Agent007
Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2015
- Messages
- 54
I'm gonna check his eyesight if I shine a dim light at him and see what happens.
Sulcat Habitat Fix
- Thread starter Brian Alvarado
- Start date
I'm gonna check his eyesight if I shine a dim light at him and see what happens.
I don't know if that will spot anything, there is a vast difference between bright sun and a dim light.
I just don't understand why you would want to take the risk with your torts eyes knowing that coiled lights can cause damage.
What would that test for?
Agent007
Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2015
- Messages
- 54
I
I don't think it's damaged since I have a hole in his night enclosure and he knows well where it is.
Prairie Mom
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2014
- Messages
- 4,339
I love the way you ask questions and post for advice. I really think you've come to the right spot for help. I came here not knowing anything and saw a huge difference in my tortoise once I was able to achieve what is recommended here on the forum.
I also thought you might feel more secure if you knew a little about a few of the people who are advising you. (Forgive me for only mentioning a couple! I think everyone who posted here is great and I would listen to their advice!)
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About a few of the members you've chatted with...
Yvonne G- has worked with turtles and tortoises for decades. She owns and operates her own private tortoise rescue in California. She has nursed a lot of sick animals and can often give health advice as well as general care that many people have not experienced. You'll find info and photos of her enclosures all over the forum. Here is a recent thread where someone was thanking her for a tortoise they adopted from her... http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/three-years-ago-today.130469/#post-1225125
Wellington- has also worked with tortoises for many years and has experiences keeping them in colder climates.
Alaskamike- has kept many different species over many years. Both in Cold Climates and now in Florida. He has personally rescued tortoises and is doing some interesting work rehabilitating tortoises with severe Metabolic Bone Disease. He has begun doing a "water therapy" to strengthen their muscles which I find really interesting.
Tom- He works with animals professionally and has also had a passion for tortoises for decades. He's become well known for studies he has done with sulcatas and leopards particularly as he experiments with habitat and basic care. He has been a keynote speaker at multiple tortoise conferences. Recently many of us excitedly shared and posted about his speech at the CTTC Inland Empire. The Forum Admin recorded his presentation and posted it on Youtube ...
Tom is also the author of many care sheets on the forum. I noticed that he has posted some of them here on this thread. His care sheets are recommended by "The Reptile Report." http://thereptilereport.com/raising-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard/
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I sincerely hope my gossip helps you feel more confident posting, asking questions, and considering advice you've been given. Have a great day!
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Brian Alvarado
New Member
I just saw some pink like paint bloch on the bottom of one of my Sulcatas and I was wondering is that normal to happen or is it blood I used a q tip to try to clean it some wiped off but theirs still a spot and the coil light bulb what kind of coiled light bulb I use this hoopish type of UV bulb ?
Brian Alvarado
New Member
How do you check the temperatures I dont know how to check them im sorry for all the questions
Don't worry about all the questions
There are a couple of ways. One of the ways is to invest in a good infrared thermometer (laser thermometer) and point them at different spots. Another way is to buy one of the thermometers with probes.
They do sometimes cause problems. However, they don't always universally cause problems. Some of them seem to be okay, and other times, like in Agent 007's case, people just don't recognize the problems.
In either case, there is a big risk of eye damage, AND they are a poor source of UV, so why use them. Big potential risk, with little or no benefit. Best to use safer sources of UV that are also more effective.
With a thermometer.
Don't be sorry for all the questions. Be sorry for not listening to the answers or taking the advice of all the people telling you the same thing and trying to help you.
All this info is in the threads I linked for you. Including the bit about not taking advice from pet stores. If you'd take a few minutes to read those threads your life would be a heck of a lot easier and your tortoise's lives would be better.
That set up they sold you is a literal tortoise death box. The sand, the coil bulb, the ramped water bowl, the unreliable thermometers, the dry conditions, the open top, keeping them as a pair and the lack of night heat are ALL potential baby killers.
You had better figure this out, and quick, or you won't have babies to care for at all.
That does not sound good. Can you show us a pic?
Are you soaking these babies daily?
Brian Alvarado
New Member
Yeah ive been soaking them I dont have a lot of money to buy all the stuff ive been trying to change their habitat little by little and I dont know if I have a coil bulb or not
Brian Alvarado
New Member
This kind isn't as bad as the coil shaped ones, however, this kind should be mounted horizontally, not vertically.
Brian Alvarado
New Member
What do I need to put it horizontal
And I know im asking a lot of questions the reason for that is my Girlfriends mom bought them the same day she saw them and I didnt have enough time to check what they needed how they eat and stuff and I thought that petsmart would be reliable but I was wrong and I spent money on all the things they have now so im trying to redo everything correctly so im sorry if you guys are getting annoyed by my constant question asking im just trying to take care of these tortoises they are the first ones I owned my gf had some before but she didnt really know what she was doing it was before I met my girlfriend
Brian, Questions are welcome. Please don't stop asking them until you know all you need to know.
1. That plastron looks okay to me. I don't see any issue.
2. You have got to get them off the sand RIGHT NOW. It is better for them to have newspaper or no substrate for a few days that to be on that sand one minute longer.
3. Those are the cfl "coil type" bulbs I am talking about. I would turn it off right now and not use it again. In addition to being potentially dangerous, they are not an effective UV source anyway.
1. That plastron looks okay to me. I don't see any issue.
2. You have got to get them off the sand RIGHT NOW. It is better for them to have newspaper or no substrate for a few days that to be on that sand one minute longer.
3. Those are the cfl "coil type" bulbs I am talking about. I would turn it off right now and not use it again. In addition to being potentially dangerous, they are not an effective UV source anyway.
Brian Alvarado
New Member
I took the sand off today and what kind of UV Bulb do I need can you give me the brand or what type like can you post a picture im getting the TerraCotta Saucer and Coco Coir Substrate soon and an infrared Temperature Gun im also going to get PlexiGlass to enclose the tank that I have right now its the 75 Gallon one that is on here is that all I need, is the heat lamp that I have ok or should I get a different one and is their anything else thats wrong with my closure ? Thank you very much to everybody that is helping me I really appreciate it
Brian Alvarado
New Member
What kind of UVB light should I get ?
The Mercury Vapor Bulbs, like the Powersun, give you heat, light and UV all in one. If you just want the UV and light without additional heat, any of the "10.0" florescent tubes will work. If you can mount the bulb 10-12 inches from the tortoise then the "regular" tubes will work fine. It you need to mount it higher than that, then the "HO" tubes are great. I use Arcadia 12% HO tubes mounted at 20 inches in some of my enclosures. They work really well for me. I buy them here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com
