We're almost done cleaning out the basement so that we can move the Russians down there. I've got all four of the new torts down there temporarily, so I've been monitoring temps - ambient temps vary between 69 - 72 right now, so that's great! It might get chillier in the summer, actually, and if that's the case I'll get a heater to go in there.

Anyways, we are going to build them an area that is 10 ft x 4 ft (for the eight russians, not including Vanya since he can't be with them for several months.)

Do you think two seperate basking spots will be enough... I don't want just one spot because I don't want them all crowding in one spot, so I was planning on two spots using the heat/UVB combined bulb in each spot.

I'm excited to get this done, I think the Russians will love it!!

Oh last question.. it's three breeding size girls, three boys who are 4.75 - 5 inches, and two little girls (4.25 inches approx.) When the boys are hot and horny, do you think they'll bother the two little girls???

Kelly , have you thought of using a water bed frame? Sometimes you can find the frames for free on CL. I'm using a king size one.
Yes they will chase the little ones...mine did.

I sent her a link for a free waterbed frame on CL in her area just the other day!

Kelly I'd go with at least 3 basking spots and they can be in line with each other. I do a 10 inch reflector for 3 tortoises at most.
I would also add at least 2 four foot shop lights to the enclosure, if it was me it would be 3.
To answer your last question in one word, it would be YES. They will bother everybody, including each other.

Danny

Yep Anja did send me a link! LOL! But I was being lazy that day! It won't take much to build something, fortunately!

Okay so I will keep an eye on those boys and if someone is getting to bothersome I can remove him (or her, for that matter) as needed! The fact of the matter is, once Vanya is off quarantine, I can move the two little girls in with him and they'll all come to breeding size at about the same time, so they'll be a perfect little trio!

We've finally got the whole area cleaned out, and I bought a tarp and cinderblocks. Looks like the area is going to be 6 x 8 which just looks huge to me so I hope the Russians agree! LOL! We should be able to move the first few in tomorrow (if I can get out tonight to get some more bed-a-brick)!

How deep are you going with the substrate Kelly? How cold is that basement floor? You might want to take those things into consideration. If the floor is cold, its going to stay cold so you might want that substrate pretty deep. I sure hope your keeping a image diary of the process.

Right now I have three of the four new torts in enclosures on the floor down there, and with all the heat lamps and stuff on, the ambient temp in that whole area is around 74, and at night around 69 with the small heater running down there. now in the section that i emptied out for the new stuff, i threw a thermometer on the floor and left it over night (without the small heater running) and I ran down their first thing this morning before the sun was up (at 6 am) and it was 64 (on the cement floor).

Part of the new stuff will be blocked off with the cinderblocks and a vinyl tarp thrown on the floor over a big sheet of plywood, and one 2x4 corner will actually be the wooden enclosure that I have Billy in (with one end pulled off), so that I can pile it deep deep deep with digging substrate... if you can imagine it LOL!. the rest won't be as deep but I'll have another section piled with very deep hay as well...

the only concern I have is in the summer when the air is on it does get chillier down there so then i might need to get a bigger room heater for down there.

oh but of course in the summer if the air is running, that means they can be outside so I guess that won't be an issue except for in stormy weather.

Sounds good Kelly