Hello,
I'm Joanne from Lancashire, UK. I'm considering buying a tortoise as a pet and I have come on here to ask some questions before I take the plunge. I have done a lot of reading over the last couple of days, and this morning I went to my local reptile shop and held a Horsefield Tortoise, he was very cute!
I was also given a start up list with all the things I "need", but I'm dubious about most of it.
3ft vivarium, heat mat, spot bulb, uv tube, 2 x thermometers, 2 x feeding dishes, 2 x 4KG bags of herbi floor, 170g dry tortoise food, tortoise manual, XL tortoise hut, 50g nutrobal calcium.
I personally want a table. I have the heating on all the time set to 15*C during the day when we are out, but there will be a heating lamp on the table. The man at the shop said it is difficult to get table temperatures warm enough.
Also, would I need a heat mat? I didn't think I would. I did see a few mentions of ceramic heating 'bulbs' to keep some warmth in the evening.
My preferred substrate would be soil and sand mix too. Then I can plant plants in there to make it interesting.
Also, I read that a dry food isn't the best. Or do you just feed them that over the time when weeds are hard to come by?
Other than those few niggles I think I know what I need.
Also, sorry for leaving such a long first post! I will appreciate any advice given.
Thanks!
I'm Joanne from Lancashire, UK. I'm considering buying a tortoise as a pet and I have come on here to ask some questions before I take the plunge. I have done a lot of reading over the last couple of days, and this morning I went to my local reptile shop and held a Horsefield Tortoise, he was very cute!
I was also given a start up list with all the things I "need", but I'm dubious about most of it.
3ft vivarium, heat mat, spot bulb, uv tube, 2 x thermometers, 2 x feeding dishes, 2 x 4KG bags of herbi floor, 170g dry tortoise food, tortoise manual, XL tortoise hut, 50g nutrobal calcium.
I personally want a table. I have the heating on all the time set to 15*C during the day when we are out, but there will be a heating lamp on the table. The man at the shop said it is difficult to get table temperatures warm enough.
Also, would I need a heat mat? I didn't think I would. I did see a few mentions of ceramic heating 'bulbs' to keep some warmth in the evening.
My preferred substrate would be soil and sand mix too. Then I can plant plants in there to make it interesting.
Also, I read that a dry food isn't the best. Or do you just feed them that over the time when weeds are hard to come by?
Other than those few niggles I think I know what I need.
Also, sorry for leaving such a long first post! I will appreciate any advice given.
Thanks!
