Enclosure opinions and tips

Tmcgrath112

New Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Belfast
This is my enclosure for my 3 year old Russian tort. He has two 40w heat bulbs and a small heat mat that is behind glass in his in-built hide. The enclosure is about 3ftx4ft. He also has his UV strip light. I’ve tried to have lots of plants, most fake but one real at the back. He eats on a slate and usually has a water bowl but it isn’t in the photo. Any opinions or ways I can improve? :)1167BA7F-F659-4ED5-BE08-A19682719734.jpeg
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Location (City and/or State)
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This is my enclosure for my 3 year old Russian tort. He has two 40w heat bulbs and a small heat mat that is behind glass in his in-built hide. The enclosure is about 3ftx4ft. He also has his UV strip light. I’ve tried to have lots of plants, most fake but one real at the back. He eats on a slate and usually has a water bowl but it isn’t in the photo. Any opinions or ways I can improve? :)View attachment 313405
1. Get rid of that awful Pets at home substrate ASAP. Encouraging a tortoise to eat sandy substrate to satisfy calcium cravings is a terrible idea! Whoever thought go that should be flogged. Its not a good substrate without the limestone bits. With the limestone, it is literally deadly. Instead use fine grade orchid bark or coco coir, and keep it lightly damp.

2. Those clamps for you lamps ALWAYS fail eventually. This often leads to dead tortoises and sometime house fires. Get rid of the clamps and securely mount your fixtures from directly over head.

3. Put the water bowl in there and leave it in. Change the water and clean the bowl daily. Best to use a terra cotta plant saucer and sink it into the substrate.

More info here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
 

Tmcgrath112

New Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2020
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Belfast
1. Get rid of that awful Pets at home substrate ASAP. Encouraging a tortoise to eat sandy substrate to satisfy calcium cravings is a terrible idea! Whoever thought go that should be flogged. Its not a good substrate without the limestone bits. With the limestone, it is literally deadly. Instead use fine grade orchid bark or coco coir, and keep it lightly damp.

2. Those clamps for you lamps ALWAYS fail eventually. This often leads to dead tortoises and sometime house fires. Get rid of the clamps and securely mount your fixtures from directly over head.

3. Put the water bowl in there and leave it in. Change the water and clean the bowl daily. Best to use a terra cotta plant saucer and sink it into the substrate.

More info here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
Thanks, the substrate he has isn’t marketed to be eaten and I haven’t seen him eating it... what would you recommend? A mixture of orchid bark and coco coir?
 

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