Need Redfoot light/heat experts.

[Ashes]

So, little dude has a 100w CHE and a basking light for his 40g enclosure. However, I am unable to keep the temp above 80 at night with just the CHE when the basking light goes off - but he never uses the light anyway because, well, he's a redfoot. My question is, can I get rid of the basking light and just have 2 CHEs (one on each side of the cage) to keep the temps up all day/night? He would still have the UV light during the day. I never see him bask but I don't wanna take it away of he 100% needs it, ya know? Any input is appreciated.

 

[Turtlepete]

You'll find a lot of varying opinions on red foots and basking. My hatchlings do tend to utilize the basking lamp, but some don't. I wouldn't go as far as to call it necessary, or crucial, but it is appreciated.
How low do your temps go at night? They can drop to 75-ish safely with no harm.

 

[Ashes]

Around the current CHE (which is toward the middle but off to one side a little) it's 84 right now (basking light turned off about an hour ago). On the other side of the tank it's 74 right now. I'm sure both will drop during the night. I mean.... I could put another CHE on the other side and leave the basking light - but then that's 4 things sitting on top of the enclosure. Plus - I think my basking light is too hot....

 

[Turtlepete]

Check the temps after it's been off for a while. Those temps sound completely fine, since he has a gradient. If it's not already covered, you could cover the cage in a towel at night to keep the warmth and humidity in.

 

[Ashes]

The top is currently covered with foil (finally can get humidity to stay above 80% about 95% of the time!).

 

[Turtlepete]

I honestly think your temps will be fine as they are, as long as it doesn't drop to much below 74. A suggestion to keep him on the warm side, put a nice big fluffy pile of spaghum moss right under the CHE. Mine almost always spend time in a spaghum pile under the heat lamp.

 

[Ashes]

I'm re-doing his enclosure tomorrow. His spag moss is inside his hide currently - should I put the CHE above the hide? Or just put a little spag moss under the CHE somewhere else?

 

[Turtlepete]

If his hide isn't currently under the side with the CHE, put it over there, and then leave a pile of spaghum moss outside of it. This is the way one of my RF hatchling enclosures are setup. There is a heat lamp on one side, with a hide filled with spaghum moss under it, and a huge pile of spaghum right next to it. They have their individual preferences. Once you figure out which he prefers you can always remove the other if space is an issue.

 

[Ashes]

I have a hide on each side - he uses the heated side one about 90% of the time. But he likes getting behind the plant on the cooler side. :/ but right now he's in the warm side hide. I think I'm gonna remove the hide on the cooler side.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

I wonder if a caresheet that shows and explains the how's and why's of caring for redfoot tortoises since 2005 would work? Keep in mind this caresheet will work wherever you live on the planet as long as the simple basics are kept in balance!

AND for those that like to look at pics - or would like to look at the results of following this redfoot caresheet.. from hatching out of egg to around 4 years old - then you may want to consider looking here ----- http://turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm

"WARNING".. you will have to take your time and actually READ it - .. scary thought I know!

This is what one of my 2005 hatchlings looks like now -



Actually this is from last summer -

 

[Ashes]

I've read that care sheet many times lol and maybe I missed the part about whether they NEED the basking LIGHT or if a CHE would work?.... Right now I have a CHE on one side and basking light on the other so during the day the whole enclosure stays about 85. But at night only the CHE is on the one side so it's nice and warm there but drops to 74ish on the other side.

 

[naturalman91]

i personally wouldn't let the enclosure drop below 80 with high humidity just seems like a problem waiting to happen i would also just add another CHE and put both on a thermostat but hey that's just me everybody differs

 

[Ashes]

Would you keep a basking light then?

 

[naturalman91]

yeah because as pete stated some red's do use it mine does sometimes i would keep your light setup you have now and just add a CHE and thermostat if you don't already have one i use 2 CHE's on a thermostat one is 150w and the other is 60w but my enclosure is 6feet by 3 1/2 feet wide and 40 inchs tall i've also got my top covered with plastic with plastic i've never had any problems but i keep the lights a good gap away from touching the plastic i've also found found the higher you keep the CHE up but still in the enclosure the more it allows the heat to spread into ambient heat instead of directed heat, you'll hear 101 different way's people do it with reds there's a handful of us who do it one way and a handful of others that do it another way and such on and such on just find what seems to work for you


p.s sorry for punctuation i suck at writing

 

[Candy]

I've only used a 150 watt ceramic heat emitter with my cherries. I use it on one side of the enclosure and nothing on the other. You will find that they pick the heat most of the time. I have their hide right underneath their heat emitter with moss inside of it. They adore that and stay in it most of the time. They mainly come out when offered food. I trained mine by "knocking" on the side of the enclosure when I brought their food (since they feel vibration) and they learned in no time that I was there with food. It was so cute to watch them come out and look at me. I don't think a basking light would be a good thing for a redfoot since they don't like a lot of light anyway. I had also put a hide on the cool side of their enclosure, but they never seemed to be interested in it. They love to hide underneath plants. Please post pictures when you redo the enclosure.

 

[Ramus]

I personally use 160 watts with my mvb, though I usually use a stand for mine and keep it 2-3 inches from the top of their cage.