I think that your temperatures are too low, especially for a tortoise that is not acting very well. I would recommend keeping the entire vivarium at a minimum of 30 C (85F) and the basking area could be as high as 35 C. (95F)
Hello and welcome TuckersMum. We see this sort of thing all the time, and we do our best to help. Someone like you goes and gets a tortoise, you do research and ask questions, and you buy all the stuff the pet shop told you to get, and then things don't go so well, and you end up here on our forum looking for answers. Its clear that you had nothing but the best of intentions, and tried very hard to make a great home for your tortoise, but there is just so much bad info out in the world...
tortoiseforum.org
tortoiseforum.org
Thanks so much I really appreciate you all replying and being so helpful and understanding. I have ordered substrate (fine orchid bark) and basking floodlight from swell reptiles as suggested. Do I just use the orchid bark substrate or do I need anything else in there with that?Hello and welcome TuckersMum. We see this sort of thing all the time, and we do our best to help. Someone like you goes and gets a tortoise, you do research and ask questions, and you buy all the stuff the pet shop told you to get, and then things don't go so well, and you end up here on our forum looking for answers. Its clear that you had nothing but the best of intentions, and tried very hard to make a great home for your tortoise, but there is just so much bad info out in the world...
Terrible circumstances brought you here, but we are glad you are here because now will get get the right info and can ask lots questions until you understand why one thing is wrong and the other is right. You no longer have to stumble around in the dark and try to figure it all out on your own. Other people who have already been down that road can help you figure it all out much quicker.
In short, you were sold the wrong lighting and wrong substrate for starters. Your temperatures were also too cool.
This is the thread that Alex left for you above. I'll leave it here again for convenience. If you haven't read it yet, take a few minutes and check it out. I recommend reading it at least twice to take it all in. This thread will explain why there is so much contradictory and wrong info and what is right.
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
This thread will tell you specifically how to best care for your species:
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...
I agree that tube feeding is not the way to go in this case, and I wouldn't do antibiotics yet either. Fix the husbandry issues and the problem should correct itself. The eye issue is likely due to the red bulb or due to the sandy dry substrate. Sand should never be used as tortoise substrate. The drops are fine to use and might help, but get rid of the dust by using the correct substrate and keeping it lightly damp, and get the correct lighting in there.
Questions are welcome!
No need to mix in anything with the orchid bark. Use a 3-4 inch layer and keep the bottom layers more damp by dumping in water periodically. How much water and how often varies with each enclosure, and seasonally even in the same enclosure. You have to go by feel.
Hello and please don't feel that way. There's a lot of bad information out there even from vets and other so called experts. It's that way with other exotic pets also. And even domestic animals. It's really hard to wade through it all and come to a good balance. The fact you are trying so hard tells me you'll succeed.🤗
100% on its own. Clear put the old, disenfect the enc surfaces and then add this to provide a generous depth. The place the hide, low rocks etc around the enclosure.
A tube type bulb at that height shouldn't be hurting his eyes. A bigger concern is that he might not be getting enough UV. The only way to know is to put a meter under it in your enclosure with your bulb. The only one that works currently is the Solarmeter 6.5.
Are all the other solar meters not accurate? Solarmeter v expensive so was going to get a cheaper one meantime until I can afford that one but doesn't seem worth doing if they aren't accurate?
I know of no other meter that measures the correct spectrum of UVB that is needed by our reptiles. Everyone wishes there was a cheaper alternative, but as you said, it does no one any good if it isn't accurate.
Thanks Tom. I won't waste my money then, may as well put it to one side towards the solarmeter 6.5 fund👏👏
Brill, thanks Sarah really appreciate it❤️
Excellent thanks Tammy❤️
Will do. No moss, got it👏👏 thanks 🥰
I can't give exact advice on baby Russians humidity levels except to say that's usually correct for babies. They need a higher humidity level so their shell can grow. My little guy was around 4 or 5 years when I got him and their humidity needs are much lower . More like ours.
