Meet Ethel

[Kasey cauliflower]

Hello tortoise loving folks!
I'd like to introduce myself (Kasey) and my new little babe Ethel.
"She" is a baby sulcata and we are absolutely smitten! I've been referencing these threads gearing up for her arrival and they have been so helpful. I'm also sharing a photo of my setup.
I have a few concerns right off the bat now that everything is up and running.
I feel like maybe the coconut coir substrate I got is too fine because it keeps getting in her face and she's rubbing her eyes a lot? Paranoid or a problem? Please advise.
I also don't think I got the wrong lamp as this one doesn't seem to be emitting much heat...its at about 82°f I got a uvb bulb but I didn't pay attention to the wattage though, maybe that's the issue?
Anyhow,
I thought I'd get your guys advice before I head out to the store tomorrow!
I look forward to getting to know you all through this journey of tortoise ownership!

 

[Gillian M]

Hello tortoise loving folks!
I'd like to introduce myself (Kasey) and my new little babe Ethel.
"She" is a baby sulcata and we are absolutely smitten! I've been referencing these threads gearing up for her arrival and they have been so helpful. I'm also sharing a photo of my setup.
I have a few concerns right off the bat now that everything is up and running.
I feel like maybe the coconut coir substrate I got is too fine because it keeps getting in her face and she's rubbing her eyes a lot? Paranoid or a problem? Please advise.
I also don't think I got the wrong lamp as this one doesn't seem to be emitting much heat...its at about 82°f I got a uvb bulb but I didn't pay attention to the wattage though, maybe that's the issue?
Anyhow,
I thought I'd get your guys advice before I head out to the store tomorrow!
I look forward to getting to know you all through this journey of tortoise ownership!View attachment 183204View attachment 183205 View attachment 183206View attachment 183207

A very warm welcome to the forum.

What a cutie your tort is!

I'd prefer a non-transparent enclosure so that the tort cannot see through and struggle to get out.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome.
The "wrong" type of lamp wasn't referring to a heat issue. It's a bulb type.
can you post your light bulb in a photo?
The eye rubbing may or may not be caused by the lamp.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

The angle you have the bulb at may also be problematic - some can't be angled. Posting photos will help if you have forgotten the brand/make of bulb.

What are you doing for night heat?

The coco coir may need more water added and then to be packed down very firm if too much is loose.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Kasey, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and lovely Ethel.
As has been said, it would be interesting to know the type of bulb you are using, but I think this is probably a coir problem.
I use coir with no issues, but when it's new it can be a bit bitty, and needs compacting and a lot of mixing with water, damp, but not wet.

 

[cmacusa3]

Great looking baby and nice enclosure. Do not worry about the glass, that is not a problem. The coir can be hand packed down a little more or you can put repti-bark or orchid bark over the top of it.

 

[saginawhxc]

Mine constantly digs in the coir. I've joked that I lose half a brick every week to baths.

What kind of bulb are you using? In the picture it looks like you only have one. If it's a CFL then it really isn't emitting much heat. That would explain why you are only getting temps in the low eighties underneath that. You really need a warmer basking spot. Look into adding a incandescent spotlight or replacing the UVB bulb with a mercury vapor bulb if this is the case.

 

[saginawhxc]

Oh, and welcome to the forum. This is a good place to be if you care about tortoises.

 

[cmacusa3]

I know you've been reading but take a look here and this could help with the lighting and temps.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Kasey

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Kasey!

I don't like that steep ramp with no side railing. That looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Do you still have the box your light came in? We'd need to see it to give you the correct info. This is the 100 watt bulb that I use:



...and it has to hand straight down, not at an angle. Otherwise you shorten the life of the bulb.

Then for night time heat you can use one of these:



Both of those need to be placed in a fixture that has a ceramic base, not a Bakelite base, as they both get pretty darned hot.

 

[cmacusa3]

Welcome to the Forum, Kasey!

I don't like that steep ramp with no side railing. That looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Great catch, that's why we pay you the big bucks.

 

[BrianWI]

Love the high dome shell!

I have no issues with cfl UVB bulbs. Millions of them are in everyday use w/o issue. Plus, in a small enclosed set up, an MVB will likely cook her. The fine coco can stick, but I don't know if it is really a problem. To eliminate it, though, there is a coarse coco bedding you can place over the top of the fine. I use that in my set ups.

The temp is too low. I would get a ceramic heater and a thermostat for it. And remove that ramp or she WILL be upside down a lot.

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome to the Forum, Kasey!

I don't like that steep ramp with no side railing. That looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Do you still have the box your light came in? We'd need to see it to give you the correct info. This is the 100 watt bulb that I use:

View attachment 183230

...and it has to hand straight down, not at an angle. Otherwise you shorten the life of the bulb.

Then for night time heat you can use one of these:

View attachment 183231

Both of those need to be placed in a fixture that has a ceramic base, not a Bakelite base, as they both get pretty darned hot.

That ramp was the first thing that caught my eye, too. Besides steep/no railing, with it so close to where the light might be hitting, I can see a tortoise cooking on it's back.

I must say, I really love his head/face markings.

What are you using to measure temps and where did you take the temp at?

 

[KaitlinKeefe_]

welcome!

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Kasey and Ethel !

 

[HappyHermanns]

Hello tortoise loving folks!
I'd like to introduce myself (Kasey) and my new little babe Ethel.
"She" is a baby sulcata and we are absolutely smitten! I've been referencing these threads gearing up for her arrival and they have been so helpful. I'm also sharing a photo of my setup.
I have a few concerns right off the bat now that everything is up and running.
I feel like maybe the coconut coir substrate I got is too fine because it keeps getting in her face and she's rubbing her eyes a lot? Paranoid or a problem? Please advise.
I also don't think I got the wrong lamp as this one doesn't seem to be emitting much heat...its at about 82°f I got a uvb bulb but I didn't pay attention to the wattage though, maybe that's the issue?
Anyhow,
I thought I'd get your guys advice before I head out to the store tomorrow!
I look forward to getting to know you all through this journey of tortoise ownership!View attachment 183204View attachment 183205 View attachment 183206View attachment 183207

O My.. She is adorable!!!
That picture with the rocks looks professional, love it!

 

[Kasey cauliflower]

Great catch, that's why we pay you the big bucks.

 

[Kasey cauliflower]

Welcome to the Forum, Kasey!

I don't like that steep ramp with no side railing. That looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Do you still have the box your light came in? We'd need to see it to give you the correct info. This is the 100 watt bulb that I use:

View attachment 183230

...and it has to hand straight down, not at an angle. Otherwise you shorten the life of the bulb.

Then for night time heat you can use one of these:

View attachment 183231

Both of those need to be placed in a fixture that has a ceramic base, not a Bakelite base, as they both get pretty darned hot.

 

[Kasey cauliflower]

That ramp was the first thing that caught my eye, too. Besides steep/no railing, with it so close to where the light might be hitting, I can see a tortoise cooking on it's back.

I must say, I really love his head/face markings.

What are you using to measure temps and where did you take the temp at?