Hi Isa,

I'm sorry that you are feeling confused. People have different opinions (sometimes very strong). I think you should search for info as much as you can and ask a lot of questions and then decide what you think is the best. I know you are trying so hard for your little Hermy and he is so lucky to have you as his owner.

Personally, I don't like the carpet. It smells bad, hard to clean, and worst of all, tort cannot burrow into it. If the vet says dust from the substrate is not good for RI, I would just use the carpet or paper towel or even newspaper, until the treatment is complete (a couple of weeks?), but use something else such as top soil/coir and sand mix. Coir is coconut fiber that you can buy from pet store or garden supply stores. It is called "bed a beast" at pet stores and about 6 dollars (US). If you go to garden center, it is called coir brick and much cheaper, about 3 us dollars. I think it is important for tortoises to be able to burrow in. Not only that will make them feel secure but also, give them humidity. I keep the substrate SLIGHTLY moist. My little Hermann does not eat her substrate.

I'm not sure the blue thing under the tank is heat mat, if it is, I would remove it. Most people (in fact, everybody I've read his or her opinion of) are against the use of heat mat for torts. Unlike most people, I am not completely against using vivs for torts. I think it can work in some cases. But I would cover the walls with paper, maybe about 10cm high from the substrate all around, so Hermy wouldn't try to go through glass walls. As far as the light, I would use only one 10.0. If you can some how return it or afford to buy another one, I would stay away from Exo-terra. T-rex makes a good UV/heat combined bulb. If you need extra general lighting, I would just use regular full spectrum fluorescent bulb. Too much UV is not good for anyone. I use T-rex Active UV/heat 100w for two of my enclosures and Zoomed 5.0 tube for another.

If you want to make it more fun for Hermy, I would put something he can climb on, such as cork bark, or little bridge, or anything really, you can make steps using slate slabs too. But I would put that in after I have different substrate in, because I think it would be hard for him to right himself if he falls and turns upside down. Some people provide two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side so tort can choose which one he likes.

Sorry it is such a long post. These are just my opinions. Hope it helps
Ask more questions

Em

I had some paper around the vivarium but i remove them before yesterday because I cleaned the vivarium. I will put some put the paper back tomorrow. The gauge you see on the glass is for the humidity. the average humidity is 20-25%. The temp under the basking light is 35-36 celcius , on the warm side 30-32 and on the cold side 22-26. Do you think there is too much light with the 100W the 10.0 and the 2.0 on the warm side?? Do you think it is too much light for her?? For the carpet, what can I put?? Do you think my vet is right and I should let the carpet with timothee or put something else??

Thanks a lot for your help

Hello Em,

Thanks for your answer.

You are right, carpets are not super. I don't even try to wash them but I change them every month. I see my poor Hermy trying to burrow herself every night in her little house . I'm really scared to put a substract because my vet told me not too, but why would Hermy be the only Hermann tortoise living on a carpet... I already put some coco husk in her terrarium and she eated it like crazy, she lovessss it, that is why I had to remove it. I could put some coco soil (eco earth) mixed with some play sand on her warm side and leave the carpet on the cold side. I could put some slate on the warm side . Do you think I could put some coco soil and play sand in a bowl and put her in it to see how she is going to react before putting it in her vivarium??

For the heat mat, I only use it in winter when it is super cold and super humid. Since a week, I dont use it anymore.

For the lights, you would remove the 2.0? I dont know where to buy T-rex, I live in Montreal Canada, and I only find exo terra products here. Exo terra is not good ? I dont know if you see but I put some spirals lights (UVB), do you think their good? I would remove the 2.0 but if I remove it there wont be a lot of light in her cold side? Thats why I'm not sure what should I do.

The vet called me this morning with some results (last week they made a troat culure on Hermy) and the result is negative . I am sooooo happy. But on thursday, I have to go back for a blood test (to see if she has a problem with her kidney).

Thanks a lot for your answer again.

Isa

For the info of all that have heat mats. As is agreed by most torts don't need bottom heat, well I talked to breeder who mounts it upside down on enclosure so it radiates heat down. So don't have to store your investment away.

Thanks Itort

It is a very good idea!

Isa

Isa, I think the vet may want Hermy to stay on the carpet for now. It keeps dust and any other bacteria out of her area. It does give her traction but I can't imagine a vet thinking she would live on that forever. Often if a tort is injured they are placed on carpet or paper towels until they are well. I would go with only 1 bulb. I personally use the T-Rex Mercury Vapor combined heat and UVB bulb. However I plan to change them out to the Mega Ray this summer.

Here are a few places you can purchase them on the net.
http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-products.php
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/-/t-...heat-bulb/

guide to explain some of the lighting
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercuryvapourlamps.htm

I personally do not like the spiral lights. I have heard too many bad things form them. There is some info on the mega ray sight and I heard on the news here that the ones people are using can cause seizures in some people because of the flickering in the light. Just my personal opinion though.

Hello Crazy1,

The vet wants me to put my little Hermy on a carpet forever. He told me if I put a substract, she will eat it. He told me that if she does not have RI, to put some timothee in her terrarium but leave the carpet there, it's safer . That's why I am soooo confused.

Regarding the website you gave me, Can I trust them??

Should I use a 10.0 or a 5.0? What size should I buy the UVB lights?? My terrarium is 36*20. Is it ok if I put the UVB light on the screen?

Thanks a lot for your answer.

The helps I get in this site is very precious. I finally feel I'm going somewhere. Soon, my Hermy's terrarium will be all set up and nice .

Isa

during the summer I will use a 75W or a 50W while she is inside. So I will need a separate UVB. So I will buy the UVA and UVB separatly, what brand should I buy, I did not see the UVB light in T-REX? What is wrong with Exo terra? I went on the site you gave me, It does not say how much UVB the t-rex gives?? Do you know?

Thanks

Isa

Isa, here is the site that has done testing on the uvb lamps, including Eco terra. I believe T-rex is made by Zoo-med. I can not suggest a linear uvb lamp as I use the MVB. I can't imagine my vet telling me not to use any substrate other than carpet and hay. Yes, Torts will taste the substrate but if they are born in the wild they are on dirt. If that harmed them the species as a whole would not exist. HermanniChris breeds Hermans torts. He is a good resource. I would read his care sheet here
http://tortoiseforum.org/hermanns-tortoi...-1000.html

Also check
http://chelonia.org/Articles/hermannstortoisecare.htm

here is Chris's site
http://www.gardenstatetortoise.com/mainpage.html

Hi Isa,

I'm so glad the test came out negative. YAY!

If Hermy likes to eat the substrate, I would not use any sand at all. It can cause impaction. I don't think it is harmful for her to eat organic soil or coco fiber. They are organic matters. It might just be the novelty thing and she might stop eating after a while. I'm not sure about putting soil or coir in a bowl. Hermy might behave differently in a bowl, unless the bowl is big enough that you can leave her in there for a while.. How about getting a dish washing tub or something comparable in size from a dollar store and try keeping her in there with the substrate for a while??

As far as the UV, it is a controversial issue. Some say it's absolutely necessary and some say not at all. I think most people want to be safe than sorry and provide UV. I think providing too much UV is as dangerous or worse. I would use just one 10.0 UV light bulb and not 2.0. I checked the uvguide uk site again, and I didn't see anything against Exo-terra bulb. Someone posted that the Exo terra bulb was on the bad list, but I can't find it on the list. Maybe there is nothing wrong with Exo-terra... Sorry, I'm not sure. (if anyone knows Exo-terra's safe nor not, let us know, please). If you want brightness, you can just use regular or full spectrum fluorescent tube (like the ones people use to grow plants), you may be able to have some safe plants in the viv...

Good luck
Em