Lighting

[Jakki]

Aww Karen. Your set up looks good! I'm after some plant type decorations now.


Not sure how to add the link, but will this screenshot do?
I've ordered 100watt and 75watt to see how I get on.

 

[Jakki]

I have found with my daughters 3ft viv its quite hard to regulate the temperature. The cool end was almost as hot as the hot end. Only about 4 degress different.
We were also sold a blue night time bulb which im not entirely happy about.
Jakki would you mind sending me the link for amazon as to where you got your bulb.
This is Flashs tank.

Haha love the name Flash,
We said after we named Mikey that maybe we should have called him Turbo!
Can't believe how quick they move.

 

[Karenxx67]

Ahhh thanks. Same 1 as my dragon.
Im gonna order Flashs 1 now.
He was originally called Squirt until my 6yr old grandaughter saw him move lol.
Then renamed him Flash x

 

[Tom]

I have found with my daughters 3ft viv its quite hard to regulate the temperature. The cool end was almost as hot as the hot end. Only about 4 degress different.
We were also sold a blue night time bulb which im not entirely happy about.
Jakki would you mind sending me the link for amazon as to where you got your bulb.
This is Flashs tank.

Hi Karen. Hopefully Jakki doesn't mind us talking about your enclosure on her thread. If so, we can move the discussion to your own thread.

It looks like you've got both of the two wrong types of substrate that are commonly sold in UK pet shops. The beech chips are no good because they mold when damp. The Pets At Home stuff with the limestone bits is no good because you don't want your tortoise eating its sandy substrate every time it has a calcium craving. Whoever dreamed up this flawed idea needs a good whack upside the head. In any case, coco coir works best for babies and fine grade orchid bark works best for older ones. Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Karenxx67]

Thanks for the advice. I see the coco coir comes in bricks. How does that work? Does it swell when damp?

 

[Jakki]

Thanks for the advice. I see the coco coir comes in bricks. How does that work? Does it swell when damp?

I too wondered that Karen but when I was in pets at home the other day browsing there terrible reptile range I spotted this ....



It worked for me yesterday, it made up too much for our 3ft viv but i know for next time.

Mikey does like to burrow and bury himself underneath, just hope it's ok on his face, I kept trying to gentle wipe it off, but he wasn't keen :-/

Of course I don't mind Tom

 

[Tom]

I buy the coco coir in bulk at garden centers. Pet shops charge about 10x too much for it.

You need a thick layer and it will be less messy if you hand pack it down. After about two weeks it settles in significantly and becomes much less messy.

 

[Karenxx67]

Tom are you in the uk?

 

[Tom]

Tom are you in the uk?

No. I live in Southern CA. We have many UK members though that can offer location specific tips for you.

 

[Karenxx67]

Thanks