simulated burrow

[philipsr26]

this is my new tortoise home iam using eco-eath coconut substrate and for the hide "burrow" i used a plastic folgers jar cut down the middle and drill like a hundred 1/8" holes all over for the moisture i burried it under to allow moisture to come from all over like a natural burrow would and halfway fill the inside with substrate to encourage burrowing in it does that sound like it would work?. I know there is a topic area for enclosures but i wanted the sulcata owners opinions.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think the coffe-can burrow idea is a good one. Your enclosure looks ok, but since the sides are so tall on the aquarium, you'll have to keep a close watch to be sure the heat and UV are making it all the way down to the floor level. Cute little tortoise. Nice that he cooperated and went into the burrow for the picture!

 

[sammi]

Love the idea! I tried one of those big plastic ice cream tubs in the beginning but Ernie didn't like it too much. I think I might just have to steal your idea and give it a try =]

 

[philipsr26]

been trying to figure out how to post my pictures like this so excuse the repeats

---

---

---

i think i got it

---

---

---

 

[reptylefreek]

I love the idea that really clever. But I cant help but be nosy since I could see your thermometer and it looks like it only says around 70 and that was the side your light is closer to. What do your temps get in the glass tank?

 

[philipsr26]

I love the idea that really clever. But I cant help but be nosy since I could see your thermometer and it looks like it only says around 70 and that was the side your light is closer to. What do your temps get in the glass tank?

I thought some one might comment but i had just finished it and the heat sources were disconnected for awhile but i gets to 85 not in the basking side just the warmer side the colder side about 65 but there is a heating pad under the burrow i figure if its to hot for him he will move but he likes to dig right where the heat pad is

---

I think the coffe-can burrow idea is a good one. Your enclosure looks ok, but since the sides are so tall on the aquarium, you'll have to keep a close watch to be sure the heat and UV are making it all the way down to the floor level. Cute little tortoise. Nice that he cooperated and went into the burrow for the picture!

does this look any better?

 

[GBtortoises]

Great idea! I do something similar with 4" corrugated black plastic pipe cut in half lengthwise. Outdoors I use 12" corrugated drainage pipe cut in half lengthwise and buried horizontally in the ground. Provides a great humid hide area.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not sure about that light that you have in the bell fixture on the left in the picture. Is that a coiled bulb? They have been known to cause eye problems for the tortoises. Also, it looks like its too close to the bottom of the habitat. I THINK the closest it should be is 12" from the bulb to the floor. I know...I know...some people are never satisfied!!

 

[terryo]

That little hidey looks so cool. Very nice.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The hide is very clever and I may use that idea in the future. Welcome to the forum. Now...your enclosure is too small. That baby even tho he's small needs more room to walk around. In the wild they walk for miles.
The coil bulb is too close and it is too dangerous. I had one hatchling die and another was blinded by that bulb and we worked on him for months and spent a lot of money. In the end he is blind in one eye and has diminished sight in the other. The manufacturer says the bulbs are fixed but I don't care for them and wouldn't recommend them to anyone. I would advise you to get a larger rubbermaid tub with lower sides and get rid of that bulb...at the very least move it to more then 18 inches away. Read this...

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm#intro

 

[tortoisenerd]

Cool idea! Thank you for sharing.

I do think however that you should not use a heating pad for such a small tortoise. Not all tortoises will move if they are too hot. Much better to play it safe and only use heat from above at all times for small tortoises (I would not use a heating pad until a Sulcata was close to full grown for example, and then only for cases such as an outdoor shed with a pig blanket).

I also agree a larger enclosure is necessary. You need to have multiple hides so you can have one in each temperature zone. A hatchling needs a hide very near the basking spot so they feel comfortable, one in a moderate zone, and one in the cool zone, at the very minimum. Building a tortoise table at this point is a great idea. You can build a huge one and block most of it off, expanding the space over time as the tortoise grows, so maybe the table will last until the tortoise is big enough to be outside full time. The larger enclosure will also give you space to have cage furnishings and hides which break up the line of sight.

Please heed the advice about the coil bulbs if it is true you have one. That is not something to take any chances on.

As a replacement, I suggest a Mercury Vapor Bulb. Buy a 100 watt T-Rex or Mega Ray. You can use the same hood fixture, buy buy a lamp stand so the bulb can be mounted with the face parallel to the substrate and you can easily adjust the height as the ambient temperature changes. With this, the bulb will provide heat, UVB, and light for up to 12 months. Until you have a huge enclosure you should need no other bulbs in the day unless you have a cold room (where which you would use a ceramic heat emitter or black light bulb offset from the MVB). At night, if your temperatures are under 65 F, you will want a ceramic heat emitter or black light bulb. Aim for a temperature gradient from 75 to 95 during the day, and 65-70 at night.

You may want to use a slate file for feeding as it will keep the nails and beak trimmed as well as give the tort more space to eat without a lip to climb.

What a cute little tortoise! Take lots of pictures as they grow up so fast.

Best wishes.

 

[philipsr26]

The hide is very clever and I may use that idea in the future. Welcome to the forum. Now...your enclosure is too small. That baby even tho he's small needs more room to walk around. In the wild they walk for miles.
The coil bulb is too close and it is too dangerous. I had one hatchling die and another was blinded by that bulb and we worked on him for months and spent a lot of money. In the end he is blind in one eye and has diminished sight in the other. The manufacturer says the bulbs are fixed but I don't care for them and wouldn't recommend them to anyone. I would advise you to get a larger rubbermaid tub with lower sides and get rid of that bulb...at the very least move it to more then 18 inches away. Read this...

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm#intro

ok i checked out the uvb website it burns me a little that i spent $50.00 on the wrong bulb now if mabe you could just let me know your choice of bulb you would choose as if your where getting a new one. brand etc. ill be gratefull bbecause when i go to the pet store the people there arent very informantive to me and iam new to this whole thing

 

[Madortoise]

Great idea. I'm copying!

 

[Yvonne G]

Mega Ray or T-Rex are combined heat and UV. LLLReptile is a very reputable dealer.

 

[philipsr26]

to my defence i did post a thread asking for a advice for a uvb light along with a few other things and only got 2 replys and none were concerning a uvb