hazelnut_twirl15
Member
Hi, I would just like to run past you guys here if everything I'm doing is ok for my little russian tort that I've had for nearly a month now, he is about 2.5'' long. I have learnt so much from you all since being on this forum! He will soon be moving into his new enclosure which I'm very excited about.
It is 4' x 2' x 1' high and will have approx 5-6'' of pure coco coir which he loves to burrow into.
His basking light will be in one corner with a large slab of slate underneath, temp ranging from 90-100°f. The basking bulb I have is this.. The cool end of enclosure to be 70-80°f?
https://www.internetreptile.com/arcadia-reptile-basking-solar-flood-100w-sbf100/
I will also have a 34'' UVB tube as below link across the middle of the enclosure, about 18-20'' from shell height.
https://www.internetreptile.com/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-34in-39w-desert-12-uvb/
I am looking into getting a solarmeter 6.5 in the next few weeks also.
His food bowl will be located in the middle of the enclosure, edging slightly towards the basking end but not enough to wilt all the food too quickly. I have a 6'' shallow terra cotta plant saucer for this. I also have an 8'' shallow terra cotta plant saucer for his water which will be placed in the cooler end of the enclosure.
I am still on the hunt for a suitable plastic tub to turn into his humid hide which will go next to his basking area. I will be putting another hide in the cool area and space permitting another hide in the middle. I will be adding some rocks and stones into top level of substrate to give him something to roam and explore over. At some point I may also add some tortoise safe plants in there too but currently I'd like to monitor his eating by feeding him myself.
Looking at keeping the humidity between 50-60% throughout the day. It sometimes goes up to about 80-85% at night when all the lights are off, is this normal? This is from the current situation where he is in a very small glass vivarium I was missold by pet shop.. I am terrified of him pyramiding also so any advice on this please.
I bathe him every morning at 7am in water 85-90°f for about 30 minutes, sometimes a bit longer if he hasn't pooped and passed urine/urates yet. I have to carefully dig him out of his burrow every morning to do this which he would have been in for atleast 12 hours already. is this ok?
I feed him a big bunch of greens after his bath and then again early-mid afternoon. He never eats it all but I like him to be able to munch on it when he wants to. Every week I buy a fresh bag of florettes classic crispy and mix in fresh plantain, mallow and cranesbill geranium which I pick when out dog walking. He also occasionally gets a bit of brussel sprout. I add a little pinch of calcium powder once every few days as well as ZooMed Grassland food soaked down every few days (not both on same day).
Any advice welcome, I want to make sure I am doing everything right for my tort so he is thriving, not just surviving!
Thanks, Charlotte
It is 4' x 2' x 1' high and will have approx 5-6'' of pure coco coir which he loves to burrow into.
His basking light will be in one corner with a large slab of slate underneath, temp ranging from 90-100°f. The basking bulb I have is this.. The cool end of enclosure to be 70-80°f?
https://www.internetreptile.com/arcadia-reptile-basking-solar-flood-100w-sbf100/
I will also have a 34'' UVB tube as below link across the middle of the enclosure, about 18-20'' from shell height.
https://www.internetreptile.com/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-34in-39w-desert-12-uvb/
I am looking into getting a solarmeter 6.5 in the next few weeks also.
His food bowl will be located in the middle of the enclosure, edging slightly towards the basking end but not enough to wilt all the food too quickly. I have a 6'' shallow terra cotta plant saucer for this. I also have an 8'' shallow terra cotta plant saucer for his water which will be placed in the cooler end of the enclosure.
I am still on the hunt for a suitable plastic tub to turn into his humid hide which will go next to his basking area. I will be putting another hide in the cool area and space permitting another hide in the middle. I will be adding some rocks and stones into top level of substrate to give him something to roam and explore over. At some point I may also add some tortoise safe plants in there too but currently I'd like to monitor his eating by feeding him myself.
Looking at keeping the humidity between 50-60% throughout the day. It sometimes goes up to about 80-85% at night when all the lights are off, is this normal? This is from the current situation where he is in a very small glass vivarium I was missold by pet shop.. I am terrified of him pyramiding also so any advice on this please.
I bathe him every morning at 7am in water 85-90°f for about 30 minutes, sometimes a bit longer if he hasn't pooped and passed urine/urates yet. I have to carefully dig him out of his burrow every morning to do this which he would have been in for atleast 12 hours already. is this ok?
I feed him a big bunch of greens after his bath and then again early-mid afternoon. He never eats it all but I like him to be able to munch on it when he wants to. Every week I buy a fresh bag of florettes classic crispy and mix in fresh plantain, mallow and cranesbill geranium which I pick when out dog walking. He also occasionally gets a bit of brussel sprout. I add a little pinch of calcium powder once every few days as well as ZooMed Grassland food soaked down every few days (not both on same day).
Any advice welcome, I want to make sure I am doing everything right for my tort so he is thriving, not just surviving!
Thanks, Charlotte
