SUGGESTION for Setting Up a Baby Habitat

seancm22

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Hello, I recently purchased a leopard hatchling. Is a large domed fixture okay? I am using a 100W Powersun bulb as well. Whenever he is in the enclosure, he doesn't move around too much and his eyes are closed. When I take him outside he moves around quite a bit and he seems alright. He is moving around with his eyes open and everything. I am using coco coir and sphagnum moss in the enclosure and have a clay pot for a hide. He gets daily soakings and eats sporadically throughout the day. I have been feeding him spring mix and have been sprinkling vitamins on the food 2-3 times a week. His shell is a little soft as well. Is there anything I need to do differently?

ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1441214372.305204.jpg
 

Nathan.

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I'm not an expert by any means these are just my thoughts. Maybe he is too cold when he's inside so he just curious up in his shell and hangs out until you put him outside and he warms up.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Your really need a bigger enclosure and a way of keeping in your heat and humidity.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
Even tinfoil or plastic film should help to begin, but leave holes for the lights.
What do you use for night heat or is it naturally hot and humid where you are?
Between Tom's excellent large hatchling enclosures and Yvonne's smaller one is this idea I use, about in the middle.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/chambers-my-take-of-the-idea.77044/
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Not exactly, the lights are tented under the foil, no hole. The point of foil is it won't matter how hot it gets from the lights as a heat source.
ok, ok, you're right, I didn't explain it very well.
 

seancm22

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I can get a bigger tub. I got that one because it was the only tub that wasn't clear at Home Depot. I had a sulcata before this little one and had a clear tub. He spent his days wandering the edges looking out. I live in Texas so it stays warm and doesn't get below 70 at night.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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I can get a bigger tub. I got that one because it was the only tub that wasn't clear at Home Depot. I had a sulcata before this little one and had a clear tub. He spent his days wandering the edges looking out. I live in Texas so it stays warm and doesn't get below 70 at night.
A bigger clear sided enclosure is fine as you can put masking tape or the like around the bottom so the tortoise can't see out.
 

Alaura

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Thanks for posting! I will definitely be trying this once Steve absorbs his yolk sac and can move. I'm just curious what type of plants you put in the enclosure?
 

Yvonne G

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I have a pretty large collection of cactus and succulents, and I just pick out some that are in smaller pots.
 

Tiny Tortoise

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Do you need UVB? I have a Basking light and a UVB light provided .Is the UVB necessary? You seem to only have one light...
 

JoesMum

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UVB is essential so your tort can make the Vitamin D it needs to help it absorb calcium from its diet.

Some people use two bulbs - separate basking and UVB.

Some people use a single MVB (Mercury Vapour Bulb) that provides both in a single bulb. The snag is that the UVB from a MVB bulb dwindles very quickly. MVB bulbs must be replaced every 6-9 months - long before the bulb actually blows.
 

Yvonne G

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Do you need UVB? I have a Basking light and a UVB light provided .Is the UVB necessary? You seem to only have one light...

Actually, in my baby enclosure, I have three light fixtures - a black light on either end for heat and a UVB light in the middle. My UVB light provides plenty of heat. I don't need a "basking light" because the 100 watt Zoo Med Mercury Vapor Bulb IS a basking light.
 

Dipa

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So if you put the tort in the sunlight
Is it necessary to use uvb bulb?
If no then for how much long he needed to stay in sunlight?
 

terryo

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Here are some pictures of my hibernation cave. I hope I can do this.....not too good with adding pictures here. One side of my garden is elevated and that is where the cave is. I loosen the soil to about 1 1/2 feet. It is garden soil with peat moss added, and some dead leaf litter. Make sure everything is dry. Then I add about two big black garbage bags of leaf litter, and on top of that I put a bag of pine hay that I collect in the woods. I put a piece of ply wood on top to cover the cave and then another piece of plywood with an old pool liner stapled to it. I add some heavy stones on top so no wind can blow it away. We get some pretty big Winter storms here. Sometimes its completely cover with 2 feet of snow. I don't worry about heavy rains as this section is elevated and the water runs down and I have about 4 or 5 weep holes in the stone around the garden.
 

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terryo

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OK. I have no idea if I did this right or if you can see the pictures.
 

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