Cheryl1503
Member
Hi Yvonne, I would say viv to describe wooden casing with a glass front- that what I have at the moment x
Viv or table
- Thread starter Cheryl1503
- Start date
For the time being, I'd bump that up to about 21-22 C and see if the symptoms don't disappear on their own. Daytime ambient should be around 30ishC with a basking area directly under the Bub that is around 36C.
RIs are usually caused by cold temps. Warm temps will usually clear them up when caught early and not too severe.
Cheryl1503
Member
I’m actually working to get his day time temps down a bit, basking spot and ambient are 38ish and 35 with cool side 26ish, I have ordered a lower wattage bulb and I am looking at a new viv so I can raise the bulb too! I will try and keep his night ones up a bit though, thank you again !
Nothing cheeky about it. Open tables are fine for adult Testudo. Babies do better in a closed chamber. It has nothing to do with respect.
Your tortoise protection organizations are the problem. They, just like the ones here and everywhere, are still promoting old wrong info. You are helping them. Let me ask you: Have you ever done side-by-side experiments with groups of clutch mates that you hatched yourself with identical starts? If not, how do you know which way is better? I myself have done those experiments. Many times with many babies of many species. I've also done the experiments testing the assertion that "babies do better outside". They don't.
We are not here for freedom of speech. We are here to promote optimal tortoise care. When people come here and repeat old wrong info, we correct them in an effort to help the tortoises of the world. Can't reach everyone all the time, but we try. Some people take it all in, try what we tell them, and universally report back with positive results and a thank you. Other people wish to remain willfully ignorant, get mad, insult us, and leave the forum in a huff. The info you are promoting is responsible for killing and disfiguring uncountable numbers of tortoises over decades of time. We've learned better. Be skeptical of this new info. Ask for evidence. Make me prove it. Look at past experiments. Look around the forum at how torts are being housed and what the results are. Only a fool would ignore the mountains of evidence and bury their head in the sand. Why dismiss someone who can clearly demonstrate what they are saying is true, and has years of public experiments, and thousands of examples to prove it?
Tortoises don't have a dry open topped table with dry substrate and a hot bulb out in the desert either, so what is your point? Properly set up and run closed chambers best simulate what happens to them in the wild, and universally deliver better results than an open table. You are arguing this point with someone who has done it both ways with thousands af baby tortoises. How many babies have you raised each of these ways?
That you are in the UK makes a viv even more important and more beneficial. Having conversed and interacted with 100s of UK members here on the forum over the last 10+ years, I've learned that almost all UK members keep their houses much colder in winter than the typical US member. These colder room temps make it even more difficult to house a baby in an open topped table and maintain the correct temps and humidity. Most people in the US keep their thermostat set to around 21C. What is your thermostat set at?
You are not the first person I've had this discussion with. You won't be the last. Let's talk about it. Let me share with you what we've learned, how, and why. You can help tortoises the world over have better lives.
Cheryl1503
Member
Hey! Just to let you know, it was absolutely worth while going to a vet who keeps torts himself! Gave my little one a through check over, he’s perfect for his age and no meds needed! Also said he is 90 % sure he is a she , but can’t be 100% til he/she is older!
Hi Tracey, you're new to this forum so you won't know the personalities on here. They provide quick, accurate, knowledgeable advice, designed to help the tortoise and owner and prevent expensive vet trips unless neccesary. The advice can be blunt but is done with the best intentions. Have a read of the care sheets and some of the posts, you will see that Tom, Yvonne, Maggie, Yossarian and others are responding to multiple posts daily, which must take an incredible amount of time when they all have their own pets and families to take care of and interact with. Please don't be offended, there is so much to learn from this site, I'm a newish member and these guys saved my tortoise's life. Hope to see you around on here and perhaps see some pictures of your tortoise ?
