Setup Help?

TobeyP

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Jun 12, 2019
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Somerset, UK
I bought some Mediterranean tortoises earlier in the year and love them and want to get a red footed tortoise. I've already bought a vivarium but heard like a mercury vapor bulb are too bright and doesn't reflect life in the rain forest. I've also seen that exo-terra has released a dual substrate an was wondering your thoughts on that.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Ga
Tube fluorescents work better than Mercury vapor bulbs. For heat use a ceramic heat emitter set on a thermostat. For substrate, if you can find orchid bark, Cypress mulch, or even organic topsoil at a hardware store or nursery it's much cheaper than anything sold by zoomed it exoterra.
 

TobeyP

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Jun 12, 2019
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Location (City and/or State)
Somerset, UK
I was looking at this a Arcadia Reptile UVBKit. but was wondering what % bulb i should get? Thanks.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I was looking at this a Arcadia Reptile UVBKit. but was wondering what % bulb i should get? Thanks.
Most of those "kits" use/have the coiled, compact type UV bulbs.
Do NOT buy that.
You'll be wasting your money.
Get instead a strip florescent 5.0
 

Darthmaulsmom

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Sep 25, 2018
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25
Location (City and/or State)
Chesapeake
For my redfoot I have a 3’x4’ enclosure with 2 CHE one on each side and a low watt daytime bulb in the center as well as a tube UVB bulb. For substrate I use coconut fiber on the bottom and cypress mulch on top. I’m actually going today to see if I can find some orchid bark for the top and some large stones around so he can trim his nails and give him some variety. He loves laying on the stones to warm the bottom of him.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
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Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,939
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
For my redfoot I have a 3’x4’ enclosure with 2 CHE one on each side and a low watt daytime bulb in the center as well as a tube UVB bulb. For substrate I use coconut fiber on the bottom and cypress mulch on top. I’m actually going today to see if I can find some orchid bark for the top and some large stones around so he can trim his nails and give him some variety. He loves laying on the stones to warm the bottom of him.
Some flat slate or clay tiles turned upside down, rough side up work better for feeding or nail maintenance and are safer and potentially cleaner, than loose rocks.
In very large enclosure I reccomend using cement pavers placed flush with the ground.
 

Darthmaulsmom

New Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
Chesapeake
Some flat slate or clay tiles turned upside down, rough side up work better for feeding or nail maintenance and are safer and potentially cleaner, than loose rocks.
In very large enclosure I reccomend using cement pavers placed flush with the ground.

He’s fed on a large clay tile. The rocks I have are entirely smooth and larger than he is and dug into the substrate so they are level with it. They’re not just sitting on top.
 

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