Russian substrate depth and distance to basking light?

[AbeCabot]

Hi,

I'm setting up an indoor enclosure for my Russian, but am unsure how deep to make the substrate. I understand that they need to burrow, but don't know if increasing the substrate height, and consequently decreasing the distance of the basking and heating bulbs from the substrate surface, is a problem. How far should the bulbs be from the surface? How deep the substrate? I'm using a 54 gallon rubbermaid, but am considering shaving the top to reduce the height. It measures 42.5" x 21.5" x 16.8".

Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

I like to have 4 or 5 inches of substrate in indoor habitats, but the hiding places you provide act as the burrow and the tortoise usually won't dig if he has a hiding place.

I wouldn't cut off the top of the tub. A tall tub makes it so you have plenty of room to raise or lower your heat/light to get the right temperature. A board or PVC placed across the top, end-to-end, gives you something to hang the heat/light on. You have to measure the temperature under the light to know how close or how far to place it. Most light instructions say no closer than 12".