Critique my cage!

[JohnMcD]

This is the bin that I set up for my future Redfoot Tort. I'm 99.9% theres SOMETHING wrong with the setup, so please tell me what is wrong and how I can change it, but please dont be rude.

Here it looks like the dirt is moldy or dry.. but that is just the way the flash made it look.

In this the top is the humidity and the bottom is the temp. Ignore the high and low temp/humidty readings as they are from the store and in the hot car.

The substrate is organic top soil, play sand, and sphagnum peat moss.
The scattered plants are clover (I need more plants, any reccomendations of types/stores/websites?)

Im also confused on what I should do about lighting, I've heard mixed views on UVB lights, and I am setting up the light later today, and will post my temp/humidity readings on that end of the enclosure tonight.

 

[Seiryu]

Looks good but I agree more plants!

http://www.redfoots.com/main.htm tons of info on redfoots.

They will need a basking spot (about 90 degrees F). Looking at the setup it seems you'd have to hang it.

Besides the plants which redfoots.com will tell you to use i like it. Simple and has hides etc. How big is it anyways? pictures make some things look much smaller than they are.

I think you need a UVB light as well. 5.0's work good. 2.0's are basically just light and give little to no UVB. 10's is probably too much for a redfoot. But I am sure others will let you know.

 

[JohnMcD]

Thanks, thats where I have been getting most of my info, and it has helped a lot! I meant to say setting up my basking light when I just said setting up my light.

I realized that all I have right now that is the correct wattage is a red bulb (Exo-Terra), are red bulbs bad in any way for tortoises? I just ordered a sunglow but if I get the tort before the bulb arrives, all I've got is the red one..

 

[Itort]

This looks good. May suggest you put somemore sphagum moss in hides. I believe rfs don't recieve alot of uvb in wild (actually 1 to 2 percent) recieving most their vit D from animal portion of diet. I suggest a CHE for heat souce.

 

[Yvonne G]

Rude??? Us?? NEVER!!! :shy:

I LIKE it a lot. And I never thought about using the lid like that to partially cover the habitat. What a good idea.

Yvonne

 

[JohnMcD]

Rude??? Us?? NEVER!!! :shy:

I didnt mean you were! I just dont want people to go 'Terrible!! BLAAH READ MORE!'

Thanks for all of your complements, I'm glad I am doing it right. Itort, I do have more moist moss in the hides, I dont think its the common 'pulled apart' kind as this seems to be ground up.. but I believe it will do the job with humidity. As for the CHE, is it better than a bulb for the tortoise? In my very tortoise uneducated opinion it makes no differance, besides the large price tag on the CHE. But if it truely is better for the tort I'm willing to dish out the bills

 

[Seiryu]

I don't go by wattage in terms of bulbs. It all depends how far you have it from the enclosure. Like a 100w far away isnt going to do 90degrees. Just have to test it and see. I want to say for my basilisk enclosure. My 100w for one end is 16-18" from the basking spot. And I have a 75w on the other thats 12-14" from the top. Both give about 92-96 degrees F heat at their respective heights.

And at least here in Michigan, you can return bulbs to PetSmart. So try one and see what it gets the temps too and take it back if it's not right. (Ask them if you can return bulbs first though to make sure!)

Oh and do NOT get the heat bulbs that coil around. Just get the regular looking ones. Or you could go with MVB, but im not sure if that's too much UVB for a redfoot. (MVB are the heat and UVB in one bulbs).

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It's too small.
Remember that Redfoots live in the forest so their natural light is dark. I wouldn't waste my money on UVB bulbs at all. I'd get a hot bulb for basking and a black bulb for nighttime warmth. I'm not a big fan of plants in the enclosure because they take up space and the tortoise just smashes them down. If you're getting a hatchling then you can use plants but a bigger tort will just wreck them. Be sure that you take your new animal outside as often as possible. About 20 minutes a day is what would be about right...Then you don't need to worry about a UVB bulb...
I'd get a bunch of moss and pile it over about half the bin. Make your substrate moist and get the moss all moist and that's your atmosphere.
I LOVE being rude but made a no rude promise...so you got lucky this time...

 

[JohnMcD]

I don't go by wattage in terms of bulbs. It all depends how far you have it from the enclosure. Like a 100w far away isnt going to do 90degrees. Just have to test it and see. I want to say for my basilisk enclosure. My 100w for one end is 16-18" from the basking spot. And I have a 75w on the other thats 12-14" from the top. Both give about 92-96 degrees F heat at their respective heights.

And at least here in Michigan, you can return bulbs to PetSmart. So try one and see what it gets the temps too and take it back if it's not right. (Ask them if you can return bulbs first though to make sure!)

Oh and do NOT get the heat bulbs that coil around. Just get the regular looking ones. Or you could go with MVB, but im not sure if that's too much UVB for a redfoot. (MVB are the heat and UVB in one bulbs).

Yeah, all I have are 150 watts (I stocked up for my beardie) which would have to be hung from the ceiling, and this 50w red bulb. I can edit my order online until 2pm tomorrow, so once I get more opinions I'll decide what I'm going to do. I do believe an MVB would have too much UVB for a redfoot, but I have a spare fixture and 5.0's that I can use if needed.

 

[Itort]

There is a cost vs bulb life factor in the heat bulb/che comparision in the che last much longer than a heat bulb, can be left on 24/7 without affecting light cycle, and are in general tougher. The half cover works like a charm, I use that concept with all my forest type torts.

 

[JohnMcD]

Hmm.. maybe I will get a che.

The bin is 30" x 18" .. this is too small for a hatchling?

Heres some more pics with the red bulb.. which I'm not even going to use now.. but ehh why not show them?

The readings here are of the end with the bulb.

I added this piece of slate where the basking spot is.. (should I keep it, or remove it?)

Here is the sphagnom moss under the hide

And finally, this reading is from a piece of slate that i held in the air about 2" above the soil, under the light.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You didn't say it was a hatchling, you just said future tort. I'd still put a big pile of moss over half your bin. Get the temp up to 90-95 area. I see it's made it to 90 now. I use a CHE over my T.Hermanni...but all my other tortoises just have a black light bulb. I don't see what makes the CHE any better...I personally think the black bulb keeps everything warmer.

 

[JohnMcD]

You didn't say it was a hatchling, you just said future tort. I'd still put a big pile of moss over half your bin. Get the temp up to 90-95 area. I see it's made it to 90 now. I use a CHE over my T.Hermanni...but all my other tortoises just have a black light bulb. I don't see what makes the CHE any better...I personally think the black bulb keeps everything warmer.

Ooops, my bad!

90-95 in the whole bin, or do you just mean the basking spot?
Could you post a link to the black bulb that you use?

Edit: Just finished putting moss under the covered portion of the bin. Measuring humidity/temps now.

 

[Yvonne G]

Its just a regular incandescent bulb, but the glass is painted black. Wal-Mart sells them, Orchard's sells them. They're about $3 a bulb and are stocked in the lighting section with the other bulbs.

Yvonne

 

[JohnMcD]

Our Wal-Mart is currently being remodeled and we dont have Orchards here. Ill see if I can find it somewhere else.

 

[Candy]

I'm just wondering after reading his post whether the sand mixed in is a good idea? I have always read where sand can impact them. Can someone tell me if this is O.K. for a Redfoots enclosure? Maybe because it's mixed in it's alright or not? I myself use a heat emitter for Dale, but they can be pretty pricey. At night I use the red light just because I had already bought it before the heat emitter.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I'm just wondering after reading his post whether the sand mixed in is a good idea? I have always read where sand can impact them. Can someone tell me if this is O.K. for a Redfoots enclosure? Maybe because it's mixed in it's alright or not? I myself use a heat emitter for Dale, but they can be pretty pricey. At night I use the red light just because I had already bought it before the heat emitter.

Hey Candy...You really only have to worry about sand impaction when you feed directly on straight sand, and your tortoise is not well hydrated... if it's mixed with a soil then it just makes a good substrate.

 

[Chewbecca]

John,
I spoke with Terry (Turtletary) EXTENSIVELY about RFTs for about FOUR hours Thursday and Friday.

If you are getting a hatchling, that enclosure is big enough.
Terry told me, hatchling RFTs do NOT need a basking spot.
They need consistent temps of 85 degrees or so in the entire enclosure.

I'm going to snap a shot of my hatchling enclosure later. It's totally not an attractive set up, but it'll do.
It's quite generic, but I bet my hatchling'll be happy.

I have sphagnum moss on one half of my enclosure, and nothing on the other half because the other half is where I'll be placing his food on a small dish/lid.
I have his hide (which is a glittery purple plastic igloo that my mom bought as a gift for my leopard geckos but was too big for them/their enclosure) on top of the damp spag moss, and a small saucer/plate next to it with water for a soaking spot. On the side without any substrate, I have his cuttle bone (which isn't bad to offer a hatchling RFT, but isn't necessary).

I'm thinking of cutting half the lid like you did, that's an awesome idea!
For light (which they only really need to see their food), make sure it's not blasting towards his hide. I'd place the light away from the hide.
Also, remember, it's a hatchling. Hatchling RFTs in the wild, spend most of their time hiding, so don't be surprised if your little guy spends most of his time in his hide. <---That's what Terry told me.
Also, Terry kept telling me to remember that they are tropical tortoises.
Humidity is EXTREMELY important to keep their shells nice. He told me you cannot mist your tortoise enough (the tortoise NOT the substrate).

My hatchling isn't going to have a UVB light. I'm going to take him outside.
Which Terry informed me he'll like for about 1 minute before he seeks out shade.

Terry also told me that on Tuesday, when my little guy arrives, I'm to open the shipping container, allow his eyes to adjust to the light, and offer him a red tropical hibiscus leaf immediately.
He's going to be hungries. AWWW.
I'm so excited!!! I cannot wait!

 

[Laura]

Is that Real clover or Oxalis in there growing?
Welcome and have fun!!!
And remember.. there isnt one way to do it right.. do what is good for the tort and what works for you!

---

oh, and I have found black lights at the dollar store!!

 

[Chewbecca]

Is that Real clover or Oxalis in there growing?
Welcome and have fun!!!
And remember.. there isnt one way to do it right.. do what is good for the tort and what works for you!

---

oh, and I have found black lights at the dollar store!!

---

I was wondering about the clover, too!
Shouldn't clover have a white ring around mid way on the leaf?
That's what the pic shows in the one thread on here.

I am finding my 60 watt heat emitter is NOT getting my cage temps up to 85 degrees.
They're ranging between 80 and 82 or so. But not quite up to 85 degrees.

Should I return it and get the 100 watt?