New member Cylde the Russian

[Dralle]

Hi everyone!

My name is Evan and i live in Wisconsin. I'm new to the group and new to the tortoise world! I recently got a Russian named Clyde. He is very active and quite the digger.

I will be leaving town in two weeks for a week straight and I will be having someone come over everyday and feed him but, the times she will stop by will vary.

So my question is for my lighting, should I leave the white heat bulb on the whole time or the red night heat bulb. Which would be best? And what about the UVB bulb?? Leave it on or off?

Thanks!!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

We at the TFO don't saport the use of red bulbs for heat cause torts need white light for day with UV light and they need dark at night so we sugest ceramic lights for heat and you can use a timer for the white light . I hope this helps alittle .


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[lismar79]

Get a timer, it a grea solution. I have a powerstrip with a built in timer I leave my heat source on all the time which is a che ( no light, just heat) and my uvb comes on at 7am off at 10 pm. Bought it at lowes for $20.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome to TFO!

 

[pam]

Welcome Russians are awesome

 

[Yvonne G]

He Evan, and welcome to the Forum!

The timer is the way to go. They are very inexpensive.

 

[Delilah1623]

Welcome (=

I am in WI also!

 

[weevee52]

Hi welcome,I also have a Russian called Clyde Snap! I'm from Scotland

 

[Jabuticaba]

Hello, Evan and Clyde! Welcome to the forum!

 

[tortdad]

Welcome. I have a $3 timer from Home Depot and keep my light and UVB on from 7am to 7pm. I have my CHE on a thermostat set at 80 so it comes on and off as needed. It's as maintenance free as you can expect. You still need to check temps and adjust as needed.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[diamc]

Clyde is a neat name for a Russian tort. We named ours Dozer as he likes to push things around. They are amazing and sure can eat. We use a bright white basking bulb over a gray slate tile in the middle of the large viv with a Repti-Sun 10.0 fluorescent tube and a lower wattage household bulb on the left side. That way he can pick the temps he prefers. Overnight we use a CHE so as not to disturb his sleep. It all seems to be working out very well. We are enjoying him very much & he sure seems happy. Can't wait to make him an outside enclosure when the weather warms up.

 

[Momof4]

Clyde is very cute! Can we see a pic of the entire set up? Is it me or does it look like he can just climb over the edge?

 

[Falcon70]

Welcome! Russians are awesome little guys, as I bet you know. How tall are your enclosure's sides? I can't really tell from your picture, but they are the escape artists of the tortoise world and are excellent climbers.

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone!

My name is Evan and i live in Wisconsin. I'm new to the group and new to the tortoise world! I recently got a Russian named Clyde. He is very active and quite the digger.

I will be leaving town in two weeks for a week straight and I will be having someone come over everyday and feed him but, the times she will stop by will vary.

So my question is for my lighting, should I leave the white heat bulb on the whole time or the red night heat bulb. Which would be best? And what about the UVB bulb?? Leave it on or off?

Thanks!!

Looks like you need some help with you set up. Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

If you follow the care sheet you will have your basking bulb on a timer, and either no night heat if your house is warm enough, or a CHE on a thermostat if your house is excessively cold at night. Sounds like you've gotten some typical bad pet store advice. I would not use a red bulb at any time, change that water bowl, and hang your light fixtures from over head. You also need an enclosure with taller sides.

What sort of UV bulb did they sell you? Coil type cfl? THose can burn their eyes and I recommend they not be used... Just check out the care sheet.