My first enclosure

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Tank

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Here's my first ever tortoise table with my first ever tortoise. I've never actually ever seen him go into the little built in hide. I don't think it's bad for a beginner but then I could be doing something horribly wrong and not realise.
 

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Yvonne G

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You're right...that's not bad at all for a first time habitat build.

Its hard to tell because the light is so bright, but I'm thinking that those are the coiled compact fluorescent bulbs??? If so, the one that is mounted sideways on the back wall of the habitat is ok, but move it more to the left so it covers the other end of the habitat. The CFL's have a bad reputation for causing snow blindness in baby tortoises, but seems like when mounted horizontally they aren't as bad. The other light? Is it a regular bulb, or some sort of heat bulb?
 

Tank

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You're right. The one on the back wall is a coil type UV light. Thanks for the info about moving it.

The other light is a basking heat bulb.
 

jeninak907

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Give your tort time with the hide. Mine didn't know it exsited untill I put her in there. Now she loves it and uses it as a place to sleep and cool off when need be.
 

Tank

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I woke up this morning and had a little panic because he wasn't sleeping where he normally does under the light (Even when I've turned it off) So I looked around and he'd trotted into his hide and is asleep there now!

I also picked up two LCD thermometers. Got one set up in the cool end and one in the warm. Cool end is currently reading 20.2C and under the lamp is reading 26.7C. I'm thinking that might be a bit too cold so I'm wondering whether to put a piece of slate or similar under the lamp to try and hold more heat?
 

lynnedit

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Yes, a piece of slate with a few flat stones around it will work nicely. Also, you can lower and raise the basking light slightly to adjust basking temps.

Also, put the thermometer on the substrate or slate under the basking light and measure temps there. Also on your tortoises shell, if he sits still. You don't just want the air temp in that area, but also the ground /shell temp under the basking area.
These are really nice to check temps (assuming you live in the UK?)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucky-Repti...KU/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1355588517&sr=8-12
 

Rover15

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My night make a huge difference but if you do have slate rock feed on the rock I do this to prevent substrate digestion but I have a yellow foot and moss, multch and coco fiber all things that could get in the way it looks like you have a dirt/sand mix
 

Tank

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I now have a piece of slate instead of a bowl for his food and another piece under his basking lamp. What I've noticed the past couple of days though is he doesn't go under his heat lamp instead choosing to sit under the UV light instead.
 

Zabbi0

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Hell of a lot better then Sammy's first enclosure. I didn't know what I was doing as a first time momma. :/
 
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