mrsk's2turtles
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2015
- Messages
- 3
Hello! I have a few questions that I am hoping to get some advice on. I have acquired an adult (5-6 yo) eastern box turtle whose owner passed away. Her husband was trying to care for it, and bless his heart, he was trying but not doing very well. He had gotten Tucker a new habitat (a 10-gallon aquarium) and substrate (reptile sand), and was giving him water and food on little plastic lids. When I got him his nictitating membranes (third eyelid) were all swollen and irritated (probably from sand/low humidity I am guessing). I am planning to get him into a more suitable long-term enclosure as soon as possible, but it may be a few months. I am going to build him a wooden enclosure 6'x2', or I have a lead on a (FREE) reptile tank that is 6'x20"x18".
In the meantime I am making do with a 20 gallon long tank (30"x12"x12"). I've got Forest Floor (cypress mulch) for his substrate (4" deep at one end, tapered to about 1" at the end with his wading pool and food dish) and a piece of cork bark around his water bowl so he doesn't drag so much mulch into it when he soaks. I bought a dual-light fixture and a UVB bulb, and have a 75 watt incandescent in the other side for a basking light. Since then I have been reading this forum, and I know I will need to replace the UVB bulb because it is the CFL type which sounds like it could actually be bad for his eyes(?). So myquestions are:
1. Can I/Should I get a UVB strip CFL for this fixture? (I am attaching a picture of the aquarium fixture that a friend gave me to fit this tank) Would this one be good? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1445714658&ref_=sr_1_8&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-8
If I did use this for the UVB, how would I position a basking fixture? I do have several clamp-lamps I could use if I needed to, but where should I put it if the strip light is covering 1/2 the tank top? I can't read the whol lable on the bulb that is in there now, so I'm not even sure what type of bulb the fixture will accept...can anyone tell from the part I could take a picture of?
2. Should I switch the 75 watt bulb out for either of these bulbs? (attaching a picture of choices (48w halogen flood PAR30 or 45w directional R20)
I don't have a temperature gun, or a way to accurately gauge temp right now, so I am looking for your best guess as to what would be appropriate. The lights hang about 10" from the top of his shell when he is directly underneath. Oh, and do you think the mesh I have over the top (to keep him from climbing out) is interefering with the UVB getting to him?
I know that his enclosure is too small for him right now, and I am planning to fix that as soon as possible, but it may be a few months and I want to get him the best set-up for now that I can. I also want to invest in lighting and equipment that will work in a larger set up as well. He will be an indoor/classroom pet for most of the year, but I plan to take him home with me over the summers so he can get some good outside time then. I live in Illinois, so he won't miss out on much good outside time by being at school during the fall/winter/early spring. My classroom stays about 68-73 degrees year-round, if that helps with diagnosing the heating needs. I can look into an under-tank heater or heat rock for under his mulch if I need to for his bigger tank. My biggest concern right now is the long-term UVB solution, as well as a short-term basking/heating solution. Any other advice/input would be appreciated as well. Oh, and does anyone have a solution/suggestion for covering the glass walls of an aquarium so as to reduce the stress on Tucker? Right now I have a mesh screen on the outside which seems to help a little, but I don't know if there is a better idea out there.
I had two box turtles (3-toed) when I was a kid, and currently have a RES (Moto) in my classroom as well, so I am sort-of comfortable with keeping turtles, but I want to make sure I am doing right by this little guy. Thanks so much in advance!
P.S. Does anyone have a suggestion/recommendation for a temperature gun? I looked at one Home Depot this weekend, but I wasn't sure if it was a good one...
Sorry about the novel!
In the meantime I am making do with a 20 gallon long tank (30"x12"x12"). I've got Forest Floor (cypress mulch) for his substrate (4" deep at one end, tapered to about 1" at the end with his wading pool and food dish) and a piece of cork bark around his water bowl so he doesn't drag so much mulch into it when he soaks. I bought a dual-light fixture and a UVB bulb, and have a 75 watt incandescent in the other side for a basking light. Since then I have been reading this forum, and I know I will need to replace the UVB bulb because it is the CFL type which sounds like it could actually be bad for his eyes(?). So myquestions are:
1. Can I/Should I get a UVB strip CFL for this fixture? (I am attaching a picture of the aquarium fixture that a friend gave me to fit this tank) Would this one be good? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1445714658&ref_=sr_1_8&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-8
If I did use this for the UVB, how would I position a basking fixture? I do have several clamp-lamps I could use if I needed to, but where should I put it if the strip light is covering 1/2 the tank top? I can't read the whol lable on the bulb that is in there now, so I'm not even sure what type of bulb the fixture will accept...can anyone tell from the part I could take a picture of?
2. Should I switch the 75 watt bulb out for either of these bulbs? (attaching a picture of choices (48w halogen flood PAR30 or 45w directional R20)
I don't have a temperature gun, or a way to accurately gauge temp right now, so I am looking for your best guess as to what would be appropriate. The lights hang about 10" from the top of his shell when he is directly underneath. Oh, and do you think the mesh I have over the top (to keep him from climbing out) is interefering with the UVB getting to him?
I know that his enclosure is too small for him right now, and I am planning to fix that as soon as possible, but it may be a few months and I want to get him the best set-up for now that I can. I also want to invest in lighting and equipment that will work in a larger set up as well. He will be an indoor/classroom pet for most of the year, but I plan to take him home with me over the summers so he can get some good outside time then. I live in Illinois, so he won't miss out on much good outside time by being at school during the fall/winter/early spring. My classroom stays about 68-73 degrees year-round, if that helps with diagnosing the heating needs. I can look into an under-tank heater or heat rock for under his mulch if I need to for his bigger tank. My biggest concern right now is the long-term UVB solution, as well as a short-term basking/heating solution. Any other advice/input would be appreciated as well. Oh, and does anyone have a solution/suggestion for covering the glass walls of an aquarium so as to reduce the stress on Tucker? Right now I have a mesh screen on the outside which seems to help a little, but I don't know if there is a better idea out there.
I had two box turtles (3-toed) when I was a kid, and currently have a RES (Moto) in my classroom as well, so I am sort-of comfortable with keeping turtles, but I want to make sure I am doing right by this little guy. Thanks so much in advance!
P.S. Does anyone have a suggestion/recommendation for a temperature gun? I looked at one Home Depot this weekend, but I wasn't sure if it was a good one...
Sorry about the novel!