Please help about setting
- Thread starter Hami Chau
- Start date
I am sorry, but I don't understand what species of tortoise you are talking about.
Photographs of the tortoise and its enclosure and lighting will help us to help you
Photographs of the tortoise and its enclosure and lighting will help us to help you
Hello and welcome.
Those temperatures sound ok for a star tortoise, but I'd love to see a pic of the enclosure and tortoise to give you better tips. Is it a baby? Are you soaking daily with those warm temps? What type of UV bulb are you using? Where in the world are you?
Those temperatures sound ok for a star tortoise, but I'd love to see a pic of the enclosure and tortoise to give you better tips. Is it a baby? Are you soaking daily with those warm temps? What type of UV bulb are you using? Where in the world are you?
You need 35C directly under the basking lamp and 26C ambient which is your setting C I think.
How big is your tortoise? A 90cm tank is only suitable for a hatchling.
How big is your tortoise? A 90cm tank is only suitable for a hatchling.
Looks like you need to change a few things.
I typed this care sheet for sulcatas, but I house my stars exactly the same:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
It looks like you have a Marginated tortoise in there with your Indian Star. Those are quite different in their needs and should not be kept in the same enclosure. Please read the threads @Tom posted above for you. There are quite a few things you need to change. From the picture, your Marginated does not look like it is doing well at all. Your substrate is not a good choice. Your lighting needs changing. High humidity is needed.
Sorry to list so many things wrong, but I am really hoping you read through those threads above and the one for Marginated.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/marginated-tortoise-testudo-marginata-care-sheet.98564/
Please read and come back with as many questions as you have. You have beautiful tortoises!
Sorry to list so many things wrong, but I am really hoping you read through those threads above and the one for Marginated.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/marginated-tortoise-testudo-marginata-care-sheet.98564/
Please read and come back with as many questions as you have. You have beautiful tortoises!
Thank you! I didn't see a star in that picture but was hesitant to say it looked like a testudo, not a star. Do you see a star too?
Yes. The Indian Star is right between the Marginated and the door lock. If you zoom in, the Marginated looks terribly dehydrated with sunken eyes.
Thx you so much, and I will changing some thing under Tom's suggestion but I don't know what's wrong in my enclosure. In humidity, I keep 40-50 under the hot spot.
The question one the lighting needs change means the UVB?, Is the UVA 13W 10.0 not enough?need change to 26W will be better?
The substrate will be change when the material come home.
And now, my star always sleep and don't eat...
Sorry for my English is not good.
40-50C is far too hot for basking. 35-38C is the range you need to have.
Use a lower wattage bulb and/or raise the bulb so it is further from the substrate.
Your tort won't get digestive problems from too much water. Tom is suggesting that you soak every day for at least 30 minutes due to the very hot temperatures.
Sorry it is 40-50% is the humidity and the star gone recently
The lighting you have is not creating a good basking site and UVB output required for proper health. Light and heat for a basking spot should come form directly above the tortoise. Their instincts tell them to position themselves for proper heat and UVB absorption based upon those things coming from the same direction overhead. Your UVB light is a compact fluorescent. Those give way too small a circle of optimal UVB output for a tortoise basking spot, and they also would need to be about 8-10" away from the top of the tortoise to give anywhere close to enough UVB. You would do better with a longer, tube fluorescent. An incandescent flood bulb could then be mounted right next to that to give basking heat. Your tortoise also need some hides, like a 'cave', and prefereably a potted plant that overhangs it can crawl under to feel secure. In the wild a young tortoise would spend most of it's time pushed under a bush to feel secure. It would not be in the open and being forces to be so exposed is so stressful to a young tortoise, they will often not eat at all.
Your humidity needs to be 80-90% in the enclosure. You can dampen your new substrate to help with that, but will need to have the enclosure covered to keep it that high. Soaking your tortoise every day for the first few years will be best for the tortoise. It will help keep it hydrated, improve digestion, and regular bowel movements.
Are you saying that the star tortoise has died? Oh gosh. I'm so very sorry to read this.
