Barry's mixed his times

[Barrysulcata]

hi anybody help
Barry as seemed to got is out times mixed up . He used to come out day time but know started coming and spending time eating from around 6 pm to 8pm
Also seems to really like it out when windy and rainy any ideas
Nothing as changed with is lighting or heating ???????

Also can someone tell me or explain how you measure them probably
Big thanks

 

[JoesMum]

What are the temperatures where you are?

The ambient room temperatures.

The seasons are changing. Things may be heating up with you or cooling down. Days may be getting longer or shorter. Both will affect tort behaviour.

If he's not getting up when you consider appropriate then just haul him out at that time and give him a soak. Don't feel embarrassed! Just do it. It's for his own good.

 

[Speedy-1]

Maybe it is warmer later in the day ?

To measure put a ruler or tape measure against the wall , then set Barry right on top with his nose end against the wall. look behind him and read the number under where his shell ends. That's how long he is !

 

[Barrysulcata]

Hi there joesmum
Yes I'm here in uk as yu no it's getting cooler
If I turf him out he will just turn round and go back in if I shut is dog flap opening he will just pace up and down
Is box is 91 hottest
And I turn stat down to 80 in evening which I've done since I've had him
He's only coming out approx once a day and at moment that's early evening and eats like a pig lol stops out for about a hour
I still soak him every couple days
He seems to like the wet ground ????

 

[Barrysulcata]

Spot on speedy pritty well the way I've been doing it but some people tell me you measure she'll from underneath measurements not the top of shell ??

Speedy it's cooler here by far in early evenings

 

[JoesMum]

I like this guide to measuring a tort's Straight Carapace Length (SCL)
http://www.tlady.clara.net/measure.htm

I suspect Barry is starting to react to the shorter UK day lengths. @Lyn W has a Leopard Tort that must have the same issues. PM her if she doesn't appear and ask how Lols reacts (Lola is male )

You're going to have to bully him into morning activity. Pull him out, soak him and stick him under the basking lamp.

Weigh him weekly, at roughly the same time of day each time, so you are sure if weight stability.

I suspect our winter months will be slower for Barry, but he's not a hibernating species so cannot be allowed to slow too much.

Lots of bright lights while still maintaining temperature!

 

[Speedy-1]

Spot on speedy pritty well the way I've been doing it but some people tell me you measure she'll from underneath measurements not the top of shell ??

Speedy it's cooler here by far in early evenings

This way you are measuring the length in a straight line . When they say don't measure the top , they just mean don't measure and include the curvature of the shell because it would sound a lot larger !

 

[Barrysulcata]

Hi joesmum
When you say basking lamps bath him then put him under is basking lamp
Then that would be put him back in is box he as 2x 150 watt ceramic heat lamps in there on one side off is box and is uvb strip goes across back of box
He as 12mm rubber matting on floor of box then hay for bedding but when he goes under heat he pushes hay to one side and lies on rubber matting
Barry is also a male

 

[Barrysulcata]

Nice one speedy will do that

 

[JoesMum]

Hi joesmum
When you say basking lamps bath him then put him under is basking lamp
Then that would be put him back in is box he as 2x 150 watt ceramic heat lamps in there on one side off is box and is uvb strip goes across back of box
He as 12mm rubber matting on floor of box then hay for bedding but when he goes under heat he pushes hay to one side and lies on rubber matting

A CHE is not a basking lamp. It's like a central heating radiator.

CHEs are for raising ambient temperature, usually at night, and should be on a thermostat. They emit no light so do not help much with activity. You may have got away with them in the longer daylight hours of summer, but they're no help in the shorter days.

A basking lamp provides a constant basking temperature spotlight of 95F/35C directly underneath it for the 12 'daytime hours'. For this you need either a Mercury Vapour Bulb (which also emits UVB) or a reflector bulb ( you can get reptile ones, but the old-fashioned 100W household ones are just fine too)

 

[Barrysulcata]

hi joesmum
I have only had Barry since July lots been going on with building is pen and box
People say don't really pick them up when I first got him I was getting him out of is box each day then somebody said don't pick him out of box ( a guy quite local to me said leave him don't keep picking him up he will come out when he's hungry so I tryed that and now I don't get him out he comes out late
The only thing I can think of is from is box to the opening to get outside is semi dark that's why I put small window in shed ( do you thing it's worth putting strip light up in shed to make it a lot brighter in day in shed ? )
Thanks for helping

 

[JoesMum]

You need to get a proper bright light basking spot established. It's essential. That basking spot is mimicking the sun - that's why it needs to be bright.

You need a proper basking bulb, not in the hide, for this. The CHEs in the hide are great, but they're not doing the sun job as they don't emit light.

When I say pull him out and stick him under the basking lamp, I mean that he needs both heat and light to know daytime has started. In the hide it's just warm, darker and cosy... why go anywhere else? Have a duvet day instead.

 

[JoesMum]

Here's a lighting summary:

Your tort needs:

1. A basking lamp
This must hang vertically, not at an angle. Basking is essential to raise your tortoise's core temperature so it can digest food.

2. UVB light
Read the instructions for the source to see how close to the substrate it must be. UVB is essential so your tort can process dietary calcium and have healthy bones and shell.

Both 1 and 2 are available from the sun for those able to live outside.

UVB does not pass through glass or perspex(plexiglass) - light must be direct to be effective not through a window. Mesh screening can also interfere with UVB.

3. A minimum overnight temperature (see the care sheet for your species) and complete darkness at night to sleep.


Notes

(a) A Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) provides combined UVB and Basking. Alternatively you can use 2 bulbs: a tube UVB and a reflector bulb for basking (a household reflector - not low energy or halogen - from a hardware store will do the job; it's the wattage that counts)

(b) Ignore any references to UVA you may read - it's misleading marketing speak.

(c) Compact coil UVB harms tortoise eyes and must not be used.

(d) Basking and UVB should be on a timer so the light(s) are on for 12 hours a day. Temperature under the basking is regulated by its height above the substrate.

(e) Overnight, depending on your home, you may need additional heat. You get this from a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) which must be on a thermostat.

(f) Torts have outstanding colour vision and love red and purple food. Coloured heat lamps colour tank decor and torts don't always apply intelligence to what they eat, resulting them in eating tank decor. Coloured bulbs should not be used.


Measurements

There are 4 important temperatures that you must know for an indoor enclosure.
- Directly under the basking lamp
- Warm side
- Cool side
- Overnight Minimum

You will need digital thermometers for accuracy.

A temperature gun thermometer (inexpensive from Amazon) measures temperature accurately in specific places like directly under the basking lamp.

A min/max thermometer so you know the min/max temperatures in your home by day and night.

You should also get a good digital probe hygrometer to measure humidity.

Thermometers and hygrometer that stick to the side of the enclosure tend to be less accurate.

 

[Barrysulcata]

Joesmum
So I think what your saying hang one in the shed above him basking bulb so it lights the shed up and keeps him warm ??

 

[Barrysulcata]

So you wouldn't put is uvb strip light in is hide box either put that in shed with basking bulb yeh is this what ur saying ?
I think I get what your saying
So is hide box what would you keep that set at on thermostat if he as a basking light on outside is box in shed for 12 hours through the day

 

[Big Charlie]

I let Charlie set his own schedule. Sometimes he comes out in the middle of the night. He can eat even when it is too cold to digest his food as long as he can get back into his heated box to digest. He likes coming out in the rain. I can see how they would like wet ground. I think that is a natural way for them to get moisture. I don't know how much he really feels when it is windy since he is so close to the ground.

 

[Barrysulcata]

Hi Joesmum
I've just ordered a 150 Mercury vapour bulb so will arrive Tuesday so I think I've got it in my head now lol
So in is hide I will have the 2x ceramics for heat at night set on thermostat
Then outside is hide in shed will have the Mercury vapour bulb above him and set the height with lazier thermometer and put it on a timer for 12 hours a day
Also take is uvb tube out off is hide
So what temp in the day time should is hide be
And am I saying at night keep is hide just above 80
And is basking should be about 95+ is this correct
Big big thankyou for ur time
I understand were I went wrong the previous owner only had a large shed with all glass in front with a ceramic heater but he was getting all the light coming in through glass to show Barry it was bright outside

 

[JoesMum]

I am a little confused by what you're saying, so please correct me if I have failed to understand your setup.

A hide is usually a dark warm place for sleeping. If additional heat is needed then that's a dark source like a CHE. It's kept particularly humid for younger torts to help with smooth growth.

The rest of the enclosure is the daytime activity space where food, water, activity, UVB and basking happen. In the UK, you won't get enough warm sunshine outdoors, apart from the height of summer, for a Sulcata to bask successfully every day outdoors without a lamp.

A tort's day starts with basking to warm up. The tort will then move on to feed and maybe drink and then the tort will bask some more to raise its internal temperature to digest what its eaten. This cycle is repeated throughout the day.

The tort may retreat to a hide by day, especially if it's not warm enough in the day space or it feels insecure. Principally a hide gets used at night though.

You may need to PM someone like @Tom for specific Sulcata advice on exact temperatures.

As far as I'm aware the enclosure should be ambient 80F with 95F under the basking, but I will need to check this.

 

[Barrysulcata]

Hi joesmum
So we can get this right by both of us ( by the way thankyou for your time ) this is how it is at moment
So first picture is of Barry's hide which in the hide he as 2 ceramic heat lamp opp side to opening at night I set stat at 84f then in day it's set at 92f + as well as I put is uvb strip light on for 10 hrs
The distance from is hide to get opening of shed to go outside is 8 ft which in the shed the only light is the little window ( so is space in big shed for is indoor space is 8X5
Then he goes into a big yard 25x12 then when I'm about I open him into a very big grasses garden
So I hope you can tell me how I should have it a big big please help me

 

[Barrysulcata]

Hi tom
Been speaking to joesmum she as asked me to speak to you can you help me and lead me the right way and put my set up right
I'm in uk