Hello everyone from Liverpool England
- Thread starter Puyol580
- Start date
When I first started looking at this site, I was pretty overwhelmed with all the information (completely distraught that the breeder I got Bertie from hadn't told me how complicated torts are)! But if you just take it once step at a time, it really helps. I didn't even have a hide for my sulcata at the beginning! But as I started making small changes I've seen a HUGE improvement in my torts. It's worth every bit of effort to see them happy 
I agree, I had no idea what to do with Lola, and knew zilch about torts. This is the best place to learn though!When I first started looking at this site, I was pretty overwhelmed with all the information (completely distraught that the breeder I got Bertie from hadn't told me how complicated torts are)! But if you just take it once step at a time, it really helps. I didn't even have a hide for my sulcata at the beginning! But as I started making small changes I've seen a HUGE improvement in my torts. It's worth every bit of effort to see them happy
I know. I wouldn't go anywhere else. I don't know what is do without this place! I've got nine pets, and out of all of them, Bertie and Barnie's needs are so different. It takes a lot of getting used to.
Nor me!
I only have Lola and it has been life changing for me as I work full time and don't have family close enough to help look after him but I just have to be super organised and so far so good!
Hey up Ant. Can you show us your set up please. You said a 60w and uvb. What is you uvb source. Do you have any way of checking the temperature and humidity?
What size is the enclosure?
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R thanks ever so much for your advice and support it really means a lot.....& so helpful.......I'll take everything on board....I just stress so much about my little fella that's all coz I don't think am giving him the correct care.:-( Am deffo going to put his water dish at side of his basking light and see what the outcome is?......I've already ordered a bag of orchard bark & really do need to look into getting a ceramic heater for him coz of this really cold weather creeping in......Am using a 60watt now might eve think of increasing it to 80watt?.......Regarding the ceramic heater bulb He's in a vivirium not a enclosure and I wouldn't know how to connect it all up etc...where it would go?....coz I got a a bracket attached to roof of the tank for his basking bulb.....unless I disconnect that and just keep swapping them over at night??........I think you're best having a shallow water dish in his enclosure. It doesn't matter if he urinates in there, just change it two or three times a day to keep it fresh
R thanks will get some from there while it's on offer but I already bought some from eBay....Think I deffo need a substrate which is a bit warmer for him to burrow and to help maintain the warmth in his tank.
Thanks Lyn for your support. Yes please if you would contact Craig for me that would be fab
and let us know how ya get onif ya get any response?......
Hi. I'm Craig. Can't help you with this species though. But keeping costs down, maybe. If you read some of @Tom threads on Russians it will help you vastly. These do seem to be one of the easier species to care for. My bezzy mate has had one for yrs. Right fiesty thing it is.Thanks Lyn for your support. Yes please if you would contact Craig for me that would be fab
How big is the viv? What type of uvb are you using? Do you have a thermostat at all?
Hi,how's you?;-)
Yeah I'll take a good photograph as soon as I get home from work & send u it asap ok @ cud u tell me wot ya think please??......Its just I work really long hours doing support work as well as sleeps @ wakes and it's not fair on him;-( I feel really bad.
Yes I have a temp thermometer stuck to the vivirium aligned with the basking bulb. I think the vivirium is about 4ft in length and 3ft wide......I have a uvb strip bulb on top of roof for him and my temp by basking area is normally about 30-35 but at night it drops to about 20 or sometimes under during night time....:-( I wouldn't know wot temp it gets on other side of tank??......
I work long hours too, so I know how difficult it can be! I have an 80 watt bulb for Bertie. It's by a make called Arcadia, and it provides heat + UV. I change it every 6 months, as it stopes emitting UV after that amount of time. I got this from pets at home too. The water dish idea seems to work for Bertie and my sulcata, they enjoy basking in it. I got this idea from Twycross zoo. Their MASSIVE tortoises were laying in their pools in the sun and they seemed pretty happy
. If it were me, I would just swap them over (I'm not too good with DIY and stuff like that). But other people may have better ideas?
Woah woah woah woah woah. Halt the thread a minute. Twycross zoo have torts? Since when. We've not been for about 2 yrs.I work long hours too, so I know how difficult it can be! I have an 80 watt bulb for Bertie. It's by a make called Arcadia, and it provides heat + UV. I change it every 6 months, as it stopes emitting UV after that amount of time. I got this from pets at home too. The water dish idea seems to work for Bertie and my sulcata, they enjoy basking in it. I got this idea from Twycross zoo. Their MASSIVE tortoises were laying in their pools in the sun and they seemed pretty happy
What species do they have?
Hi Anthony, can you hang the CHE from the bracket as well, or add another bracket?
It will be safer than swapping the bulb and che over all the time as if the bulb breaks you will have glass everywhere and need to change the lot.
Have a look at the enclosures thread to see what other people do with vivs.
This is the CHE screws into a ceramic bulb holder - same as the bulb
This is similar to my thermostat from the Range but mine is Komodo brand
it has 3 leads
The mains lead plugs into the wall socket
The middle lead has a socket that you plug the bulb holder with the CHE in
The end of the sensor/temp probe lead is placed near the hide but out of reach of tort in case he chews, this will detect the temp and switch the CHE on and off as needed.
It will be safer than swapping the bulb and che over all the time as if the bulb breaks you will have glass everywhere and need to change the lot.
Have a look at the enclosures thread to see what other people do with vivs.
This is the CHE screws into a ceramic bulb holder - same as the bulbThis is similar to my thermostat from the Range but mine is Komodo brandit has 3 leads
The mains lead plugs into the wall socket
The middle lead has a socket that you plug the bulb holder with the CHE in
The end of the sensor/temp probe lead is placed near the hide but out of reach of tort in case he chews, this will detect the temp and switch the CHE on and off as needed.
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I work full time too I leave before 8 in the morning and don't get home until about 4.30 - 5 pm
I just have to be more organised than I used to be.
My routine for Lola is that every night I prepare his food in a big food storage box and pop it in the fridge overnight.
Food dishes are washed and ready so that in the morning all I have to do is add the food, and leave in different places around his room.
His CHE is switched off and the MVB on,( if its particularly cold in his room I may leave both on as it is quite a big space - although he also has a radiator on in there.)
He is usually still in his hide when I leave but I can hear him starting to move.
When I get home Lola has a warm soak everyday so I can make sure he's OK and hydrated because I don't see him drink and while he is in that I clean up any mess in his room, change his water etc.
Lola has a bit more food and then takes himself off to his hide.
When I know he is unlikely to surface again I turn the MVB off and the CHE on.
Some people use timers to switch things on and off at certain times.
I hated leaving him when I first got him - I worried constantly but finally accepted that they don't mind being alone, as long as they have all their needs met and no hazards which could cause flipping etc. As with any pet you always have to be mindful that torts need attention.
I just have to be more organised than I used to be.
My routine for Lola is that every night I prepare his food in a big food storage box and pop it in the fridge overnight.
Food dishes are washed and ready so that in the morning all I have to do is add the food, and leave in different places around his room.
His CHE is switched off and the MVB on,( if its particularly cold in his room I may leave both on as it is quite a big space - although he also has a radiator on in there.)
He is usually still in his hide when I leave but I can hear him starting to move.
When I get home Lola has a warm soak everyday so I can make sure he's OK and hydrated because I don't see him drink and while he is in that I clean up any mess in his room, change his water etc.
Lola has a bit more food and then takes himself off to his hide.
When I know he is unlikely to surface again I turn the MVB off and the CHE on.
Some people use timers to switch things on and off at certain times.
I hated leaving him when I first got him - I worried constantly but finally accepted that they don't mind being alone, as long as they have all their needs met and no hazards which could cause flipping etc. As with any pet you always have to be mindful that torts need attention.
I'm not sure, we went about a year ago. We did have pictures but my boyfriend deleted them, annoyingly! Last time we went they had three Aldabra tortoises and they were pretty damn big. Absolutely gorgeous though!Woah woah woah woah woah. Halt the thread a minute. Twycross zoo have torts? Since when. We've not been for about 2 yrs.
What species do they have?
Thanks. Guess where we are going this weekend.
Haha can't blame you, they're dead coolThanks. Guess where we are going this weekend.
Hi Craig r no worries but much appreciated your gettin in contact with me......my viv is about 4ft in length and 3ft wide.....yes I h
Am in work now until Thurs so soon as I arrive home I will take photo of viv etc @ send ya them ok;-) cheers.
Thanks for your support.
Hi again.Hi Craig r no worries but much appreciated your gettin in contact with me......my viv is about 4ft in length and 3ft wide.....yes I h
Am in work now until Thurs so soon as I arrive home I will take photo of viv etc @ send ya them ok;-) cheers.
How often are you away at work, and for how long a periods are you away?
