Brand new with several questions

[blakespinks85]

My wife came home with a tiny leopard tortoise 2 days ago. I built 38x18x15 home with a hide box. The basking site is between 90 and 95 and the opposite end is around 70 degrees. I bought a bio dude solar grow for uvb and zoomed basking light for daytime and ceramic heat emmiter for night time. At the pet store the turtle was all over the place so that is the one she picked. Now for the past 2 days it only stays directly under rhe heat sources with its head hanging down. The only movement is from daytime to night time heat. If anyone can give me any pointers to anything I have listed, I will be greatful.

 

[Markw84]

The bio dude solar grow is a nice fixture, but it comes with a bulb that does NOT give off any UVB light - but is a decent grow light for plants. You must buy a replacement T5 UVB bulb for UVB. The arcadia T5 12.0 is a good choice.

70° is way too cold for a baby leopard. I never let baby tortoises get below 80° day or night in the coolest part of their enclosure. HIgh humidity -80%+ is also necessary for proper growth and development. Tortoises dig into the substrate and push under plants for proper heat and humidity. In enclosures, that has the opposite effect as that is the coldest part of an enclosure in a home. Be sure the bottom of the enclosure where the tortoise will want to hide is the proper temperature.

Too cold, too dry, and no place to hide and feel secure are the main reasons tortoises act like you describe. Once you have the heat and humidity correct, also be sure you have plenty of secure hiding spots. Baby tortoises spend the bulk of their first few years pushed under grass clumps and plants. Providing lots of plants with overhanging fronds is one of the best things you can do for your tortoises.

Read this for what I believe is the best care tips:

How to raise a Healthy Star Tortoise.

Stars, Leopards, and Sulcata tortoises are almost identical in care requirements, especially their first few years to get them started properly and thriving. These tortoises, their first few years, will fail to thrive and be active, unless you provide proper heat, humidity, and light. Leopard...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

I seconded everything Mark said and asap.

 

[blakespinks85]

The bio dude solar grow is a nice fixture, but it comes with a bulb that does NOT give off any UVB light - but is a decent grow light for plants. You must buy a replacement T5 UVB bulb for UVB. The arcadia T5 12.0 is a good choice.

70° is way too cold for a baby leopard. I never let baby tortoises get below 80° day or night in the coolest part of their enclosure. HIgh humidity -80%+ is also necessary for proper growth and development. Tortoises dig into the substrate and push under plants for proper heat and humidity. In enclosures, that has the opposite effect as that is the coldest part of an enclosure in a home. Be sure the bottom of the enclosure where the tortoise will want to hide is the proper temperature.

Too cold, too dry, and no place to hide and feel secure are the main reasons tortoises act like you describe. Once you have the heat and humidity correct, also be sure you have plenty of secure hiding spots. Baby tortoises spend the bulk of their first few years pushed under grass clumps and plants. Providing lots of plants with overhanging fronds is one of the best things you can do for your tortoises.

Read this for what I believe is the best care tips:

How to raise a Healthy Star Tortoise.

Stars, Leopards, and Sulcata tortoises are almost identical in care requirements, especially their first few years to get them started properly and thriving. These tortoises, their first few years, will fail to thrive and be active, unless you provide proper heat, humidity, and light. Leopard...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Thanks y'all. It will be done today

 

[Blackdog1714]

Welcome and please don't forget we love pictures and tortoise talk (even pooh)!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[phoenix988]

Please, never ever use " Uvb Mini Compact Fluorescent " for tortoises.
those are the worst bulb for tortoises' eyes. if they do not feel right, they will never come out.
the right bulbs for tortoises are: 1, Mercury Vapor bulb, no smaller then 100watt; 2, UVB Fluorescent Bulb.

 

[blakespinks85]

Please, never ever use " Uvb Mini Compact Fluorescent " for tortoises.
those are the worst bulb for tortoises' eyes. if they do not feel right, they will never come out.
the right bulbs for tortoises are: 1, Mercury Vapor bulb, no smaller then 100watt; 2, UVB Fluorescent Bulb.

I just got the reptisun t5 ho 22inch uvb. I got the 5.0 and 10.0 tube

 

[Blackdog1714]

Do you have a Solarmeter 6.5r? They allow for perfect placement of the fixture height to get the correct UVB at shell height. I would start with the 5.0 and see how your tort reacts.

 

[blakespinks85]

Do you have a Solarmeter 6.5r? They allow for perfect placement of the fixture height to get the correct UVB at shell height. I would start with the 5.0 and see how your tort reacts.

I dont have one of those but the 5 says place within 12 inches and the 10 says greater...so I was thinking fixing the 5.0 about 10 inches up?

 

[Blackdog1714]

I dont have one of those but the 5 says place within 12 inches and the 10 says greater...so I was thinking fixing the 5.0 about 10 inches up?

That should work at 10 inches