Do CDT squeak?

[BradKitty]

My Timmy makes a squeaky noise sometimes. It that normal? What does it mean? I confess I'm not fluent in tort. Here he is on TV tray going for a walk. I just pick him up and turn him around when he gets near the edge. He only squeaks when left alone and only every so often.

 

[Tom]

Not usually.

It can be an early sign of a respiratory infection. If you'll share some info with us, we can try to confirm or deny this suspicion. Most of the care info for these guys is old, out-dated and wrong. A large percentage of them die because they aren't housed and cared for correctly.

What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?
What equipment are you using to achieve and maintain these temps?
Any UV? Coil type bulb?
What substrate? Damp, or not?
Humid hide?
How often do you soak the baby?
How much time does it spend out of its enclosure?
What are you feeding it?

 

[BradKitty]

Okay I did not know I had to have 4 zones. I only have two thermometers setup. 70 in the cool area. 83 in the basking under a ceramic heat source so it can be on at night too. UV is an 10" florescent. Over night low is about 65 throughout my whole house.
The substrate is potting soil little pebbles and play sand. Changing that out this weekend for organic potting soil and orchid mix medium size. Not damp. Soak is once or twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes. Haven't figured out how to keep the water warm. Only out for soaks right now. Menu is the following throughout the week, fresh alfalfa, fresh mallow (cheese weed), fresh clover, Bermuda, mulberry leaves, rose leaves and petals, viola leaves and flowers, certain fresh weeds from my yard, cuddle bone in tort house. Can send pictures later this weekend of my setup, mostly zoomed products.

 

[Big Charlie]

Okay I did not know I had to have 4 zones. I only have two thermometers setup. 70 in the cool area. 83 in the basking under a ceramic heat source so it can be on at night too. UV is an 10" florescent. Over night low is about 65 throughout my whole house.
The substrate is potting soil little pebbles and play sand. Changing that out this weekend for organic potting soil and orchid mix medium size. Not damp. Soak is once or twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes. Haven't figured out how to keep the water warm. Only out for soaks right now. Menu is the following throughout the week, fresh alfalfa, fresh mallow (cheese weed), fresh clover, Bermuda, mulberry leaves, rose leaves and petals, viola leaves and flowers, certain fresh weeds from my yard, cuddle bone in tort house. Can send pictures later this weekend of my setup, mostly zoomed products.

Potting soil usually has perlite in it (little white things that absorb water). That isn't safe for your tortoise because they might eat it.

You can keep your soaking water warm by adding hotter water to it as it cools. Or you can have two soaking chambers and transfer your tort from one to the other as the water in one cools.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Potting soil usually has perlite in it (little white things that absorb water). That isn't safe for your tortoise because they might eat it.

You can keep your soaking water warm by adding hotter water to it as it cools. Or you can have two soaking chambers and transfer your tort from one to the other as the water in one cools.

As Big Charlie has said, perlite is most very bad for your tortoise when eaten, (and trust me, they will eat it!). Measure the temperature of your soaking water and let some out when it gets too cool while adding more warm water to raise the temp to the proper level. I suggest that you use the digital temp probe here as well and have the water go on your wrest so help avoid cooking your little baby.
Go to the specie section, CDT, raising a healthy baby CDT thread and read that thoroughly for many answers and ideas from experienced keepers and then after that, ask questions to further your knowledge. Soon, you will be giving helpful advice to others. Like your food selection looks pretty good to me. Yvonne can be a solid resource for you here.

 

[Yvonne G]

Okay I did not know I had to have 4 zones. I only have two thermometers setup. 70 in the cool area. 83 in the basking under a ceramic heat source so it can be on at night too. UV is an 10" florescent. Over night low is about 65 throughout my whole house.
The substrate is potting soil little pebbles and play sand. Changing that out this weekend for organic potting soil and orchid mix medium size. Not damp. Soak is once or twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes. Haven't figured out how to keep the water warm. Only out for soaks right now. Menu is the following throughout the week, fresh alfalfa, fresh mallow (cheese weed), fresh clover, Bermuda, mulberry leaves, rose leaves and petals, viola leaves and flowers, certain fresh weeds from my yard, cuddle bone in tort house. Can send pictures later this weekend of my setup, mostly zoomed products.

Tom and I disagree slightly on temperature zones for babies. I keep my baby habitats at 80-85F degrees all over the whole habitat. Naturally, directly under the light/heat it's a bit hotter, but none of the habitat is below 80F. In my opinion, your cool side is much too cool for a baby tortoise.

Change your substrate to something like small grade orchid bark. Orchid bark can be moistened and it doesn't turn sour or stinky, and your baby needs a moist, humid environment. But not until you get rid of that 70F degree temperature. cool/moist is a recipe for a sick tortoise.

If you place your soaking bowl back into the habitat, right NEXT to where the light concentrates down on the floor, it will stay warm enough.

 

[Yvonne G]

You may think we haven't addressed the squeaking question, but actually, if you raise the temperature and moisten the substrate, I think you'll see he doesn't squeak anymore.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

 

[BradKitty]

UPDATE!!!
The remodel is now complete. My husband turned the tort house into a duplex!
I feel this will work till I get a larger space to keep them. I'll get an extra heater for their room.
Timmy seems happy with the new setup. Thanks for all your input and encouragement.
Happy baby torts, happy mom!