Project Pig Nose (Now soft shell!)

[Tom]

Oh I almost forgot.Got a Repti Zoo UVB light as well @ 30$ can you believe it.

I hope is isn't the cfl type...

 

[Slasher]

Jeepers I have no idea.What is a cfl type and why is it not good?

 

[Tom]

Jeepers I have no idea.

Nope. You are good. That is the tube type and they are safe.

Are you saying it was 30 Rand, or are you doing the conversion for us?


I love the RSA. Been there twice and was almost ready to move there permanently back in '05. Never made it to Pretoria, but heard about it. I made it up as far as George and the Wilderness Area last trip. I'd really love to see Pretoria and Durban too some day.

 

[Slasher]

Jeeze Tom you allmost gave me a heart attack with those lights haha

Man I love Google:Ok so these are the cfl type...

Why are they bad??Reason why I need to know is that I want to install a similar light setup for her basking area.Think it's the low watts red heat light everybody's been using.If this is also not safe what would then be the correct/safest bulb/heat lighting setup to be used??

No I'm doing the convertion for you.Cost me around R500 wich just roughly converted is 30$

My Father stays in George.We are actually driving there for our anual leave in December.Bit of a drive (about 1300km)not sure off hand how many miles it is.
I mentioned in another post that we pick up Leopard tortoises on the road,put them next to the road and continue our journey.Can be bit of a head ache to stop every few miles lol

RSA is beutiful it's just the politics that drives us nuts.But that's a chat for another time.

 

[Tom]

Jeeze Tom you allmost gave me a heart attack with those lights haha

Man I love Google:Ok so these are the cfl type...
View attachment 193252
Why are they bad??Reason why I need to know is that I want to install a similar light setup for her basking area.Think it's the low wat red heat light everybody's been using.If this is also not save what would then be the correct/safest bulb/heat lighting setup to be used??

No I'm doing the convertion for you.Cost me around R500 wich just roughly converted is 30$

My Father stays in George.We are actually driving there for our anual leave in December.Bit of a drive (about 1300km)not sure off hand how many miles it is.
I mentioned in another post that we pick up Leopard tortoises on the road,put them next to the road and continue our journey.

RSA is beutiful it's just the politics that drives us nuts.But that's a chat for another time.

That is a chat I'd love to participate in! I got a little taste of that when I was over there.

The cfl bulbs sometimes cause eye damage in reptiles. They shouldn't even be sold, but I can't stop them. They are also not an effective UV source.

Colored bulbs shouldn't be used. They make the world look funny to turtles and tortoises and this can cause problems. Use a regular incandescent flood bulb for basking during the day and most people heat the water for night time, if needed.

 

[Yvonne G]

Jeeze Tom you allmost gave me a heart attack with those lights haha

Man I love Google:Ok so these are the cfl type...
View attachment 193252
Why are they bad??Reason why I need to know is that I want to install a similar light setup for her basking area.Think it's the low watts red heat light everybody's been using.If this is also not safe what would then be the correct/safest bulb/heat lighting setup to be used??

No I'm doing the convertion for you.Cost me around R500 wich just roughly converted is 30$

My Father stays in George.We are actually driving there for our anual leave in December.Bit of a drive (about 1300km)not sure off hand how many miles it is.
I mentioned in another post that we pick up Leopard tortoises on the road,put them next to the road and continue our journey.Can be bit of a head ache to stop every few miles lol

RSA is beutiful it's just the politics that drives us nuts.But that's a chat for another time.

Especially this one is bad:

 

[Slasher]

Tnx all.That's why I enjoy being here,and learning from your advice.I possibly could of unintentionally bought 1 of those bulbs

Hi Yvonne
Any input regarding the I'D of this turtle?
I've been doing alot of reading and it really seems that she could be a Sinensis.

I possibly also saved her from being on a dinner plate seing as I bought her at a Chinese mall

 

[Yvonne G]

Not really. I defer to those more familiar with the soft shell species. I DO have three soft shells in my pond, but they are Florida soft shells. I can recognise a smooth and a spiny, but not familiar at all with those from other countries. But the pictures of those spotted soft shells really grabbed my interest. Those are beauties!

 

[Slasher]

I also would like to know 1 more thing regarding the UVB lights.Is there a time limit per day that they should be switched on that still falls within a safe zone for the turtle.I asume extended hours could be harmful.Mine is on from 7 am till 8pm.Is this an ecceptable length of time ? If not correct what should it be?

 

[Yvonne G]

Some people only run it during the middle of the day, while using a regular bulb for the regular 12 to 14 hour day. Personally, I have mine on all day long. I use this one for my California desert tortoise babies and the desert tortoise adults and russians that I have to keep up for the winter:



And I use this one for forest type like the Manouria, RF and YF:



The 100 watt MVB (the first picture) puts out a lot of heat and the second pictured bulb puts out no heat.

Water turtles get some of their D3 from the food they eat, so the good quality UVB bulb isn't as important with water turtles. In fact, when I had turtles in the house, I never used UVB bulbs. But this was way back in my ignorant period. I just used a regular 100 watt household bulb over the landing dock.

 

[tglazie]

That is definitely a Pelodiscus sinensis. The nature of the mandibular spotting, bunched together in large blotches, is to me the dead giveaway. I have so many polaroids of these from my days as a kid living in South Korea, where they would sell them for meat up until they went extinct and were replaced by red eared sliders. Plus is that these softshells could tolerate winter temperatures, given that South Korea and Northern China can achieve mid Atlantic type winters.

T.G.

 

[Millerlite]

Chinese soft shell is what I would guess. They don't get as big either think like 10nicnhes so that 5 gallon tank should work out. I like the basking area mounted from the top and give the space for swimming. But you got plenty of ideas

Kyle

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Chinese soft shell is what I would guess. They don't get as big either think like 10nicnhes so that 5 gallon tank should work out. I like the basking area mounted from the top and give the space for swimming. But you got plenty of ideas

Kyle

You meant 50 as in five zero, right?

 

[tglazie]

Fifty? I thought the OP was setting up the animal in a five foot long tank.

T.G.

 

[Yvonne G]

Fifty? I thought the OP was setting up the animal in a five foot long tank.

T.G.

Millerlite said the "five gallon tank should work out"

 

[Slasher]

Hi everyone.

Pffff....I've been running around like crazy today to get a tank for her,plus been so busy at work.Anyways,I managed to hustle a stunning 6ft 2cnd hand 750lt(198 gallon), 1800mm x 600mm x 700mm(70.86 inch x 23.6 inch x 27.5 inch) tank from a guy about 90km(55.92 miles) from me at a steal.Tank is still in a exceptional condition.I paid R2000(133.33$) for it wich I'm really chuffed about because they go for around R15 000(1000$) here in RSA.I will unfortunately only be able to collect on Saturday.A new 5ft tank(glass only,no stand,no lid) was goint to cost me R1900(126.66$)and it will take anything from 2-4 weeks for delivery.I'm pretty anxious to start my little project haha

 

[Slasher]

Hi tglazie

Is there any way you could share those poloroids?I would love to see those pics!

 

[tglazie]

Millerlite said the "five gallon tank should work out"

Yes, but did he mean it?

T.G.

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone.

Pffff....I've been running around like crazy today to get a tank for her,plus been so busy at work.Anyways,I managed to hustle a stunning 6ft 2cnd hand 750lt(198 gallon), 1800mm x 600mm x 700mm(70.86 inch x 23.6 inch x 27.5 inch) tank from a guy about 90km(55.92 miles) from me at a steal.Tank is still in a exceptional condition.I paid R2000(133.33$) for it wich I'm really chuffed about because they go for around R15 000(1000$) here in RSA.I will unfortunately only be able to collect on Saturday.A new 5ft tank(glass only,no stand,no lid) was goint to cost me R1900(126.66$)and it will take anything from 2-4 weeks for delivery.I'm pretty anxious to start my little project haha

That's a great size and should work well. Bring a few strong friends to help move it…

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, but did he mean it?

T.G.

Well, evidently Will thought it was a typo, that's why he came back with the five oh comment.