Ember909
Member
Hi! This is my first post here, so I'm new to the forum. Any help would be awesome. I am thinking of getting a Greek spur-thighed tortoise, and was wondering about some aspects of the environment that it needs. I have a lot of questions, help on any of them would be great.
I live in northern California, so it gets pretty chilly in the winter, and sometimes even on summer nights. So I plan to have it in a large vivarium indoors, which I'm going to build. Any general tips would be appreciated, but there are a number of specific things that I don't know. Sorry in advance for the upcoming barrage of questions.
I've come across many different ideas for how much space they need. The tortoise will likely be 8 inches long or so. Currently, my plan for the vivarium is 8x2 feet. Is that big enough?
According to others on this forum, the ambient temperature should be 75-85 Fahrenheit (at least I assume they meant Fahrenheit). My house, though, is usually about 70. Is this okay? Should we add a small heater or something to the vivarium?
For the flooring substrate, how deep should it be? Just an inch of two, or deep enough for the tort to burrow? If the latter, will I be able to tell where is is if it burrowed?
How many air vents are needed? Is it good to have more vents farther from the heater, to help with the temperature gradient?
Should the hot end of the vivarium be 90 Fahrenheit, or closer to 95?
I know that tortoises don't like side-facing windows, are they okay with a clear roof?
What's the minimum temperature it should be for them to go outside safely?
What's the best diet to keep them on?
Do they need any vitamins, other than calcium?
Is controlled humidity important?
If its wandering the yard, are there plants that it can or shouldn't eat?
That's everything, and as I said before, answers to any of these would be a huge help.
I live in northern California, so it gets pretty chilly in the winter, and sometimes even on summer nights. So I plan to have it in a large vivarium indoors, which I'm going to build. Any general tips would be appreciated, but there are a number of specific things that I don't know. Sorry in advance for the upcoming barrage of questions.
I've come across many different ideas for how much space they need. The tortoise will likely be 8 inches long or so. Currently, my plan for the vivarium is 8x2 feet. Is that big enough?
According to others on this forum, the ambient temperature should be 75-85 Fahrenheit (at least I assume they meant Fahrenheit). My house, though, is usually about 70. Is this okay? Should we add a small heater or something to the vivarium?
For the flooring substrate, how deep should it be? Just an inch of two, or deep enough for the tort to burrow? If the latter, will I be able to tell where is is if it burrowed?
How many air vents are needed? Is it good to have more vents farther from the heater, to help with the temperature gradient?
Should the hot end of the vivarium be 90 Fahrenheit, or closer to 95?
I know that tortoises don't like side-facing windows, are they okay with a clear roof?
What's the minimum temperature it should be for them to go outside safely?
What's the best diet to keep them on?
Do they need any vitamins, other than calcium?
Is controlled humidity important?
If its wandering the yard, are there plants that it can or shouldn't eat?
That's everything, and as I said before, answers to any of these would be a huge help.