LoriR
New Member
Hi everyone, I have been lurking on this forum for months, and am finally going to introduce myself. I'm Lori, and I have a 5-month-old Russian named Steve. Her hatch date was July 10 2021, from Tortstork-I got her when she was about 2 months old. She's most likely female as she was incubated at the "female" temp, but I really liked the name Steve anyway-She just looks like a Steve to me. I would love some feedback on her shell (I don't mean to be pyramidaphobic, but she looks kind of pyramid-y to me) as well has her setup, diet, etc. Here's some info:
Enclosure: 36" x 24" rubbermaid-style tub - Temporary while she's young - I know she will outgrow this. She's kept indoors
The tub is covered by a clear shower curtain to maintain humidity.
Substrate: Cypress Mulch, dampened by pouring water in every couple days
Heat lamp: 65w incandescent flood
Basking temp: 95-97
Ambient temps between 70-90 depending on where in the tub. I have a temp gun.
Ambient humidity: 60-75% - I have an electronic thermometer/hygrometer that has an iphone app where I set alerts for low humidity.
Humid hide humidity: 90-100%
Night temp: I have a tiny 40-watt CHE that turns on if it goes under 70 degrees, turns off at 72 degrees. My house is over 100 years old and can be drafty.
UVB: Arcadia T8 12%
Diet: I live in the pacific NW USA so I guess we're lucky(?) to have lots of weeds: Dandelion, oxtoungue, cat's ear, stonecrop (her absolute favorite), alyssum, artichoke leaves, mallow weed (her 2nd favorite), wall lettuce, dovesfoot cranesbill, white clover, plantain weed. That's about it until spring, at which point there will be an insane weed frenzy. Need weeds? Come on over to Portland in Spring.
1 soaked mazuri (original formula) pellet 2x per week - She goes insane for this stuff. It's her dream food. It's almost scary how crazy she gets over it.
Carolina TNT sprinkled on food every couple of days
Rep-Cal sprinkled 2x/week
Soaking: 30 minutes every morning. I spritz her carapace lightly with water a few times per day.
Steve either sleeps in her humid hide or burrows deep into the damp substrate. I have several inches of substrate in there, so she can completely cover herself-It's funny seeing just her head poke out when she wakes up. Especially when she yawns. She eats a lot. Well, it seems like a lot. Let's just say she doesn't go hungry.
Ok so here are some questions:
-Per the photos, I feel she's pyramiding a little. Thoughts? Ideas? I feel like her humidity is as it should be, but she's bumpy.
-She puts herself to bed around 3-4pm daily, and wakes up around 8am. She's active while awake, with little naps here and there. This ok? I have her basking lamp on 14 hours per day, on a timer.
-I have a solar meter 6.5 and am concerned about UVB. T8 style tube...I mistakenly got this type instead of a T5 HO. It's 12 inches above her, and the readout is only 1.0-1.2. Arcadia 12% and Reptisun 10 tubes have been tried with the exact same super low readouts. I have compensated by keeping the UVB on a little longer, 5 horus per day. Too much? Not enough? Should I just give up on the T8 and go with a T5?
-Calcium: I have seen her munching on her cuttlebone maybe once or twice ever. Is a sprinkle of Rep-Cal 2x week enough?
Any and all advice is welcome. I am so glad I found this forum when I did, before I actually got Steve. I know I can do better, though. Cheers, nice to finally say hello
Enclosure: 36" x 24" rubbermaid-style tub - Temporary while she's young - I know she will outgrow this. She's kept indoors
The tub is covered by a clear shower curtain to maintain humidity.
Substrate: Cypress Mulch, dampened by pouring water in every couple days
Heat lamp: 65w incandescent flood
Basking temp: 95-97
Ambient temps between 70-90 depending on where in the tub. I have a temp gun.
Ambient humidity: 60-75% - I have an electronic thermometer/hygrometer that has an iphone app where I set alerts for low humidity.
Humid hide humidity: 90-100%
Night temp: I have a tiny 40-watt CHE that turns on if it goes under 70 degrees, turns off at 72 degrees. My house is over 100 years old and can be drafty.
UVB: Arcadia T8 12%
Diet: I live in the pacific NW USA so I guess we're lucky(?) to have lots of weeds: Dandelion, oxtoungue, cat's ear, stonecrop (her absolute favorite), alyssum, artichoke leaves, mallow weed (her 2nd favorite), wall lettuce, dovesfoot cranesbill, white clover, plantain weed. That's about it until spring, at which point there will be an insane weed frenzy. Need weeds? Come on over to Portland in Spring.
1 soaked mazuri (original formula) pellet 2x per week - She goes insane for this stuff. It's her dream food. It's almost scary how crazy she gets over it.
Carolina TNT sprinkled on food every couple of days
Rep-Cal sprinkled 2x/week
Soaking: 30 minutes every morning. I spritz her carapace lightly with water a few times per day.
Steve either sleeps in her humid hide or burrows deep into the damp substrate. I have several inches of substrate in there, so she can completely cover herself-It's funny seeing just her head poke out when she wakes up. Especially when she yawns. She eats a lot. Well, it seems like a lot. Let's just say she doesn't go hungry.
Ok so here are some questions:
-Per the photos, I feel she's pyramiding a little. Thoughts? Ideas? I feel like her humidity is as it should be, but she's bumpy.
-She puts herself to bed around 3-4pm daily, and wakes up around 8am. She's active while awake, with little naps here and there. This ok? I have her basking lamp on 14 hours per day, on a timer.
-I have a solar meter 6.5 and am concerned about UVB. T8 style tube...I mistakenly got this type instead of a T5 HO. It's 12 inches above her, and the readout is only 1.0-1.2. Arcadia 12% and Reptisun 10 tubes have been tried with the exact same super low readouts. I have compensated by keeping the UVB on a little longer, 5 horus per day. Too much? Not enough? Should I just give up on the T8 and go with a T5?
-Calcium: I have seen her munching on her cuttlebone maybe once or twice ever. Is a sprinkle of Rep-Cal 2x week enough?
Any and all advice is welcome. I am so glad I found this forum when I did, before I actually got Steve. I know I can do better, though. Cheers, nice to finally say hello