Russian Tortoise One Eye Closed

[Tom]

Oh my gosh. Thank u. I will pick up some new bulbs today!

I know Frazier Park well. I'm up there frequently. Just worked up there last week on a TV show. I own two properties up that way. I have several friends and one enemy up there too. I live down the hill in SCV. Fortunately, Russian tortoises come from a climate not too different than yours. You should be able to have them outside most summer days. As long as it is sunny, they can bask and warm up even when temps are only in the high 50s. With a heated shelter like what I describe in the care sheet, they can be outside a lot. I like having suitable indoor accommodations as well as outdoor enclosures for favorable weather.

In the thread that was linked for you:

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

 

[Clizaola]

I know Frazier Park well. I'm up there frequently. Just worked up there last week on a TV show. I own two properties up that way. I have several friends and one enemy up there too. I live down the hill in SCV. Fortunately, Russian tortoises come from a climate not too different than yours. You should be able to have them outside most summer days. As long as it is sunny, they can bask and warm up even when temps are only in the high 50s. With a heated shelter like what I describe in the care sheet, they can be outside a lot. I like having suitable indoor accommodations as well as outdoor enclosures for favorable weather.

In the thread that was linked for you:

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Thank you so much! You have been very helpful. I just read the "Info for new people" post and cant believe how much I did not know. I am glad to know that they can do well up here in Frazier. In the short time I have had them I have fallen in love with all of them and I could not bare to part with them. I have my work cut out for me but I am headed to SCV today to pick up new substrate, bulbs, and pellets to add to their diet. I am going to work on building them a new indoor and outdoor enclosure since summer is almost here and will begin daily soaks. I am also going to pick up some Neomycin ointment for his eye. I am so grateful for this forum. I learned more this morning than I have browsing the web in the last few months.

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much! You have been very helpful. I just read the "Info for new people" post and cant believe how much I did not know. I am glad to know that they can do well up here in Frazier. In the short time I have had them I have fallen in love with all of them and I could not bare to part with them. I have my work cut out for me but I am headed to SCV today to pick up new substrate, bulbs, and pellets to add to their diet. I am going to work on building them a new indoor and outdoor enclosure since summer is almost here and will begin daily soaks. I am also going to pick up some Neomycin ointment for his eye. I am so grateful for this forum. I learned more this morning than I have browsing the web in the last few months.

Your current substrate looks like cypress mulch and that is a good one. With a larger enclosure, you will need more of it though, so I'm guessing that is why you want to buy more.

Go to "Green Landscape" nursery on the corner of Bouquet Canyon/Newhall Ave., and Cinema Drive. NOT Green Thumb that is farther down Newhall Ave toward the 14. Green Landscape Nursery sells this one for about $12 a bag. I've ben using it for more than 10 years for all species and ages. It is wonderful and relatively cheap. 2 bags fills a 4x8 foot enclosure nicely. 3 bags will low them to dig in quite deep when they want to.


Tell them Tom says "hi". I buy a dozen bags every few months or so from them.

I don't think you will find the bulbs you need at a store. I get all of that online. I'm going to message you my phone number. You are welcome to call. I'm happy to talk tortoises and help.

 

[Clizaola]

Awesome! Thank you! I will grab a few today!

Your current substrate look like cypress mulch and that is a good one. With a larger enclosure, you will need more of it though, so I'm guessing that is why you want to buy more.

Go to "Green Landscape" nursery on the corner of Bouquet Canyon/Newhall Ave., and Cinema Drive. NOT Green Thumb that is farther down Newhall Ave toward the 14. Green Landscape Nursery sells this one for about $12 a bag. I've ben using it for more than 10 years for all species and ages. It is wonderful and relatively cheap. 2 bags fills a 4x8 foot enclosure nicely. 3 bags will low them to dig in quite deep when they want to.
View attachment 370122

Tell them Tom says "hi". I buy a dozen bags every few months or so from them

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Oh my gosh. Thank u. I will pick up some new bulbs today!

Please, post here what you are going to order. We'll check if it's all fine to use.

Pet shop often give bad advice on lightning. And there are many bad options for tortoises and just bad options.

 

[Clizaola]

Please, post here what you are going to order. We'll check if it's all fine to use.

Pet shop often give bad advice on lightning. And there are many bad options for tortoises and just bad options.

REPTI ZOO 150W Reptile Heat Lamp 2Pack Ceramic Heat Emitter Night Heat Lamp Bulbs Reptile Terrarium Heat lamp Tank Heat Bulb for Turtle Bearded Dragon Gecko Lizard Snake Chicken E26

Amazon.com

REPTI ZOO Reptile Heat Lamp 100W Full Spectrum UVA UVB Reptile Sun Lamp Self-Ballasted Vapor Basking Spot Lamp/Bulb/Light for Reptile and Amphibian E26

https://a.co/d/8ZkpXZJ

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

REPTI ZOO 150W Reptile Heat Lamp 2Pack Ceramic Heat Emitter Night Heat Lamp Bulbs Reptile Terrarium Heat lamp Tank Heat Bulb for Turtle Bearded Dragon Gecko Lizard Snake Chicken E26

Amazon.com

REPTI ZOO Reptile Heat Lamp 100W Full Spectrum UVA UVB Reptile Sun Lamp Self-Ballasted Vapor Basking Spot Lamp/Bulb/Light for Reptile and Amphibian E26

https://a.co/d/8ZkpXZJ

1. Ceramic heat emitters are fine. Check, that your domes have ceramic sockets and rated for 150W wattage. CHE get very hot and plastic sockets degrade quickly.
2. Mercury vapour bulbs are not recommended - UVB output degrades to zero in 6 months. And it's hard to achieve safe UVB level and high enough basking zone temperature at the same time. Also, Repti Zoo has some quality/safety issues with some of their UVB lamps.
This is the best option for UVB (likely you won't need a replacement for two years): https://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-pro-t5-fixture-12-bulb-22-5-sale-now-only-69-99/
For the heat and visible light in the basking area you may use these lamps (with a wide dome): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDI0678/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

1. Ceramic heat emitters are fine. Check, that your domes have ceramic sockets and rated for 150W wattage. CHE get very hot and plastic sockets degrade quickly.
2. Mercury vapour bulbs are not recommended - UVB output degrades to zero in 6 months. And it's hard to achieve safe UVB level and high enough basking zone temperature at the same time. Also, Repti Zoo has some quality/safety issues with some of their UVB lamps.
This is the best option for UVB (likely you won't need a replacement for two years): https://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-pro-t5-fixture-12-bulb-22-5-sale-now-only-69-99/
For the heat and visible light in the basking area you may use these lamps (with a wide dome): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDI0678/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Plus Mercury vapor bulbs cannot be used on a thermostat, it is best to get UVB and heat separate. The ones Alex linked are one of the best (especially the UVB).