New TORT TABLE!

[Redstrike]

This is good to know! I've only had my Zoo Med thermostat for ~ 6 months, so far no problems but we'll see after a year or two... Knowing this, it might be good to check out a more costly thermostat, as it would last longer. Big Apple has nice looking one around $50:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

 

[MatrixDJ]

Nice Table. Great work!!

 

[Floof]

This is good to know! I've only had my Zoo Med thermostat for ~ 6 months, so far no problems but we'll see after a year or two... Knowing this, it might be good to check out a more costly thermostat, as it would last longer. Big Apple has nice looking one around $50:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

Yes, thermostats are definitely a "get what you pay for" item, with ZooMed being the bottom of the barrel. (Not that ZooMed doesn't do the trick, they DO work, they're just arguably the lowest quality reptile thermostat on the market.) My Herpstat II, which is over 4 years old and still going strong, is the best thermostat I've used yet (though I haven't tried the other $100+ thermostats like Helix, I've always heard good reviews), but it's also the most expensive unit I've had. I've also had good luck with my Ranco thermostat (usually about $80 for a pre-wired unit).

As far as the inexpensive themostats are concerned, I have used and like the Zilla thermostat, good product for the price. I haven't used Hydrofarm or BAH, but have heard good things for both.

 

[MrsGREEN]

We are definitely in trial and error stages, but we are giving him multiple chances a day to eat, he seems to eat when we turn out the light, he gets active for a bit and then goes to sleep.

 

[DixieParadise]

I think you did a great job with this enclosure. Have you tried misting the sides of the glass to help with the humidity. It may seem like adjusting the temp and humidity is burdensome, but once you get it locked in, it is easy to maintain.

You have a great many experts here throwing advice at you. So, I will step back and just admire your work.

 

[lynnedit]

I am admiring it too

 

[MrsGREEN]

Well we managed to get the humidity up to 75/80% just by moving the heat light to the mossy side and we also dampened ALL of the mulch. It has been consistent since last night. We misted the whole enclosure last night and had the humidity to 90 for about an hour. We plan to get a mister once funds allow. Also more lighting and possibly some heat tubes? Thanks for all the admiration. It took a lot of learning and we still are. Thank YOU all for your help.

 

[Plowmandust77]

Nice work on the table!!

 

[Redstrike]

Well we managed to get the humidity up to 75/80% just by moving the heat light to the mossy side and we also dampened ALL of the mulch. It has been consistent since last night. We misted the whole enclosure last night and had the humidity to 90 for about an hour. We plan to get a mister once funds allow. Also more lighting and possibly some heat tubes? Thanks for all the admiration. It took a lot of learning and we still are. Thank YOU all for your help.

My hatchlings were wary of me for the first month, they wouldn't eat while I watched them, perhaps try walking away for the first 5-10 minutes after feeding. You can check in later to see if he/she is going to town.

I just wanted to mention redfoots disposition to shell rot when they're on constantly wet substrates. Cherryhead's seem particularly sensitive. This is why I opted for the heat ropes under the substrate, I was having issues with plastron rot when misting the cypress mulch daily. You may have better luck, it's just something to consider.

 

[MrsGREEN]

Well we managed to get the humidity up to 75/80% just by moving the heat light to the mossy side and we also dampened ALL of the mulch. It has been consistent since last night. We misted the whole enclosure last night and had the humidity to 90 for about an hour. We plan to get a mister once funds allow. Also more lighting and possibly some heat tubes? Thanks for all the admiration. It took a lot of learning and we still are. Thank YOU all for your help.

My hatchlings were wary of me for the first month, they wouldn't eat while I watched them, perhaps try walking away for the first 5-10 minutes after feeding. You can check in later to see if he/she is going to town.


I just wanted to mention redfoots disposition to shell rot when they're on constantly wet substrates. Cherryhead's seem particularly sensitive. This is why I opted for the heat ropes under the substrate, I was having issues with plastron rot when misting the cypress mulch daily. You may have better luck, it's just something to consider.

Well he seems to be a night eater, we are finding this out. It probably doesn't help that my 4 yr old stares at him when he goes near the food and she thinks he eats as often as the cats, that when he moves he wants to eat or something. Nightly,when he chooses to eat, he eats a kids size salad (teacup plate size) with some kind of fresh green, mustard seems to be his fav, and top it with a small amount of carrot, squash, broccoli, cauliflower or other veg and a fruit once or twice a week and I am going to give him some small amount of egg or chicken every other week. That is his diet. He has a water dish by his food and a bathing tub as well. We keep a cuddle bone and some timothy grass near his food area. He hasn't been munching the cuddle bone on it since he has rocks to sharpen his beak.

His mulch isn't very wet. We got it very moist last night, but the bottom layer was dry by morning, which is fine because we moisten it up in the morning before he wakes up. When we add water, we mix up all the mulch and moss to prevent molding. Our biggest problem is keeping humidity, but like I said we have some spending to do.

I have been very concerned about his shell. It looks dry between his scutes. Is that normal? I see all these pics of people's redfoots and they look waxed or something, here is a closeup of his shell... It doesn't look like shell rot from what I can tell. I scrub him every few days in the tub and he has never really been exposed to humidity, until the last week with his terrarium and I have been concerned since we got him and I started looking at other torts' shell rot, so I am thinking not. I could just be paranoid and his shell looks how it does after all the years of neglect he encountered before we got him. Mind you his shell has not gotten worse since having him and his scales seem to have gotten a more brilliant cherry color with moisture and light.