I’d like to create a permanent outdoor enclosure for my RT. He’s about 3-4 years old.
I live in Vallejo, California (located near the Bay Area) and have considered making him a huge outdoor enclosure to spend in year-round.
I know people say SoCal would be fine year-round for a tortoise, but...
I figured I may as well show you guys exactly what I'm working with so it's easier for to visualize.
Shown in the picture, after taking your advice, I installed a bright daylight LED bulb directly in the middle of the enclosure to light up the entire space. In the big deep dome, I have a CHE...
Sorry, I mentioned it was a Russian tortoise at the very end of my last response. I should have mentioned it higher up.
But yes, it seems like Russians are not a temperate species. I guess they do not really need a summer photoperiod?
Hi Tom, thanks!
I should have clarified that I am using the T5 HO 12% Arcadia bulb (from lightyourreptiles.com). My Solar Meter 6.5 reads levels of 1.5 - 4.8 throughout the enclosure so the T5 HO is working well.
And I see - I have been using my basking bulb as my “daylight” bulb rather than...
From my understanding, we should keep our UVA lights on from sunrise to sundown (12-14 hours a day) to simulate sunlight.
What about UVB? How many hours a day is it appropriate to keep on my UVB T5 12% Arcadia tube? (My solar meter reads anywhere from 1.9 - 5.0 throughout the enclosure).
Is...
I'm considering possibly doing an enclosure overhaul depending on the feedback I receive.
I'll keep things short and simple: I have a ~1.5 year old Russian Tortoise that is almost 4.5 inches long. He/she needs more space to burrow in and I just want a bigger enclosure for it in general.
The...
I know this might seem a bit extra, but I know that some people claim that mesh below your lights is bad because it reduces UVB output anywhere from 20-50%.
I understand this and it's expected, but if I have a Solar Meter and if the levels are between 3-7 on the index scale for my Russian...
Hi guys,
Just doing my occasional check-in on my tortoise’s health.
I’ve recently noticed that the lines between each section of his shell have become more pronounced. Is this normal as he grows or is this a sign that something need to be changed?
The picture of him laying down with his legs...
I’m trying to do an overhaul of my tortoises enclosure, but realize that garden center substrate is usually a lot cheaper.
Does anyone know if this brand is perfectly safe for my tortoise?
Thank you!
I’m having some trouble trying to decide where the temp/humidity sensor should go in my enclosure. Over the last 6 months, I’ve had it on the log, in the corner, on the wall, but now I just set it down on the substrate near the wall.
Any recommendations for accurate readings? Thank you :)!
I got the enclosure from Zen Habitats. I did the PayPal 4-Payments plan when purchasing ($400 total). If you’d like the specific measurements, I can look it up :) It’s important to note I got the PVC version so the “wood” doesn’t warp (it’s not real wood, just a design on top of PVC). The...
Can you explain what you mean? Like make the enclosure? I just bought it. Everything else was just added in there. Feel free to ask more questions though.
Sure - here’s a recent pic of my setup. The Zen Habitat enclosure was a little pricey but I really enjoy it. I’ve recently added more fake plants and more wooden houses to make things more interesting for my tortoise. It’s always undergoing new changes (thinking of adding a humid hide soon). But...
I’m happy to hear! Admittedly it was kind of scary at first because I know babies aren’t the best to begin with, but he was literally the only tortoise I could find in-person and online so I jumped the gun and invested money into a closed chamber with all the things he needed as a baby. Glad...
Thank you! I’m glad the hours upon hours of research paid off. I’ve only had him for a little over half a year at this point but I can’t wait until he’s fully grown. Always looking for ways to ensure everything is fine as he matures. Thank you for your insight :)!