Tortoise Light/ Heat question

Thundersnow

Active Member
Joined
May 19, 2021
Messages
188
Location (City and/or State)
Kentucky
Good evening all,
My lil kid Squirt is just about three months old and doing well thanks to all of you who educated me and took time to answer my questions and guide me to keep my lil kid healthy and happy.
My questions are these: My 100 watt Repti Sun basking light didn't last long so I need to replace it.Should I get another one or is there a better choice? I have a Repti sin 10.0 UV UB bulb (long light like the long fluorescent bulbs) which are working fine. I do have a CE I use at night but for now 24/7 until I buy a new basking bulb.

My second question: His daily diet consists of a mixture ( I change mixtures daily)Anything soaked is in filtered tepid water.Kapidolo Farms (all soaked) cactus chips,hibiscus,rose hips.One soaked Mazuli Tortoise diet one Pellet(these are big)for forest and tropical species tortoises,minced cucumber,zucchini,yellow squash,red,orange green pepper and various organic baby lettuces and greens.also small pieces of alfalfa from alfalfa cubes.His absolute favorite is the Mazuli.I sprinkle on his food 3x weekly Rep-Cal Herptivite and Rep-Cal with D-3.These make him constipated so that is why 3x weekly.I give him a 1/16 of a tsp. each.There are no feeding directions for hatchlings. I called the manufacturer and sent an email for feeding hatchlings but no one contacted me back. According to Mazuli it has all the vitamins and minerals nothing extra needed other than fresh vegetation.
When I got Squirt he weight 0.65 I weigh him every day.He now weighs 1.30 oz.He will be three months July 22
 

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ZenHerper

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If Kentucky has not banned incandescent bulbs, go to the hardware or feed store and get an incandescent flood bulb (or a clear brooder bulb for chicks - not the red kind). If you ask for help, you need Incandescent (the old style that heats up), not LED or flourescent (cold, energy efficient) bulbs.

Your original bulb should not have failed - make sure that the lamp you are using and the wall socket are rated for the wattage of bulb you are using.

As with any replacement bulb, be sure to calibrate the placement so that the basking spot is appropriate.

Food - are you following the feeding instructions here:

And here:

You should not be feeding fruit (peppers, squash, cucumber). These sugary foods will bork the digestive flora and cause problems with nutrient absorption and stool quality.

Calcium and vitamin supplement powders should be used very lightly - only a mere pinch. If you can see it on the greens, it is too much.

Alfalfa is too protein-rich. Use fresh-cut Orchard Grass (or soak dried Orchard Grass in warm water until it is soft enough to easily tear). Cut the stems into short pieces that are easy to soak and swallow.

The baby greens do not contain very much fiber at all (people are wimps!)...at the grocery store, choose mature leaves of curly endive, dandelion, collards.

Replacing the dried alfalfa cubes with Orchard Grass and replacing the baby greens with mature ones should correct the constipation.

Review the care sheets above very carefully and regularly - they contain a lot of detailed guidance that can be missed on a single read-through.
 

Thundersnow

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Joined
May 19, 2021
Messages
188
Location (City and/or State)
Kentucky
Hey thanks a lot for all the great info. Also the bulb when shaken I hear clinking inside so I think maybe the filament broke.
I have mixed grass horse hay for my horses will that work?
 

ZenHerper

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Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
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Hey thanks a lot for all the great info. Also the bulb when shaken I hear clinking inside so I think maybe the filament broke.
I have mixed grass horse hay for my horses will that work?
Filaments break with age, hard bumps or drops, with incorrect current (a "surge"), or with excess heat around it (using a lamp hood that is too small or that does not have a ceramic base). Some bulbs are just duds from a manufacturing error. Most people find that hardware store bulbs are better quality than ones produced for the reptile market.

**************

Babies and small youngsters have trouble with thick, woody stems. If the stems are young, thin and soft, try snipping and soaking them. Remove any seed heads.

Alfalfa is too high in protein for tort kidneys (like it is for small rabbits and Guinea Pigs), so no mix with alfalfa in it. Timothy, Bermuda, Orchard Grass are all OK. Your supplier should be able to tell you what kinds of grasses are in their mix, or ask at the feed store.
 

Thundersnow

Active Member
Joined
May 19, 2021
Messages
188
Location (City and/or State)
Kentucky
Filaments break with age, hard bumps or drops, with incorrect current (a "surge"), or with excess heat around it (using a lamp hood that is too small or that does not have a ceramic base). Some bulbs are just duds from a manufacturing error. Most people find that hardware store bulbs are better quality than ones produced for the reptile market.

**************

Babies and small youngsters have trouble with thick, woody stems. If the stems are young, thin and soft, try snipping and soaking them. Remove any seed heads.

Alfalfa is too high in protein for tort kidneys (like it is for small rabbits and Guinea Pigs), so no mix with alfalfa in it. Timothy, Bermuda, Orchard Grass are all OK. Your supplier should be able to tell you what kinds of grasses are in their mix, or ask at the feed store.
This hay has all of the above. If any alfalfa in it it’s very minimal. The hay also has fescue too. My yard is bluegrass and fescue. He won’t eat that at all. I snipped the grass blades really small. Nope,he wanted no part of themBeing he is so little and young I’m afraid of if he doesn’t eat he will die so I give him so many different things except no fruit of any kind I read the veggies I gave him were good for him. So much info. Don’t know what’s right or wrong.I will get the endive and collars.
The light bulb holder I have is a ceramic one from Zoo Med.Thanks again really appreciate it
 

Jan A

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Jan 9, 2021
Messages
1,808
Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
This hay has all of the above. If any alfalfa in it it’s very minimal. The hay also has fescue too. My yard is bluegrass and fescue. He won’t eat that at all. I snipped the grass blades really small. Nope,he wanted no part of themBeing he is so little and young I’m afraid of if he doesn’t eat he will die so I give him so many different things except no fruit of any kind I read the veggies I gave him were good for him. So much info. Don’t know what’s right or wrong.I will get the endive and collars.
The light bulb holder I have is a ceramic one from Zoo Med.Thanks again really appreciate it
Hang in there. Take an hour or so every night on this forum & search for answers to your questions just by using general search terms such as "CHE". There is a wealth of info on here. I know. I'm doing dumpster dives myself right now.
 
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