NEW ENCLOSURE!!!
- Thread starter PumkinRulez
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Can’t hurt to try. Just keep an eye on the tortoise mess as it may be too much for a bio active enclosure to handle. I wouldn’t expect that it could permanently stay pristine as the tortoise mess might outcompete the isopods and springtails. And that looks like a sulcata. Sulcatas produce bigger messes than other tortoises in my experience.
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Is it a sulcata? It looks more like a Texas tortoise to me from the picture. And do I see 2 hatchlings in there also?
Before anything else, it would be good for you to get the proper lights on them. In the dome I'm going to assume you have a ZooMed or other brand "spot basking bulb with UVB", or a merc vapor bulb. These bulbs are not good for tortoises. MVB's are expensive, contribute to pyramiding, and do not provide reliable amounts of UVB. The spot basking bulbs dessicate the carapace.
Maybe you take them outside for exposure to the sun, but if not, they need fluorescent tube type UVB lights. For basking, an ordinary incandescent flood bulb works best.
The 2 hatchlings need to be in a closed chamber to maintain heat and humidity that they require. In any case, they need to be separated from the larger tortoise ASAP. Eventually they will need to be separated from each other as well.
And all of them would certainly appreciate a hide. All I see is that half log. Maybe there is something else in there that I just can't identify as a hide.
I'm posting the care sheet for Texas tortoises. Please read it and come back with questions.
www.tortoiseforum.org
Before anything else, it would be good for you to get the proper lights on them. In the dome I'm going to assume you have a ZooMed or other brand "spot basking bulb with UVB", or a merc vapor bulb. These bulbs are not good for tortoises. MVB's are expensive, contribute to pyramiding, and do not provide reliable amounts of UVB. The spot basking bulbs dessicate the carapace.
Maybe you take them outside for exposure to the sun, but if not, they need fluorescent tube type UVB lights. For basking, an ordinary incandescent flood bulb works best.
The 2 hatchlings need to be in a closed chamber to maintain heat and humidity that they require. In any case, they need to be separated from the larger tortoise ASAP. Eventually they will need to be separated from each other as well.
And all of them would certainly appreciate a hide. All I see is that half log. Maybe there is something else in there that I just can't identify as a hide.
I'm posting the care sheet for Texas tortoises. Please read it and come back with questions.
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
www.tortoiseforum.org
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Pumpkin is a Sulcata, and a mess! She loves to dig around
( also, those arnt hatching they are fake!!! Just plastic
this might be better pic
Also, yes, it’s a zoo Med with uvb, I used to have a stop for my bearded dragons, it still works, do they expire? It’s really old... if not I’ll get a new one
I heard they will hide under the moss, haven’t seen it yet though. I’ll try to find one. Or make one maybe.
Thank you
( also, those arnt hatching they are fake!!! Just plasticthis might be better pic
Also, yes, it’s a zoo Med with uvb, I used to have a stop for my bearded dragons, it still works, do they expire? It’s really old... if not I’ll get a new one
I heard they will hide under the moss, haven’t seen it yet though. I’ll try to find one. Or make one maybe.
Thank you
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PumkinRulez
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TaylorTortoise
Well-Known Member
If you dont mind me asking... where did you get your enclosure from?! I absolutely love it.
PumkinRulez
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OK...Yes, I can see her legs in the new pic. You sure had me fooled with the "hatchlings"! ?
Did you have her in a closed chamber before this one? She still has so much growing to do. I think she would benefit from still being enclosed. Her heat and humidity still need to be maintained and monitored. It's not perfect, but we can help you enclose this one. Please give it some thought.
The larger hide should not have moss in it. Just damp substrate. It can be as easy as buying an opaque dishwashing tub at Walmart. Turn it upside down, cut a hole for a door, and it's done.
As I explained in my previous post, the UVB/basking light you are using is no good. If you can take her outside for an hour 3-4 times a week, you don't need indoor UV. If you cannot do that you need a fluorescent tube type UVB. For basking, an incandescent flood bulb is best. Flood, not spot. Incandescent, not "replacement" or LED.
A couple links to help you...
4 elements of heating: By Tom
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
www.tortoiseforum.org
tortoiseforum.org
Did you have her in a closed chamber before this one? She still has so much growing to do. I think she would benefit from still being enclosed. Her heat and humidity still need to be maintained and monitored. It's not perfect, but we can help you enclose this one. Please give it some thought.
The larger hide should not have moss in it. Just damp substrate. It can be as easy as buying an opaque dishwashing tub at Walmart. Turn it upside down, cut a hole for a door, and it's done.
As I explained in my previous post, the UVB/basking light you are using is no good. If you can take her outside for an hour 3-4 times a week, you don't need indoor UV. If you cannot do that you need a fluorescent tube type UVB. For basking, an incandescent flood bulb is best. Flood, not spot. Incandescent, not "replacement" or LED.
A couple links to help you...
4 elements of heating: By Tom
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
How to make a cheap 8x8 foot outdoor enclosure
A lot of tortoise keepers struggle with finding ways to allow their tortoise the space that they so desperately need. Further, outdoor keeping allows for tortoises to bask in true sunlight, which there is no perfect alternative to, and really brings out their natural behaviors and personalities...
www.tortoiseforum.org
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...
tortoiseforum.org
I got one of those horse troughs from tractor supply for indoor aquatic turtles and it leaked everywhere but I didn’t notice it until it went everywhere. Lol!
As for the bulbs I don’t think there are hard and fast rules. Are fluorescent tube type UVB bulbs better? Generally, yes. Are mercury valet bulbs bad? Not necessarily unless you have them too low and they burn the tortoise. Here’s a few facts: you can’t replace the sun for UVB value so you should aim to keep it outdoors as much as possible as long as the conditions are good and you can do it safely. Also UVB expires and lasts about six months in a bulb so if your MVB is old it’s time to replace it. I keep mine outdoors from about May to September. When I bring them indoors I don’t give them UVB unless they’re young or hatchlings. And even then I usually limit UVB to only a few hours a day.Bulbs are a poor replacement for the sun and in my experience too much of a good thing is bad. These are my opinions based on my experiences. My tortoises are all very healthy and active. But I listen to the cues from my tortoises if something is right or wrong in their enclosure.
As for moss, I’m assuming you mean moss for a humid hide? If you can create a hide that fits the tortoise and put moistened (not wet) moss in it you give the tortoise the ability to choose if it wants to go there. Which is good. But I’d offer a dry hide and a separate humid hide if you’re going to do that so it has choices depending on what it thinks it needs. Aside from that just make sure you ambient temps are good and your bedding holds and appropriate amount of humidity for a growing sulcata without being wet and you’re good.
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Before this, she was in Zoo Med’s Turtle Tub, it wasn’t closed in, but it was really high up. I’m not sure if this helps, but she stays in a basement type area, and the humidity is already Super high... the thing I have says it’s around 80-85% humidity.OK...Yes, I can see her legs in the new pic. You sure had me fooled with the "hatchlings"! ?
Did you have her in a closed chamber before this one? She still has so much growing to do. I think she would benefit from still being enclosed. Her heat and humidity still need to be maintained and monitored. It's not perfect, but we can help you enclose this one. Please give it some thought.
The larger hide should not have moss in it. Just damp substrate. It can be as easy as buying an opaque dishwashing tub at Walmart. Turn it upside down, cut a hole for a door, and it's done.
View attachment 304079
As I explained in my previous post, the UVB/basking light you are using is no good. If you can take her outside for an hour 3-4 times a week, you don't need indoor UV. If you cannot do that you need a fluorescent tube type UVB. For basking, an incandescent flood bulb is best. Flood, not spot. Incandescent, not "replacement" or LED.
A couple links to help you...
4 elements of heating: By Tom
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
How to make a cheap 8x8 foot outdoor enclosure
A lot of tortoise keepers struggle with finding ways to allow their tortoise the space that they so desperately need. Further, outdoor keeping allows for tortoises to bask in true sunlight, which there is no perfect alternative to, and really brings out their natural behaviors and personalities...
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...
The substrate is called Forest Floor I think. It’s like some sort of bark... but it’s good at retaining moisture.
I like to take her out pretty often, but I’m scared of hawks getting her so it’s only for a few minutes at a time... Maybe I can make an outdoor enclosure that’s hawk-proof
I have a brand new 100 watts heat lamp laying around, is that better than the one I have now??? Also I have this device that turns it off at 8 and on at 7 ish...
Can I make the hide out of tile??? I have some laying around and I can stack it into a cave type thing
PumkinRulez
Active Member
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Ok... I think I’m gonna build an outdoor enclosure... I have a huge clear tub, and some other stuff to work with...
PumkinRulez
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That humidity is good, as long as she is warm enough. The temp in the coldest part of the enclosure must never drop below 80°F. Forest Floor is fine.
That would be great!
What kind of heat lamp? You want an incandescent flood bulb for basking and daytime heat. For nighttime heat, you want a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). It gives heat, but no light. It needs to be on a thermostat so it only comes on when the temp falls below 80°. It must be mounted into a ceramic fixture.
Yes. It needs to be completely enclosed except for a doorway.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2017
- Messages
- 5,750
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- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Be very careful here. That clear tub will be a furnace in minutes out in the sun, or even in the shade on a hot day. Don't use anything enclosed like that.
Here's a simple outdoor enclosure. You can cover it with wire against predators.
How to make a cheap 8x8 foot outdoor enclosure
A lot of tortoise keepers struggle with finding ways to allow their tortoise the space that they so desperately need. Further, outdoor keeping allows for tortoises to bask in true sunlight, which there is no perfect alternative to, and really brings out their natural behaviors and personalities...
www.tortoiseforum.org
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Definitely never drops below 80... between my bearded dragon lights, and the sun through windows all day, that place is like a heated room!
Here’s a pic of the heat lamp...
tnx, question about the link tho. I have the same seeds from SulcataFood.com, but I only have a small pack... is there a another floor option?
Also I have my dogs old puppy pen laying around, could I use that???
Here’s a pic of the heat lamp...
tnx, question about the link tho. I have the same seeds from SulcataFood.com, but I only have a small pack... is there a another floor option?
Also I have my dogs old puppy pen laying around, could I use that???
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PumkinRulez
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PumkinRulez
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Um... so weird first reaction... any clue why she’s trying to eat it???
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Don’t worry I sanitized it with boiling water before putting it in
