RT, how am i doing so far?

[Matt99]

hello i just got my RT and i was thinking i would show you guys how i keep him and what i do to keep him healthy pleas tell me what you think and if i should change anything, thanks for reeding. first of all he is a 4" RT named
tortamorr he is living in my room in a indiana home where the weather is crazy 24-7, so he cant live out side at all. I keep him in a 5 1/2" foot long 2" foot wide 8 inch tall plastic bin with coconut coil bedding mixed with play sand. He eats weeds and greens of all nature, that i get out of my moms garden. I have proper UVB lighting and a 100 watt heat lamp that
that I put 6 inches up off of the sand. the sand is about 3 inches deep all around, i am afraid if i make it higher he'll get out. I soak him two times a week and i also try to give 30 minutes outside a day, o and i have a heat pad for him at night.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Matt:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

That light looks a little low to me. Normally, depending upon the type of light, they recommend 12 ". Also, sand isn't a good substrate. It bothers their eyes, gets stuck on their food, and might cause impaction if accidentally eaten.

Those cement mixing tubs make pretty good temporary indoor habitats until weather permits him to go outside.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. That is a really nice looking Russian. Plantain is really good for them.

What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night? Does he have a water bowl? Do you soak him a couple of times a week?

I build outdoor enclosures for all of my tortoises, and just put them out there whenever the weather permits. Otherwise they do just fine in their indoor enclosures.

 

[Kerryann]

Your tortoise has some really nice growth lines

 

[Matt99]

Thanks for the links, I sadly don't have a temp gun but i do have the four zones in the bin, i will try to get a temp gun as soon as I can. also what do you think I should use other than sand? cypress bedding is one i've heard of a lot what do you think of it.

 

[tyrs4u]

Purrrrty.... I personally use Coco Coir, I know a lot of people like calcium sand mixtures. But mine seem happier in a moist habitat. The dryer it is the less active they are. Mine anyways,not yours mate. But it's a beauty, and we can tell there's lots of love there ;-) can't wait to see more photos as the cutie grows...

 

[Matt99]

Your tortoise has some really nice growth lines

Thank you, i got him at petco they had not had him long, so he was still perfectly heathy from the breeder, he's doing really good and i've had him for about a mouth now.

 

[austinSOLO]

are you sure the tortoise was from a breeder, because petco usually imports there tortoises and dont take the best care for them, but anyways it looks great and your doing everything right so far!

 

[lynnedit]

Everyone has their favorite substrate, but cypress mulch and/or Coir (comes in bags, or 'bricks' that you add water too), both help with moisture. The substrate does not have to be wet, just moist in the underlayers when they burrow.
Many add water 1-2x per week and mix into the substrate.
For inside enclosures, it is a good idea to pay attention to moisture in the substrate, because the heat and UV bulbs can be very drying, being so close.
Otherwise your enclosure looks very nice!
You can also get a house plant or two (spider plant, pothos) and submerge them in their pots in the substrate. Even fake silk plants from a craft store create visual interest and even help hold moisture.

 

[Matt99]

Thanks every one for the advise. I'm not sure if he's from a breeder but I got him in the winter so I don't think he was imported, I called the week before i got him and they said they had none there. I'm getting cypress mulch today so thanks for telling me about the moisture.

 

[Kerryann]

We usually just take a thermometer and put it under the basking spot and then on the cool side if that helps. After about a minute you can get the reading.

 

[Matt99]

Thanks again guys i got the cypress mulch and he seems to like it more than sand.
The mulch i got is 100% cypress and 100% natural. and thanks for the further temp advise.

 

[Matt99]

So i put the cypress in his pin and after checking it out, he started to pace the ground
trying to escape! he only tried on the right side where he could see my wall, is this normal? I read some where that this happens if the cage is to small, and I have read that the bin should be 5 of him wide and 10 of him long, mine is 5 wide 14 long so pleas help.

 

[tyrs4u]

He's throwing a temper tantrum, he'll love you it soon... They can be picky, but to help them ease into it, I recommend hit a home depot and get a little plant, or even from a pet store that way they are safe to be in there. I noticed once he plant was there and they knew they could hide there or the log, it just made him more comfy; and in days he was all over his habitat. But. Switched to Coir to make my RT's gitty and easy for them to dig or burrow. But that's just me. ;-)

 

[Matt99]

thanks so much! youu made me feel a lot better! i will see if i can theif any of my moms plants, lol.