First up, sorry this is long! I promise eventually I will pay with baby tortoise photos!
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So... I am purchasing my first ever tortoise for my wife. She has wanted one for a long time, but I have been resisting as I would rather our first reptile be a bearded dragon. After much deliberation and as a birthday surprise I have decided to become a tortoise keeper! (I would have always been the carer anyway, she just wants to admire the tortie's beauty!)
I done extensive research both on here and various reputable websites. Hopefully enough. I have now ordered a Dalmatian Herman's from Chris (Hermanni Haven) whose posts I have seen on here. He/she should be arriving next week!
Here is what I have purchased so far:
1. Enclosure: Rubbermaid tub. I currently have one that is only 2ft x 1ft - I feel like this may be ok for a very small period at the beginning but I am thinking I miscalculated and should start bigger. I am currently searching for a better one that is more like 4x2ft and/or 40gal. I'm wondering how quickly I can switch to a home-made tortoise table?
2. Substrate: I have 'organic' top soil (has some poultry litter/earthworm casting and other organic fertilizer which seems pretty harmless to me but have attached ingredient list for your input). Will mix with coconut coir (I believe that's what I've bought - see photo) and layer for 4". Will top with 2" cypress mulch. Will keep substrate moist (will initially soak and then use a spray bottle on the tortoise/substrate 1-2 times daily.
3. Light/heat provision: regular 100W bulb in brooder hood, hung with Zoomed reptile lamp stand, attached to timer for 13 out of 24h on. (Question: do hatchlings benefit from more or less daylight than adults or does it not matter within the 12-14h range?) I also have a dimmer that could be attached to this instead of placing on the lamp stand.
4. Nighttime heat provision: Our house gets quite cool (50-65F) but I do have a space heater available for that room. Zoomed Repticare 100W CHE in hood with 'dimmer' so can provide under 100W power if needed. A pet shop told me I could lie this straight on a mesh lid with no problems...
5. Monitoring:
- Thermostat that can be attached to CHE. Should I place this at coolest part of tub to ensure that CHE turns on overnight if the temperature gets down to 70F?
- 2 cheap thermometer/humidity measures with probes that I can place at warm and cool end of enclosure
- ANGGO IR Infrared Non-contact Digital Temperature Gun so I can spot-check basking spot (95-100F) etc.
6. UVB: Exo Terra Repti-Glo 10.0 Fluorescent Lamp and a regular under-counter fixture (thanks for the heads up, Tortoise Forum, the pet shop wanted $95!). Definitely a no go for sitting on top of wire mesh? Do we know a minimum width of wire that stops UVB? Or should I just suck it up and fit it inside the enclosure?
7. Humid Hide: tupperware box, sphagnum moss (replace regularly as it will get gross)
8. Feeding/water: slate tile, porcelain dish.
9. Bath: bought some electrolyte powder (similar to Reptoboost in the UK) to add to bath 1-2 times weekly. Bought a dedicated dish bowl/tortie hot tub.
Help please! Making my plan has taken over 24 hours of solid research over a few weeks, so I would appreciate your input. I know if I get pyramidal growth or a sick baby in the next few years I will feel terrible because I know >90% of issues are husbandry based.
- Anna
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So... I am purchasing my first ever tortoise for my wife. She has wanted one for a long time, but I have been resisting as I would rather our first reptile be a bearded dragon. After much deliberation and as a birthday surprise I have decided to become a tortoise keeper! (I would have always been the carer anyway, she just wants to admire the tortie's beauty!)
I done extensive research both on here and various reputable websites. Hopefully enough. I have now ordered a Dalmatian Herman's from Chris (Hermanni Haven) whose posts I have seen on here. He/she should be arriving next week!
Here is what I have purchased so far:
1. Enclosure: Rubbermaid tub. I currently have one that is only 2ft x 1ft - I feel like this may be ok for a very small period at the beginning but I am thinking I miscalculated and should start bigger. I am currently searching for a better one that is more like 4x2ft and/or 40gal. I'm wondering how quickly I can switch to a home-made tortoise table?
2. Substrate: I have 'organic' top soil (has some poultry litter/earthworm casting and other organic fertilizer which seems pretty harmless to me but have attached ingredient list for your input). Will mix with coconut coir (I believe that's what I've bought - see photo) and layer for 4". Will top with 2" cypress mulch. Will keep substrate moist (will initially soak and then use a spray bottle on the tortoise/substrate 1-2 times daily.
3. Light/heat provision: regular 100W bulb in brooder hood, hung with Zoomed reptile lamp stand, attached to timer for 13 out of 24h on. (Question: do hatchlings benefit from more or less daylight than adults or does it not matter within the 12-14h range?) I also have a dimmer that could be attached to this instead of placing on the lamp stand.
4. Nighttime heat provision: Our house gets quite cool (50-65F) but I do have a space heater available for that room. Zoomed Repticare 100W CHE in hood with 'dimmer' so can provide under 100W power if needed. A pet shop told me I could lie this straight on a mesh lid with no problems...
5. Monitoring:
- Thermostat that can be attached to CHE. Should I place this at coolest part of tub to ensure that CHE turns on overnight if the temperature gets down to 70F?
- 2 cheap thermometer/humidity measures with probes that I can place at warm and cool end of enclosure
- ANGGO IR Infrared Non-contact Digital Temperature Gun so I can spot-check basking spot (95-100F) etc.
6. UVB: Exo Terra Repti-Glo 10.0 Fluorescent Lamp and a regular under-counter fixture (thanks for the heads up, Tortoise Forum, the pet shop wanted $95!). Definitely a no go for sitting on top of wire mesh? Do we know a minimum width of wire that stops UVB? Or should I just suck it up and fit it inside the enclosure?
7. Humid Hide: tupperware box, sphagnum moss (replace regularly as it will get gross)
8. Feeding/water: slate tile, porcelain dish.
9. Bath: bought some electrolyte powder (similar to Reptoboost in the UK) to add to bath 1-2 times weekly. Bought a dedicated dish bowl/tortie hot tub.
Help please! Making my plan has taken over 24 hours of solid research over a few weeks, so I would appreciate your input. I know if I get pyramidal growth or a sick baby in the next few years I will feel terrible because I know >90% of issues are husbandry based.
- Anna