What substrate should i use ASAP

[Tom]

we

I have placed a visual barrier.

That doesn't solve the problems. The Testudo needs cool nights, while the sulcata needs warm nights. The Testudo needs moderate humidity, and the sulcata needs high humidity. A divider in the cage will not stop disease or parasite transmission.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I'm trying to help your tortoises stay alive and healthy.

 

[Ttfjc]

That doesn't solve the problems. The Testudo needs cool nights, while the sulcata needs warm nights. The Testudo needs moderate humidity, and the sulcata needs high humidity. A divider in the cage will not stop disease or parasite transmission.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I'm trying to help your tortoises stay alive and healthy.

You think a fish tank would do it? I have a 50 gallon laying around. I can put tape around it could that work?

 

[Tom]

You think a fish tank would do it? I have a 50 gallon laying around. I can put tape around it could that work?

Yes. That will work fine in the short term. Both of them will outgrow a 50 within a few months, but it will work for now.

 

[Ttfjc]

Yes. That will work fine in the short term. Both of them will outgrow a 50 within a few months, but it will work for now.

The sulcata is about 6 months and the hermans is 2 months old with 1 week
i got it for a breeder for $70 she kept it in high humidity and fed weeds alot of grass ect. Ill send you a l
Picture of both enclosures when im done setting them up. Thanks tom i really appreciate what you have told me .

 

[Ttfjc]

Yes. That will work fine in the short term. Both of them will outgrow a 50 within a few months, but it will work for now.

 

[Ttfjc]

The sulcata is about 6 months and the hermans is 2 months old with 1 week
i got it for a breeder for $70 she kept it in high humidity and fed weeds alot of grass ect. Ill send you a l
Picture of both enclosures when im done setting them up. Thanks tom i really appreciate what you have told me .

 

[Ttfjc]

The sulcata is about 6 months and the hermans is 2 months old with 1 week
i got it for a breeder for $70 she kept it in high humidity and fed weeds alot of grass ect. Ill send you a l
Picture of both enclosures when im done setting them up. Thanks tom i really appreciate what you have told me .

Iz it fine now? I have a lid for the tote to keep high Humidity.

 

[Tom]

The tank looks okay for the hermanni, but I'd move the heat lamp to one side or the other to create a thermal gradient.

How are you maintaining ambient and night temps for the sulcata?

 

[Ttfjc]

The tank looks okay for the hermanni, but I'd move the heat lamp to one side or the other to create a thermal gradient.

How are you maintaining ambient and night temps for the sulcata?

70 degrees what should i add or remove?

 

[Tom]

I'm very glad you've found us, and your tortoise will be too. You've gotten a lot of the old, incorrect wrong info that still pervades the culture. Please give these a read through. This will correct most of the wrong stuff you've found:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/


There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.

 

[Ttfjc]

I'm very glad you've found us, and your tortoise will be too. You've gotten a lot of the old, incorrect wrong info that still pervades the culture. Please give these a read through. This will correct most of the wrong stuff you've found:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/


There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.

Sorry tom but i don't have old info, i have been in thr TF for 9 months but without a account the sulcata temps are 60-100 degress all over the tote it has a long uvb light and little tiny heat bulb that is about 60 watts by zoomed look it up the humidy is 70-100 and for the hermans it 60-80 degresz with a exo terra sollar glow. I feed them spring mix,kale, collards, hibuscus, and grass sometimes lettuce for water content also soak them 4-5 times a week. What else should i add in my enclosure? Thanks @Tom
Btw can you sponcer or donate to the TF? I wanna do it.

 

[Tom]

Sorry tom but i don't have old info, i have been in thr TF for 9 months but without a account the sulcata temps are 60-100 degress all over the tote it has a long uvb light and little tiny heat bulb that is about 60 watts by zoomed look it up the humidy is 70-100 and for the hermans it 60-80 degresz with a exo terra sollar glow. I feed them spring mix,kale, collards, hibuscus, and grass sometimes lettuce for water content also soak them 4-5 times a week. What else should i add in my enclosure? Thanks @Tom
Btw can you sponcer or donate to the TF? I wanna do it.

Your sulcata is going down to 60? Is that a typo? Sulcatas shouldn't drop below 80, day or night.

60-80 degrees for the hermanns? 60 is a little on the low side for a baby, and 80 during the day is fine for ambient, but does he have a warmer basking area?

 

[Ttfjc]

Yes i have have a uva and heat lamp for the sulcata for 14 hrs

 

[Ttfjc]

Your sulcata is going down to 60? Is that a typo? Sulcatas shouldn't drop below 80, day or night.

60-80 degrees for the hermanns? 60 is a little on the low side for a baby, and 80 during the day is fine for ambient, but does he have a warmer basking area?

Your sulcata is going down to 60? Is that a typo? Sulcatas shouldn't drop below 80, day or night.

60-80 degrees for the hermanns? 60 is a little on the low side for a baby, and 80 during the day is fine for ambient, but does he have a warmer basking area?

Are those plants safe? For them to. Eat?

 

[Tom]

Yes i have have a uva and heat lamp for the sulcata for 14 hrs

Your sulcata needs night heat and ambient heat during the day. 60 is likely to make him sick and kill him.


There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs because these bulbs are overly desiccating and cause pyramiding even in good living conditions.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. I like the ZooMed 10.0 HO, and the Arcadia 12% HO. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.

 

[Tom]

Are those plants safe? For them to. Eat?

I don't recognize those.

 

[Ttfjc]

I don't recognize those.

Okay what are the lowest that a hermans can go? Ill buy a CHE next time i go i have bought about 5 of them correct wattage but they smell burnt. So i threw them im using a UVB long 10.0 from Zoomed and a Pick up today
Zoo Med, Reptile Nano Basking Lamp size: 40W
$7.99
PetSmart i gonna buy a che but i think its gonna Smell like burt and 1 zoomed powesun with w 2 more Heat bulbs

 

[Tom]

Okay what are the lowest that a hermans can go? Ill buy a CHE next time i go i have bought about 5 of them correct wattage but they smell burnt. So i threw them im using a UVB long 10.0 from Zoomed and a Pick up today
Zoo Med, Reptile Nano Basking Lamp size: 40W
$7.99
PetSmart i gonna buy a che but i think its gonna Smell like burt and 1 zoomed powesun with w 2 more Heat bulbs

Stop shopping at the pet store. Read the linked threads we've been leaving for you.

A CHE must be used in a ceramic based fixture that is rated for more wattage than your CHE. They do sometimes smell a little bit the first time you use them, but that should dissipate within a couple of hours. They get VERY hot, so don't touch the bulb, or let the bulb touch anything.

 

[Ttfjc]

Ca

Stop shopping at the pet store. Read the linked threads we've been leaving for you.

A CHE must be used in a ceramic based fixture that is rated for more wattage than your CHE. They do sometimes smell a little bit the first time you use them, but that should dissipate within a couple of hours. They get VERY hot, so don't touch the bulb, or let the bulb touch anything.

But how come many tortoises have survived with no heat? The pet store told me that people come returning the sulcata because they get big (the people keep it since a Hatchling)

 

[MichiganMan]

Stop talking to and going to the pet store. Thats your first problem. Listen to what @Tom is telling you. Your torts will benefit from it. You will avoid making a post later on about both of them dying.