AnimalLady
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2015
- Messages
- 1,136
Hello and welcome! You are in good hands 
Glad to be here!
- Thread starter Luvanrs50
- Start date
Luvanrs50
Member
Thanks so much! Looks like we have the mazuri food is that ok? Apparently we were fed a lot of misinformation from the breeder cause we were using no heat source at night. I will get a CHE immediately to warm our baby up! Our uvb isn't twisted it's just a straight skinny bulb so not sure if that's ok. Gonna work on our enclosure too!! Thanks again!If your light is coil style it can damage your tort's eyes. I would stop using it immediately if that is what kind it is. Definitely work on getting a "closed chamber". I use a raised garden bed with a greenhouse tent over the top. But as was mentioned above, there are tons of great ideas in the closed chambers thread.
If your tort is getting frequent outdoor time, you don't necessarily need indoor UV. I use a mercury vapor bulb for daytime light/UV and heat (it is all in one), but depending on the size of your enclosure a MVB might make it too hot.
What are you using to heat the enclosure at night? Your basking temp isn't bad, but for a young baby I would try to get it up around 100. 74 is too cool for night and for cool side. Temps should be no lower than 80 at anytime. Because Sulcata's need high humidity, temps under 80 in a humid environment is a recipe for a respiratory infection (I learned this the hard way).
So, aim for 100 basking...cool side and night no lower than 80.
Get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter...produces no light) and a ceramic fixture for night heat ASAP. Get temps above 80 before you worry about anything else. When you cover your enclosure, you need to hang all light/heat fixtures...the clamp style holders can fail and as a result are not as safe.
Mazuri and ZooMed Grassland pellets are two of the more popular tortoise pellets...Look them up and compare yours to photos to see if that is what you have.
Let me know what other questions you have, I know this can be overwhelming
Mazuri is just fine, I feed it once a week or so (moderation and variety are the key). A lot of people get bad info from the start, don't feel bad...the important thing is that you are here and getting the right info and you are willing to make the necessary changes for your tort's health. If you can post a photo of the bulb, we should be able to tell you if its ok or not (I'm guessing, based on your description, that it might not be a safe kind but post a photo to be sure). Keep us posted on your enclosure progress
Luvanrs50
Member
this is the exact bulb we haveMazuri is just fine, I feed it once a week or so (moderation and variety are the key). A lot of people get bad info from the start, don't feel bad...the important thing is that you are here and getting the right info and you are willing to make the necessary changes for your tort's health. If you can post a photo of the bulb, we should be able to tell you if its ok or not (I'm guessing, based on your description, that it might not be a safe kind but post a photo to be sure). Keep us posted on your enclosure progress
No that's one of the bad ones, i'm afraid.
You need to get an MVB (mercury vapour bulb) that provides uvb, heat and light all in one for daytime use, or a strip bulb that provides uvb but you'd still need your basking bulb.
You need to get an MVB (mercury vapour bulb) that provides uvb, heat and light all in one for daytime use, or a strip bulb that provides uvb but you'd still need your basking bulb.
Yes unfortunately as was said that one is not thought of to be a safe choice. I like MVB's too...just remember you'll need to have enough height in your enclosure once it is covered to raise or lower the bulb as needed so the basking area doesn't get too hot.
Luvanrs50
Member
Ok, so I've been working on a new enclosure for our little guy Spots, it's still temporary till we can build something more permanent. I bought a hygrometer as well and at first the humidity was 30% (gasp) but I've gotten it up to 70% in the new enclosure. I know it's supposed to be around 80% but I'm having a hard time managing the temps to correlate with humidity. For example basking was up to 104 but if I adjusted my light to lower the temp the humidity would go down )= Any suggestions? I also got him a CHE to keep him cozy at night!! Thanks so much!
Were you able to put some type of cover on the enclosure? If there are any gaps where air can escape, it will be a never ending battle to keep the humidity even relatively high. 104 is a good basking temp....if you can seal off the enclosure more then your humidity shouldn't go down much at all. This is a photo of one of my enclosures, some of the lighting has been changed since I took the photo but it'll give you an idea at least
There are tons of ways to make a closed chamber, this just worked out to be the easiest for me because I didn't have time to build anything.
There are tons of ways to make a closed chamber, this just worked out to be the easiest for me because I didn't have time to build anything.
Luvanrs50
Member
I was able to put a cover but had to cut a hole for the lights and of course it's bigger than the lights cause I had to raise them so I know that's how the humidity is escaping. I'm thinking of making a tent out of viscuine that way my light can still be high enough where it's not too hot but will hopefully raise the humidity! Thanks for the pic, that's very good the way you did that!
Tents work well. Some people build frames out of wood to go on top of the enclosure then staple plastic to the wood. Either way, it should help your humidity. Keep us posted!
I love your enclosure I tried everywhere to get those Lifetime raised planters in UK but sadly not available not even via Amazon UK, but two of those joined together would be great for my leopard.
Last edited:
I love it. Its too bad you can't get it over there, sounds like you need to petition the Lifetime company
. I have been thinking about joining two together for when mine are bigger, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Might have to cut a hole and make a tunnel or something.
Luvanrs50
Member
Just wanted to let all of y'all know that our Spots is doing great! Thanks so much for all of yalls info and help!!!
Luvanrs50
Member
Got Spots back in his outdoor habitat! We only let him out for about 45min- 1 hour a day though!
Luvanrs50
Member
It's still rather warm here in South Louisiana, high today is 84 and humid! And yes I do have a thermostat to keep an eye on the temp indoors, is between 80-85 good for a nighttime temp?
My night temps are between 77- 80 but my leopard is older and a lot bigger and lives in an adapted room. I think babies have to be kept warmer
because I've read
right temps + humidity = healthy tort
too cold + humidity = sick tort
Your temps may be OK but check the caresheet to see what the advice is there.
Looks really great!!!!
happy little tort!
Similar threads
New Posts
-
-
Setting up for a Russian Tortoise - Constructive comments welcome
- Latest: The_Four_Toed_Edward
-
-
