Hi, I was wondering if it is normal for my little tortoise to have some dry skin around his head? I noticed yesterday before I put him in his daily soak he had a little flake hanging from side of his head...it was like a dry skin flake. He has his UVB lamp on daily, heat lamp and I have thermometers on both sides monitoring the heat/humidity. It stays 80 degrees throughout enclosure & 90-95 degrees by his humid hide...I have been able to keep the humidity at about 57-60%. I spray his cypress mulch a couple times a day to keep it a little moist. He eats 2x a day spring mix & I give him Mazuri 2x a week & pansies a few times a week as far as his diet. I give him a soak everyday for 20-30 minutes. Is it normal for them to get some flaky skin?? Thanks for your help!
soaking
- Thread starter Chass
- Start date
It does happen once in a while.
What type of UV bulb are you using?
What type of UV bulb are you using?
Tube or cfl?
I thought that if you were using a compact florescence bulb that might be part of your issue.
The 5.0 bulbs emit very little UVB. They are not an effective UV source. I just mention this so that you don't rely on that bulb to meet your tortoises UV needs.
The 5.0 bulbs emit very little UVB. They are not an effective UV source. I just mention this so that you don't rely on that bulb to meet your tortoises UV needs.
Judith Gardner
New Member
Hi, I use a 10.0 uvb long tube for my sulcata, someone correct me if I'm wrong? I read on the package that it was best for desert type tortoises, then I saw that the 5.0 uvb were more for lizards types.
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
1. Sulcata are not desert type animals. They come from a savannah, with trees, grass, weeds and rain.I use a Powersun 100 or 150 watt for ALL of my chelonia. Those tubes are crap. Frankly, you got taken. Do not ever listen to most breeders or pet clerks. The ambient temp should be 85 or 90, with 80% humidity.
Also, stop misting the substrate. Pour water over it all. Mix it around and the top will dry preventing shell rot, but the underneath will keep damp providing humidity. And continue to ask questions, we are glad to help.
Also, stop misting the substrate. Pour water over it all. Mix it around and the top will dry preventing shell rot, but the underneath will keep damp providing humidity. And continue to ask questions, we are glad to help.
Judith Gardner
New Member
I was just generalizing, since they are in a very warm climate. You may like those reptisun blubs, but I have had a lot of dealings with them in the past, they are short lived and expensive, but if you want to waste your money on them that's your business, I live in Florida where I really don't need much more than I'm using now since Toruk will be outside most days and as too your other advice, his encloser is all those thing, heat and humidity. Critizism's, are always welcome as long as you have enough tact to pull it off. Thanks
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
Ha Ha !!
I hope telling you to turn on "spell check" is tactful , because it is spelled "criticism" at least according to Webster ! LOL 
Judith. The Long fluorescent UVB bulbs put out very little usable UVB. The 5.0 really doesn't seem to put out enough to even be worth it, while the 10.0 can work, but needs to be hung about 12" from the tortoise for any usable UVB. That's why many go with the Mercury Vapor. Puts out a lot of UVB and provides the basking heat too. In fact, so much UVB, it is recommended to only leave on 4 hours a day or so. They will burn out quickly if mounted in most fixtures pet stores sell and reptile manufacturers make - as they get too hot in those fixtures. I found I needed a 10.5" diameter fixture to be open enough and it must have a ceramic base. Actually those silver metallic "Brooder Light" fixtures actually work best and are less expensive. But as you said, in Florida, you give your tortoise to plenty of access to natural sunlight and that really makes artificial UVB far less important - with natural sunlight a few times a week.
And, Maggie3fan is actually quite knowledgeable. I think she read your question posted as an extension of the original poster's, (I did at first too, and had to go back and see it was someone else) and Chas had stated only having 57-60% humidity, and concerned about flaky skin - so an explanation of "desert type" was in order.
I purchased our little family member from a well known Breeder from the this Forum that was recommended by Tom...so I was NOT taken. (I did a lot of research before I got him & learned to stay FAR FAR away from pet stores:/) I think everyone has many different ideas and opinions on EVERYTHING when it comes to tortoises b/c I have had so many different things told to me from all types of people from all over including on here. I appreciate all the advice, I just want to know why his little head was flakey. We live in Louisiana and he can not go outside for a couple months out of the year so I'll just keep the 5.0 on him & sprinkle the powder in his food every now & then. The ceramic heat emitter I use is a 150 watt heating element & it's just the heat no light that's in the Flukers ceramic heat clamp lamp. I am thinking maybe the heat lamp may be an issue so I'll adjust that & see if any changes. Is there a type of moisturizer that can be used on them or is that a big NO don't use any products? Thanks again for all the advice it is all taken in & well appreciated))
))
Judith Gardner
New Member
Thanks for your reply. When in the house like he is now that we are in Illinois for a few days and the cooler days in Florida , yes I do use the 10.0 uvb that most certainly only 12 inches away or less. When I lived in Illinois and had a Sulcata at that time, I did use the mercury vapor blubs and yes they do work, I had a big fixture that had a ceramic base, but still found myself wasting a lot of money on them as they still never last all that long. Living in Florida does eliminate the need for them, we just came from 80 degree weather to single digits and will be here for only a few more days. As soon as he is large enough to spend his nights outside, he will have a green house type of encloser but will also be able to get out of it to move around out in the dryer sun if he wants, green house doing double duty as tortoise encloser and to grow plants for him all year around. Right now his encloser is 80 under his hide at the cooler end and always 95 to a 100 at his basking end his substrate is moist underneath and dry on top, he gets daily soaks and always has water to drink in his encloser. I feed Mazuri tortoise chow, grass clippings, cactus pads, hibiscus flower and leaf, weeds out of my yard, also keep a cleaned cuttlefish bone in his encloser. Hope this gives you some idea of his care with me. Thanks.
Judith Gardner
New Member
Ha Ha !!
Sorry, that you feel you need to throw cheap shots, hope you feel better now.
Hi Mark, I'm interested in knowing your source for limiting MVBs to only four hours. I have not come across this.
I disagree that long tube fluorescents aren't a good uvb source though. I've measured uvb output from several types of fixtures and found T5 bulbs, 10.0 and even 5.0 T5s, put out more uvb than MVBs I've tested. The T8s weren't nearby as good, but the T5s were strong emitters. I had very similar results to these: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/ZOOMED-Digital-UV-Index-Radiometer.85716/
