Tortimus Debut

[HermansTorti]

Hi I am new to both this forum and keeping a tortoise,
Tortimus pictured below and known as Torti for short(most of the time) has been a member of the household for a little over a month now, he seems happy in his temporary enclosure he has a 60w heat lamp on 24/7 a white one during the day and a Red one at night, with a UV tube on 12 hours every day.
He lives with us in Wales UK.

 

[pguinpro]

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Habitats-Care/Reptile-Lighting-Information

Here's some info on reptile vision, probably best not to use a red lamp. You can use RHP's and CHE's with wide dome fixture. I've heard of others using Zoomed moonlight bulb but have not tried it myself.

 

[HermansTorti]

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Habitats-Care/Reptile-Lighting-Information

Here's some info on reptile vision, probably best not to use a red lamp. You can use RHP's and CHE's with wide dome fixture. I've heard of others using Zoomed moonlight bulb but have not tried it myself.

Thanks for the link, I have just today read that red light is not ideal the reptile store I got the tortoise from recommended it when we noticed the temp was dropping too low in the enclosure, I am going to look at getting one of them ceramic heaters very shortly.
I’m already working on designing a larger enclosure and have done a lot of reading within these forums on substrate etc. Again the bedding in the enclosure is what was supplied by the shop we bought him and for the time being is all I have. I am looking to introduce some more humidity too.

 

[Yvonne G]

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Habitats-Care/Reptile-Lighting-Information

Here's some info on reptile vision, probably best not to use a red lamp. You can use RHP's and CHE's with wide dome fixture. I've heard of others using Zoomed moonlight bulb but have not tried it myself.

Excellent article. Thank you for the reference.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

Please read the care sheet for Hermanns tortoises that we have pinned at the top of our Hermanns section. Looking at your pictures, I think there are some changes that might be considered after you read the care sheet:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

 

[HermansTorti]

Hi, and welcome!

Please read the care sheet for Hermanns tortoises that we have pinned at the top of our Hermanns section. Looking at your pictures, I think there are some changes that might be considered after you read the care sheet:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

Thanks for the friendly welcome, I read the updated care sheet before I registered for the site today, I have spent many hours reading the informative posts that will hopefully keep me in the right area to improve and create a healthy environment for Torti.

I have a slightly limited area in which to build his enclosure right now not too much of a problem while he is small I hope, my plan is to eventually have a 3 storey enclosure for him with a fold out pen for him to roam in the living room when we are home.

 

[Bee62]

Hi I am new to both this forum and keeping a tortoise,
Tortimus pictured below and known as Torti for short(most of the time) has been a member of the household for a little over a month now, he seems happy in his temporary enclosure he has a 60w heat lamp on 24/7 a white one during the day and a Red one at night, with a UV tube on 12 hours every day.
He lives with us in Wales UK.
View attachment 260285
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Hello and welcome to the forum. Please get asap rid of the rabbit pellets in the enclosure of your tort. Torti needs a humid soil to be healthy. Rabbit pellets are much too dry. When you don`t keep the enclosure humid the kidneys of your tort can be damaged quickly.

 

[pguinpro]

Thanks for the link, I have just today read that red light is not ideal the reptile store I got the tortoise from recommended it when we noticed the temp was dropping too low in the enclosure, I am going to look at getting one of them ceramic heaters very shortly.
I’m already working on designing a larger enclosure and have done a lot of reading within these forums on substrate etc. Again the bedding in the enclosure is what was supplied by the shop we bought him and for the time being is all I have. I am looking to introduce some more humidity too.

If you do get the CHE it's important to get a wide dome not deep dome; heat dispersion. Deep dome will focus the heat on a certain spot. Eventually I'll be getting rid of my CHE's and purchasing Radiant Heat panels this way the heat is evenly distributed over a wide area.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Hello from Florida, and welcome to the Forum! I lived in the UK for about three years, but that was over a decade ago. However, I've made some friends here in the TFO who can assist you with information and guidance specific to keeping tortoises in the UK. @JoesMum is in Kent, and @Lyn W is in Wales.