Vampire1330
New Member
I will add 1 star in and upgrade the tank size.
btw when u give yr tortoise their daily soak, how do u keep the water warm? For me I will put them back into the tank so the water can stay warm.
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
- Thread starter Tom
- Start date
btw when u give yr tortoise their daily soak, how do u keep the water warm? For me I will put them back into the tank so the water can stay warm.
I soak them outside in the sun, carefully, or I soak them in my warm reptile room, or I soak them inside their warm closed chamber enclosures.
Adding another tortoise into this group when they are already sick and you stopped using antibiotics without completing the entire course is a recipe for disaster. Don't add another one into this group. Separate the two, wait a year or more to see if they remain healthy then consider reintroducing them and adding more to the group. Don't buy another from the same person you already have sick animals from either.
Kmomzee
New Member
Hi Tom,
I had my thermometer on the wall next to the basking bulb which was reading 97/98. I have recently moved one to be directly under the rock laying on the rock which is giving me a reading of 108 F. I’m guessing g that’s too hot? His enclosure everywhere else is the correct temp… the thermometer is laying on his black slate stone (or whatever it’s called), but now I’m worried it’s too hot. He does lay on the rock but he also gets up and moves when I’m guessing he’s too hot. I don’t want to burn him though. The light is the correct distance from him and I believe it’s a 60or 65w? Maybe, I should drop the wattage? What would you recommend? Everything else seems spot on…
I hope I didn’t cause any issues… it’s weird because the other thermometer is literally like 2 inches away but in the wall of the enclosure and it’s 10 degrees cooler.
Thanks in advance. I took his rock out for the time being to see what temp it is just on the substrate.
I had my thermometer on the wall next to the basking bulb which was reading 97/98. I have recently moved one to be directly under the rock laying on the rock which is giving me a reading of 108 F. I’m guessing g that’s too hot? His enclosure everywhere else is the correct temp… the thermometer is laying on his black slate stone (or whatever it’s called), but now I’m worried it’s too hot. He does lay on the rock but he also gets up and moves when I’m guessing he’s too hot. I don’t want to burn him though. The light is the correct distance from him and I believe it’s a 60or 65w? Maybe, I should drop the wattage? What would you recommend? Everything else seems spot on…
I hope I didn’t cause any issues… it’s weird because the other thermometer is literally like 2 inches away but in the wall of the enclosure and it’s 10 degrees cooler.
Thanks in advance. I took his rock out for the time being to see what temp it is just on the substrate.
Kmomzee
New Member
sorry that should say directly under the basking bulb on the rock. **
The distance for mounting the light should be determined by your thermometer, so it is not mounted at the correct height. Are we talking about a regular incandescent flood bulb?, If yes, simply raise the bulb up and inch or two higher and check the temp again. Alternatively, you can get a rheostat, aka: dimmer switch, and run the bulb through that. Then just dial down the power a little bit to get the temperature where you want it. 108 is not the end of the world and it won't hurt your tortoise, but that is a little hotter than it needs to be and it can cause pyramiding.
Peggy's Peacock Palace
New Member
@Peggy's Peacock Palace
A little calcium supplementation once or twice a week won't hurt an adult, and may help, depending on the diet. If the tortoise is fed a calcium rich diet of natural foods like mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, and a large assortment of weeds, then calcium supplementation is not "necessary" for fully grown adult males. Egg laying females will benefit from some extra calcium in the diet.
Growing juveniles should get some calcium supplementation. How much and how often really depends on the diet, but there is a wide margin of error. There is no peer reviewed scientific study detailing exactly how much calcium is needed for a tortoise of a given weight. In practice, what we find is that most any supplementation routine will work and deliver good results.
I would soak the 5 inch one daily. I would soak the 12 inch one twice a week. Keep the water warm by soaking somewhere warm like inside the indoor enclosure or inside the heated night box if they are housed outdoors. Or keep adding more and more warm water to keep the temperature up where it needs to be in the soaking water. You can soak them in full sun, but do be careful that it doesn't get too hot or too cold. If weather is terrible, cold and rainy, its fine to skip a soak and postpone for any larger sulcata. Smaller ones should be indoors, so no need to skip soaking.
"Apostasy"? What is that? Having been the victim of some creative computer spell checking myself, I will guess that you meant to ask about "spraying" down the adults? I would not spray them in colder weather. If its in the high 70s, sunny, and not too windy, then spraying them is fine.
A little calcium supplementation once or twice a week won't hurt an adult, and may help, depending on the diet. If the tortoise is fed a calcium rich diet of natural foods like mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, and a large assortment of weeds, then calcium supplementation is not "necessary" for fully grown adult males. Egg laying females will benefit from some extra calcium in the diet.
Growing juveniles should get some calcium supplementation. How much and how often really depends on the diet, but there is a wide margin of error. There is no peer reviewed scientific study detailing exactly how much calcium is needed for a tortoise of a given weight. In practice, what we find is that most any supplementation routine will work and deliver good results.
I would soak the 5 inch one daily. I would soak the 12 inch one twice a week. Keep the water warm by soaking somewhere warm like inside the indoor enclosure or inside the heated night box if they are housed outdoors. Or keep adding more and more warm water to keep the temperature up where it needs to be in the soaking water. You can soak them in full sun, but do be careful that it doesn't get too hot or too cold. If weather is terrible, cold and rainy, its fine to skip a soak and postpone for any larger sulcata. Smaller ones should be indoors, so no need to skip soaking.
"Apostasy"? What is that? Having been the victim of some creative computer spell checking myself, I will guess that you meant to ask about "spraying" down the adults? I would not spray them in colder weather. If its in the high 70s, sunny, and not too windy, then spraying them is fine.
Kmomzee
New Member
Thank you! I am using basking bulbs for reptiles (bought them prior to seeing this), but I can switch them out. I will figure out how to put the light higher up or drop the wattage. I am glad I put the thermometer on the rock to get the exact temp, just surprised it’s 10 degrees different. But thanks again for all your help. I’d be lost otherwise!
Those are fine as long as they are not "spot", halogen or mercury vapor. You want a regular incandescent flood bulb. Arcadia sells these packaged for reptiles.
Kmomzee
New Member
Thank you! I think I have the right one then… “ Fulkers basking bulb, incandescent reptile lighting”-60w
Update- temp directly under spotlight is sitting at 100.1f. Most of today it was at 98/99. But 100.1 is the hottest it’s gotten. I’m hoping this is a better temp. I increased the distance from the rock by 1.5 inches. Thank you for your help.
Perfect!
Vampire1330
New Member
Hi John, may I know what humidity % do you keep it at?
Is it always at 99%?
Kmomzee
New Member
So, originally when I bought orchard bark, I ended up with this (the first photo). ZooMed reptile bark. I assumed this was unsafe. So, I found orchard Barack (second photo), but it’s not fine grade? Is the second photo ok? I’m having a hard time finding fine grade orchard bark. I wanted to double check before buying more.
I have 3 large bags of the ZooMed reptile bark, but I was told to discontinue using it and then I added “orchard” bark to his enclosure (as seen in second photo).
I have 3 large bags of the ZooMed reptile bark, but I was told to discontinue using it and then I added “orchard” bark to his enclosure (as seen in second photo).
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Kmomzee
New Member
Tom, sorry for all the questions I want to make sure I got this right. I posted above. Thanks so much, you’ve been so helpful!
I've never heard of "orchard" bark.
What we use is fine grade fir bark that is used by people to grow orchids in. Hence the name, "orchid bark".
The repti-bark from ZooMed is an excellent product, but its expensive. I buy my orchid bark in bulk to save money.
The stuff in your second photo look like regular fir bark and is probably fine.
Kmomzee
New Member
Ok, awesome so I can use the reptile bark. Sorry l, apparently my phone changed it from orchid to orchard. Ok thank you! I just wanted to make sure I was using the correct stuff. I have 3 bags of the zooMed reptile bark… and I thought I was going to have to rehome it, but glad to know I can use the remainder and then buy some orchid bark from a hard are store. Thank you!
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