Hermans burrowing

[maddison85]

Hi we have had our tortoise a few weeks now we got him off someone who had lost interest he was quite active would climb around his house. I changed his substrate as he had a thin layer of woodchip got a T5 light as had a t8 and now all he does is dig in corner and stay there all day he comes up for food and then goes straight back. Should I be concerned about this thanks

 

[wellington]

What are the temps?
Basking? Should be 95-100
All over? Should be 75-80
Night? Around 70

 

[maddison85]

What are the temps?
Basking? Should be 95-100
All over? Should be 75-80
Night? Around 70

Under his light is about 32 cooler side is about 22 and over night is about 20. He gets up about hour after I've turned lights on has something to eat and then burrows in the corner next to his basking light

 

[wellington]

Get the basking closer to 38
The over all temp closer to 27 with a cooler end to 25
Humidity 50%

 

[maddison85]

Get the basking closer to 38
The over all temp closer to 27 with a cooler end to 25
Humidity 50%

Thanks will try that. How far away should the T5 be from

 

[wellington]

If you still have the packaging, look on there, it should tell you.
I believe between 12 and 16 inches is good.

 

[Sarah2020]

Hello, They do like to burrow but it is worth checking the set up... heat, light, enclosure size, substrate, diet, water, calcium and I recommend regular soaks to help hydration. I weigh mine weekly and keep a log as nice to have a record to check weight loss and gain. As you have adopted check beak overhang and claws, if long visit a reptile shop to get manicured.

Please read this from one if the breeders to help check....

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

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[Tom]

Thanks will try that. How far away should the T5 be from

There are many types. Some need to be 30 inches away, and others can be 18 inches away.

With any of them, the UV output varies from the factory, with the fixture, and with the type of reflector. The only way to KNOW for certain how high to mount your bulb is to put a Solarmeter 6.5 under it. Anything else is just a guess based on prior experience with similar bulbs in similar fixtures.

Your UV should only be on for a few hours mid day. It is unnatural and possibly burning the tortoises eyes to have strong UV for 12 hours a day. You need strong ambient lighting in the 5000-6500K color range for day time use, along with a basking flood bulb. Put the UV tube on its own timer from 11am-3pm, or something similar, and set the LEDs and basking flood bulb on their own timer for 12-13 hours a day.

Give this a read. There is also a temperate species care sheet near the bottom. Pet shops and the internet are full of incorrect care advice, so this thread will get you to the correct care info:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

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[TammyJ]

How about some pictures of your tortoise and enclosure?

 

[maddison85]

Here is some pics. We are making him a bigger home

 

[Tom]

Here is some pics. We are making him a bigger home

Its good that you posted pictures. We can see several major problems there. The following is intended to help:
1. That dry substrate is no good. It is likely causing or contributing to your problem. The open top enclosure makes it even worse. Much too dry.
2. The enclosure is MUCH too small. A tortoise this size needs something around 4x8 feet. 122x244cm.
3. The basking lamp needs to hang from over head and point straight down.

Give this a read through. It will explain a lot:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[maddison85]

Its good that you posted pictures. We can see several major problems there. The following is intended to help:
1. That dry substrate is no good. It is likely causing or contributing to your problem. The open top enclosure makes it even worse. Much too dry.
2. The enclosure is MUCH too small. A tortoise this size needs something around 4x8 feet. 122x244cm.
3. The basking lamp needs to hang from over head and point straight down.

Give this a read through. It will explain a lot:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thanks. Just been on and ordered some orchard bark off Amazon will change that as soon as it comes. How do I hang the light over with the clamp light holder please. His bigger house should be ready next weekend when I'm off work to finish it off

 

[Tom]

How do I hang the light over with the clamp light holder please?

ZooMed sells an adjustable light stand, or you can build your own.

 

[maddison85]

Its good that you posted pictures. We can see several major problems there. The following is intended to help:
1. That dry substrate is no good. It is likely causing or contributing to your problem. The open top enclosure makes it even worse. Much too dry.
2. The enclosure is MUCH too small. A tortoise this size needs something around 4x8 feet. 122x244cm.
3. The basking lamp needs to hang from over head and point straight down.

Give this a read through. It will explain a lot:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

It is this one it means isn't it

 

[Sarah2020]

You can buy a stand that slips under the enclosure and hangs over.....
Example link but I am on UK....

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/komodo-light-stand-for-reptiles-%28online-exclusive%29?overlay_image=offer?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-CPC-_-%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&istCompanyId=7255ccad-a1fc-4729-af31-478f79e5071c&istFeedId=385e6b9a-8b03-4076-a8bb-e4737df8549c&istItemId=itxmxxmia&istBid=t&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=19029649874&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzN-vBhAkEiwAYiO7oLqt4NMMal4BgQXWUvR6VISDzC6cA4elM1tSAT8qWexDPiTEJx0yJxoC1dgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[maddison85]

You can buy a stand that skips under the enclosure.
Will find a link.

I have the double stand for uvb is it the same. How do I clamp the light onto it or do I not use the clamp

 

[maddison85]

You can buy a stand that slips under the enclosure and hangs over.....
Example link but I am on UK....

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/komodo-light-stand-for-reptiles-%28online-exclusive%29?overlay_image=offer?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-CPC-_-%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&istCompanyId=7255ccad-a1fc-4729-af31-478f79e5071c&istFeedId=385e6b9a-8b03-4076-a8bb-e4737df8549c&istItemId=itxmxxmia&istBid=t&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=19029649874&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzN-vBhAkEiwAYiO7oLqt4NMMal4BgQXWUvR6VISDzC6cA4elM1tSAT8qWexDPiTEJx0yJxoC1dgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks I'm UK too. How do I attach the clamp onto the hook

 

[Sarah2020]

Thanks I'm UK too. How do I attach the clamp onto the hook

The clamp is not used, looking at your 3 pics, there appears to be a hook on the top where the white meets the black on the bulb holder.

 

[maddison85]

My orchid bark has come. Do I remove all the hemp or could I mix it in with it and then how much water do I put in

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

The good thing about orchid bark is that it doesn't mold and not messy. I'm not sure if hemp bedding is the same. So, it would be better to completely change the substrate. I'm just afraid that mixing substrates will defeat the purpose of change.