Spur thigh (now called sulcata)

[Trickbill985]

working on getting new spur thigh all setup. Enclosure is about 24” tall and was thinking of using a twisted uvb light but afraid it won’t be strong enough. Now thinking mercury vapor will be needed just not sure 100 watt or 160 watt. Substrate is organic soil mixed with cypress mulch

 

[Trickbill985]

trying to setup new spur thigh

 

[pguinpro]

Can you link the soil?

 

[Trickbill985]

Organic garden soil from home depot

 

[Yvonne G]

Looking good so far. What are the dimensions? Greek tortoises need a lot of room to wander. It aids in getting things moving through the digestive tract.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Looks great, but what sized tort is this for? An adult hermann requires a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet.

 

[Yvonne G]

Don't use the compact fluorescent bulb (twisty bulb). They have been known to harm tortoise eyes, and besides that, don't provide much UVB.

 

[Trickbill985]

Looking good so far. What are the dimensions? Greek tortoises need a lot of room to wander. It aids in getting things moving through the digestive tract.

3 month old sulcata.

 

[Trickbill985]

Looking good so far. What are the dimensions? Greek tortoises need a lot of room to wander. It aids in getting things moving through the digestive tract.

3’x2’ just for a couple years then it will be going outside. Sulcata

 

[Yvonne G]

3 month old sulcata.

Then your tortoise is NOT called a spur thigh. The sulcata species is sometimes called an African spurred tortoise, but NEVER a spur thigh! This is why the Greek is called a spur thigh:

My friend Google isn't able to find pictures of sulcata spurs, but I'm assuming it refers to the SCALES on the front legs:

They do have spurs on their back legs.

Back to your enclosure. It's going to be ok for a hatchling sulcata for maybe a year or two, but they grow very fast and he will soon outgrow that space.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Looks great, but what sized tort is this for? An adult hermann requires a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet.

Why’d I say hermann? I meant Greek. Not that it matters, of course, seeing as this is a Sulcata, lol

 

[Tom]

working on getting new spur thigh all setup. Enclosure is about 24” tall and was thinking of using a twisted uvb light but afraid it won’t be strong enough. Now thinking mercury vapor will be needed just not sure 100 watt or 160 watt. Substrate is organic soil mixed with cypress mulch

3x2 will not last two years. They grow too fast if they are well started and housed correctly.

Soil is dangerous as a substrate for two reasons: 1. Additives. 2. You can't know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. Soil is messy too. Your cypress mulch should work fine all by itself.

I wouldn't use a MVB over a tortoise. They cause pyramiding.

Give these a read through for some tips:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Trickbill985]

3x2 will not last two years. They grow too fast if they are well started and housed correctly.

Soil is dangerous as a substrate for two reasons: 1. Additives. 2. You can't know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. Soil is messy too. Your cypress mulch should work fine all by itself.

I wouldn't use a MVB over a tortoise. They cause pyramiding.

Give these a read through for some tips:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Mvb?

 

[Trickbill985]

Then your tortoise is NOT called a spur thigh. The sulcata species is sometimes called an African spurred tortoise, but NEVER a spur thigh! This is why the Greek is called a spur thigh:

My friend Google isn't able to find pictures of sulcata spurs, but I'm assuming it refers to the SCALES on the front legs:

They do have spurs on their back legs.

Back to your enclosure. It's going to be ok for a hatchling sulcata for maybe a year or two, but they grow very fast and he will soon outgrow that space.

Ok great. Happy for the correction

 

[Tom]

Mvb?

Mercury vapor bulb.

 

[Trickbill985]

Then what would go down 24” and still have good enough Uv?

 

[Gillian M]

A warm welcome to the forum, @Trickbill985 .

That enclosure looks great. Look forward to seeing it once it's ready.

 

[pguinpro]

Mercury vapor bulb.

If you don't use MVB then what do you use? Everything I've read says MVB not coil and it also said that the tube lights do not provide UVB.

 

[Tom]

If you don't use MVB then what do you use? Everything I've read says MVB not coil and it also said that the tube lights do not provide UVB.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them.
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. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
3. Light. I use florescent tubes or LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height.

 

[Trickbill985]

If you don't use MVB then what do you use? Everything I've read says MVB not coil and it also said that the tube lights do not provide UVB.

Exactly!! I’m with you. Mvb!!! It’s like oh u can’t use this or you can’t use that. Mvb is the best for heat an uv in a practical world. Who is running 6 different heating elements etc?!