Soooo newwwww!

[Shells0013]

Hello!! My name is Shelly and we just got our first Russian tortoise hatch ling! I thought I was prepared and I watched several videos on how to set up an indoor enclosure but now I am not sure if I did it right! My light is so high because otherwise it gets over 100 in that one spot. Not sure if this will fry my little guy. Please make any suggestions!! He/she just buries itself all day long (which I also read is normal) but then some people say there's don't do that because they have the lighting just right! The bulb is a Zoo Med PowerSun UV Mercury Vapor Lamp (100 watts). This is what the guy at the reptile shop suggested. Also the humidity isn't very high and I'm not sure how to increase it because it gets very dry under the light. I lightly spray the enclosure down a few times a day.

Any help would be so appreciated!! We love our little hatchling!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

One way to keep the humidity up is to pour water over the substrate and cover the habitat. I use plastic sheeting draped over a framework.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Hello & welcome !
Are those the dial thermometers/hygrometer's in the substrate? Thats arent very accurate. Try the digital thermometers, with the probe i think is more accurate than the ones without it but regardless those dial ones are usually off by alot. I had 2 when i first got my tortoises and once i got the digital one, i found out my basking spot was at 117F instead of 95F good thing no tortoises were toasted.
Other than that, it looks great. Just follow what yvonne suggested to keep humidity high.

 

[Shells0013]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

One way to keep the humidity up is to pour water over the substrate and cover the habitat. I use plastic sheeting draped over a framework.

Oh great idea thank you!

 

[Shells0013]

Hello & welcome !
Are those the dial thermometers/hygrometer's in the substrate? Thats arent very accurate. Try the digital thermometers, with the probe i think is more accurate than the ones without it but regardless those dial ones are usually off by alot. I had 2 when i first got my tortoises and once i got the digital one, i found out my basking spot was at 117F instead of 95F good thing no tortoises were toasted.
Other than that, it looks great. Just follow what yvonne suggested to keep humidity high.

Oh wow!!!!!!! What a difference! I will look into getting one of those! Geez! That is scary how off they are! I guess you get what you pay for! Thanks!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Shelly

 

[Shells0013]

Hi Shelly
View attachment 176307

Hello!!!

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Oh wow!!!!!!! What a difference! I will look into getting one of those! Geez! That is scary how off they are! I guess you get what you pay for! Thanks!

Actually, the thermo/hygrometer i bought was from walmart for, maybe under $5?
Which seemed fishy as it may not be accurate so i bought a thermometer with a probe from petsmart to see if they would give me different readings & well, they both read the same. (maybe off by a single degree)

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome! Thank you for taking so much interest in getting the care right for your tortoise!

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Shelley !

 

[Shells0013]

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome and the friendly replies

 

[Fredkas]

Welcomeeee!!!!!!!

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Hello and welcome. This is the best place to get good info. Russians are great tortoises too.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[HappyHermanns]

Hello & Welcome!

Can you post a pic of your little tort?
I just love them ALL and their markings are beautiful!! lol

 

[Shells0013]

Hello!! He is my profile picture!!

 

[HappyHermanns]

Hello!! He is my profile picture!!

Oh- DUH!!
He's adorable!