will the heat lamp damage the chest of drawers underneath?

5. Which multivitamins do you recommend for increased calcium and UVB?

I think that's it for now. Sorry if they're stupid.

Click to expand...

No question is stupid: we all began at "zero."

I use a UVB bulb for my Greek tort (Oli) . But I would not ever leave it on and leave home: better be safe than sorry.

And a very warm welcome to the forum!

Use Cyress mulch. Sand can be eaten and cause impactions

My 7 month old box turtle burrows in 8 inches of orchid bark. He goes all the way to the bottom. He's a baby making your Russian look foolish.

I have 8 habitats in my house. Some have 2 heat lights and a MVB, I leave them on for 12 hours in the winter when they have to be in the house. There is no "sorry" if your lights are hooked up correctly. Mine are securely fastened and I leave the house frequently, with 24 tortoise lights on. My big Sulcata got too big and pulled his MVB down and burned the floor. But what chain is going to win a tug of war with a 125 lb Sulcata? I just put the light up so he couldn't reach it anymore. I think if you turn off his light while you're gone you are cheating him out of necessary UVB...he needs 12 hours during the winter. And in your case he needs it daily as your weather is so bad for tortoises.

maggie3fan said:

My 7 month old box turtle burrows in 8 inches of orchid bark. He goes all the way to the bottom. He's a baby making your Russian look foolish.

I have 8 habitats in my house. Some have 2 heat lights and a MVB, I leave them on for 12 hours in the winter when they have to be in the house. There is no "sorry" if your lights are hooked up correctly. Mine are securely fastened and I leave the house frequently, with 24 tortoise lights on. My big Sulcata got too big and pulled his MVB down and burned the floor. But what chain is going to win a tug of war with a 125 lb Sulcata? I just put the light up so he couldn't reach it anymore. I think if you turn off his light while you're gone you are cheating him out of necessary UVB...he needs 12 hours during the winter. And in your case he needs it daily as your weather is so bad for tortoises.

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I just have to ask, how high is your electric bill??

Generally around $200....but aren't their welfare my responsibility????

PS they all have outside pens as well, someday the sun will shine here.

Definitely! I'm just wincing at the big increase in my PG&E bill from having just one tort with a 100 watt CHE on for 24 hours, and a 58 watt UVB fluorescent and 100 watt basking bulb on for 12 hours per day.

So let me get this correct, I need a UVB bulb on at least 12 hours a day. But that's it? Heat wise the room temp is always warm.