Opinions, please?

[Rodica@NZ]

Hi everyone
Over the weekend I found a shelf, removed the shelves,strengthened the bottom and found a tarpulin that wasn't big enough to line the enclosure over the sides but as you can see from the pictures I have managed to get it to cover the bottom. I found a grid that was for one of my turtle tanks and I think could use it with the part that opens to have my heating light poke through. So I need to know:
1. Should I line the sides completely and staple the tarp over the sides, meaning I should get another one, or should I get a shower curtain to line the enclosure over the sides?
2. Is it big enough for a baby that will be 3 months old, it measures 80 cms long, 37 cms wide, 30 cms high.
3. I am going to also use the coir for the substrate, the coir you get in bricks and have to add water.
So does this all look workable?

Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

This will work just fine for a baby Greek tortoise.

I don't like to use the blue tarp because it's woven plastic strips and really doesn't hold up well. A solid piece of sheet plastic would be much better.

It will be interesting for us to see the finished product.

 

[Rodica@NZ]

Hi, I have now got my baby Greek spur thighed tortoise (he or she is 4 months old), I have setup his or her enclosure with Coir, that came in a brickette. I have noticed it has a slight smell to it, is that normal? The breeder I got him or her from has said that I should not allow for the enclosure to be damp and to not let the "humidity get up." But from reading on the internet I have noticed that humidity is a must for Mediterranean tortoises, Could I have clarification on what percentage of humidity I should have for my new baby? I find the coir is dried out now but the humidity is registering around 70% (I have the indicator on the floor of the enclosure on top of the coir). When it dried out at first I did mist the coir but since the breeder emailed me and told me not to have anything damp in the enclosure I have stopped misting the coir. I am a tad concerned also that he or she (no name yet) is moving his or her front legs in and out and doing a slight bobbing with the head at times. I have read that this is probably breathing, but it is quite pronounced at times, and I fear that he or she may have some kind of respiratory distress. There is no gasping or breathing through the mouth and his or her appetite is good. I would also like to use some Spaghnam moss but I am unsure whether to get some that is already damp or some that is dry and that i would have to add water to. If I should use it should I use it to replace the coir? or just in a hide? I am also scared of using anything that is slightly damp in case I cause my Tortoise to get respiratory problems because of dampness. Apologies if I have raved on a tad. Thanks for any help and/or answers that anyone can give me.

 

[WithLisa]

What subspecies do you have?

 

[Rodica@NZ]

I was given a folder that says Testudo graeca, Also the breeder told me to have the CHE on 24 hours, I have a 2 year old Herman that I would only have the warming bulb on during the day. But then I wondered if the CHE is meant to be on 24 hours it maybe because my greek is a baby?

 

[JoesMum]

Helo and welcome

Your breeder is giving you outdated information. Baby Greeks need humidity for healthy growth. What's dangerous is cold and damp. As long as you know the four important temperatures (warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum) are correct, your baby will be fine.

Please read these two guides written by species experts who are working hard to correct the misinformation widely available and sadly perpetuated by some breeders.

Beginner Mistakes http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Greek care Guide http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/
Baby Testudo Care Guide http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

If you post pictures of your enclosure and lighting, we can help you get it just perfect for you and your tort

 

[JoesMum]

Th head bobbing is normal by the way. That's just how breathing works in a shell. The chest can't rise and fall

 

[Rodica@NZ]

Hi, thank you so much for getting back to me so fast, really appreciate the links I printed off the baby russian document, and today, I changed a few things to match the info in that document. I added some top soil, here in NZ sterilized topsoil isn't available here, so I added some topsoil from my outdoor enclosure. I bought a sieve to sieve out all the small stones, then added it to my coir. I bought a plastic shoe box and made a humid hide as mentioned in the information. I bought some spag moss and put in some of that after squeezing as much fluid out of it as I could. I read that other people buy the New Zealand made spag moss, and since I am in NZ it was easy to get it from our local hardware/garden place called Bunnings. I have two tubes in my lighthood, one is a sun tube and the other is the UVB tube 10.0. Wondering if it's okay for me to have it setup (as seen in the picture) with the hide underneath my CHE and just the lighthood rather than have another bulb as in the document? As soon as I set everything up my Tortoise went into the hide, and came out to check everything out. I have attached pictures, one of the pictures shows my tortoise in the hide. By the way I am very grateful for having clarification made regarding his legs and bobbing. Please let me know if what I have done is enough or not? My enclosure is 97 cms long and is an old rimu drawer that has been painted to protect it from moisture.

 

[Rodica@NZ]

Sorry forgot to add, the temperatures under the CHE in the hide, are 32 at the moment, I have put a theromstat so that it will control the temperature and put the probe in the hide and set the controller to allow the temp to go up to 35 Celsius. The end of the enclosure is registering at 24 Celsius, and the lights have all gone off now. As you can see from the pictures I have put some tin foil on the top of the enclosure. I tried to find the silver insulation as in the document but it looks as if NZ doesn't have such a thing.

 

[Rodica@NZ]

Hi again, I just realised that the hide with the spag moss should be 26C according to the Russian tortoise document. So I lowered the temp to 26. Have a few more things to get I think I will try to get shelf brackets so the lamps can hang over the enclosure. The CHE bulb sticks out of the actual fitting so I can't move it to the middle to get another bulb with the basking temperature. I'll update with pictures as the rest takes place.

 

[Rodica@NZ]

Th head bobbing is normal by the way. That's just how breathing works in a shell. The chest can't rise and fall

Hi I don't know if I sent through my posts correctly, as I was hoping to get some feedback on the improvements on my enclosure, I have now added a bar that is dowl with some steel holders so I can hang my lamps and also added a plastic box to the stand that holds my temp gun, calcuim, vitamins and water sprayer. It's worked out so well. I am a tad worried that my humidity appears to be too high today, the enclosure is 88%, is that a problem? My baby seems to want to sleep in his enclosure tonight (with that humidity reading) rather than his hide, the temperature where he is sleeping is 24C as there is no heat lamp on in his area as it's pointing towards the hide, his hide tonight has a temperature of 28C. I have found my temps don't seem to be staying at the 26 which was recommended I suppose it means my thermostat is not accurate. What is the lowest temperature that is acceptable for his enclosure to go down to at night? And if they do go lower what should I do?, should I get another heating lamp for over night? Or should I put him into his hide where it is warmer, when the temps are too low in his enclosure. Or does he know what is best. Apologies for going on but I would appreciate clarification on this. Thank you.

 

[JoesMum]

I am out at the moment and will read your post in more detail when I get home.

Your night temp is very high. It can drop to 16-18C at night.

Torts will sleep where they want. If it's warm then sleeping in the open is common

 

[JoesMum]

Hi I don't know if I sent through my posts correctly, as I was hoping to get some feedback on the improvements on my enclosure, I have now added a bar that is dowl with some steel holders so I can hang my lamps and also added a plastic box to the stand that holds my temp gun, calcuim, vitamins and water sprayer. It's worked out so well. I am a tad worried that my humidity appears to be too high today, the enclosure is 88%, is that a problem? My baby seems to want to sleep in his enclosure tonight (with that humidity reading) rather than his hide, the temperature where he is sleeping is 24C as there is no heat lamp on in his area as it's pointing towards the hide, his hide tonight has a temperature of 28C. I have found my temps don't seem to be staying at the 26 which was recommended I suppose it means my thermostat is not accurate. What is the lowest temperature that is acceptable for his enclosure to go down to at night? And if they do go lower what should I do?, should I get another heating lamp for over night? Or should I put him into his hide where it is warmer, when the temps are too low in his enclosure. Or does he know what is best. Apologies for going on but I would appreciate clarification on this. Thank you.

Keeping temperatures and humidity under control can be challenging. The enclosure temperature is heavily influenced by the ambient in the room, so if it's warm outside and you don't have air con then the temperature will go up inside. Small variations don't matter too much

A thermostat is only for use with a CHE overnight. It sounds like your room temperature at night may not warrant additional heat. There should be no lights on overnight. How cold does it get in the room overnight?

A thermostat should not be used with the basking lamp which should be on all day like your UVB as it is mimicking the sun. If your enclosure is too small that can making temperature control very difficult too.

To control humidity and temperature in a closed setup, you need to uncover part of the top and allow some of the warm air and moisture to escape.

 

[crimson_lotus]

I'd replace the clear hide with something opaque so they feel safer. The substrate you have outside of the hide looks REALLY dry and dusty, I'd mix some warm water with it. Not to soak it, just to moisten it a bit.

I would also not put a heat source over plastic. I'd move the hide somewhere else within the enclosure.