I agree with Zovick let her settle in. I think your tort is still adjusting. If she's eating something I don't think you have to worry yet. If she stops eating all together for a few days then maybe there's something going on.
I don’t have a UBV bulb.I agree with @Tom s assessment. And now hearing your lighting, I believe you don't have any ambient lighting that is adequate. A UVB bulb actually gives off fairly poor ambient lighting. As a portion of a T5HO is generating heat, and over 40% as UV, the rest is all the visible light generated - and that light is about 7000k in color temperature. You need good, balanced light. I know redfoot tortoises like less light, but I believe the way to do that is to provide as close to natural sunlight as possible and then provide hides and shade with plants. Tortoises are very visual and sensitive to light and light content.
I would add some good LED lights. Look for ones rated at 5000k and 90+ CRI.
Dump the black bulb. It heats with near IR. A CHE heats with mid and far IR. Much more gentle.
Add an incadescent basking bulb. Not as much for "basking" for a redfoot, but for adding the longer wavelenght red spectrum to the overall lighting.
Do these things and watch your tortoise improve!
I bathe young tortoises 45-60 min every day. I have found that it is not just the hydration from the bath, but almost more importantly the exercise from a long bath that really stimulates proper development and growth and overall health. Especially for the much more active tortoises and the large tortoises that need a lot of muscle and bone development.I think I saw it on the red foot care sheet 15-45 mins everyday.
But as she is over 100g now (weight is 107g)
Is it still every day or every other day?
I’m not home so can’t take a peak at care sheet. Signal isn’t great
The fluorescent T5 12% uvb tube (bulb) is exactly what I was referring to and quoting statistics for.I don’t have a UBV bulb.
I have a 36inch long T5 12% UVB tube.
But I will swap the black basking bulb for a CHE.
So are you saying the T5 UVB tube is no good?The fluorescent T5 12% uvb tube (bulb) is exactly what I was referring to and quoting statistics for.
NO not at all. T5 tubes are great! They are the best UVB options in my opinion. However, they are not a total lighting solution. The are for ADDING UV to the total lighting. You need to add the rest of the light to your enclosure.So are you saying the T5 UVB tube is no good?
sorry I just want to clarify.
the UBV Tube I have is 36inch in length. The enclosure itself is 4 foot by 2.
do I still add LED lights along with the UVB or swap?
Ok so I need to get LED?NO not at all. They are the best UVB options in my opinion. However, they are not a total lighting solution. The are for ADDING UV to the total lighting.
@Tom always pastes in a nice short piece about lighting giving 4 elements. That's what we are talking about here. You have 2 of the 4Ok so I need to get LED?
Im walking through countryside at back of town so I can always detour and pop into store and take a look
The T5 kit I have is UVB and UVA 12% tropical.@Tom always pastes in a nice short piece about lighting giving 4 elements. That's what we are talking about here. You have 2 of the 4
Heat - you have a black bulb - I would recommend CHE
UVB - You have a great UVB bulb - the fluorescent T5
Ambient Light - you do not have the basic "middle" part of the lighting spectrum and the light is too dim. The LEDs will add that. (I know redfoot like less light - but you need to start with daylight and add shade to do that naturally.)
Basking Light - you do not have that. (Again, I know redfoot don't bask much, but you need to add the longer, red part of the spectrum to be more natural. Also, part of that is near IR which is bad in excess but SOME is needed for best environment.
Trying to find link to the one I have on MARP website. One sec@Tom always pastes in a nice short piece about lighting giving 4 elements. That's what we are talking about here. You have 2 of the 4
Heat - you have a black bulb - I would recommend CHE
UVB - You have a great UVB bulb - the fluorescent T5
Ambient Light - you do not have the basic "middle" part of the lighting spectrum and the light is too dim. The LEDs will add that. (I know redfoot like less light - but you need to start with daylight and add shade to do that naturally.)
Basking Light - you do not have that. (Again, I know redfoot don't bask much, but you need to add the longer, red part of the spectrum to be more natural. Also, part of that is near IR which is bad in excess but SOME is needed for best environment.
Read back to my post originally. The T5 HO 12% bulb has an extremely high color rating of 7000K - 8000K. Over 40% of the "light" it puts out is UV Less than 55% is visible light. IF you were ever to put one next to the same size and wattage tube that is a 5000K daylight HO tube, you would see it is about 1/2 the brightness. The output of the tube has been manufactured to put out the very short wavelenghts of UVA and UVB. It is not at all a good "overall" light. But it is the best for adding the needed UVB for our tortoises.The T5 kit I have is UVB and UVA 12% tropical.
wouldn’t that cover the ambient light?
Ahhh ok I get you.Read back to my post originally. The T5 HO 12% bulb has an extremely high color rating of 7000K - 8000K. Over 40% of the "light" it puts out is UV Less than 55% is visible light. IF you were ever to put one next to the same size and wattage tube that is a 5000K daylight HO tube, you would see it is about 1/2 the brightness. The output of the tube has been manufactured to put out the very short wavelenghts of UVA and UVB. It is not at all a good "overall" light. But it is the best for adding the needed UVB for our tortoises.
Well, if it were my tortoise, I would soak it each morning for 15-20 minutes, then place it in front of its fresh food for the day and leave it alone till the next day when I would repeat the process again. If it ate all the food I had given it in the morning, I would add new food throughout the day as needed. I believe in keeping food in front of them all day every day. This regimen allows the tortoise to develop a routine for each day and does not overly stress a new animal.I think I saw it on the red foot care sheet 15-45 mins everyday.
But as she is over 100g now (weight is 107g)
Is it still every day or every other day?
I’m not home so can’t take a peak at care sheet. Signal isn’t great
Hi, you can get the Mazuri on Ebay. Good luck with your Tortoise.Yes I did that this morning.
she just walked away.
I’ve given fresh since. And added the Mazuri (it’s hard to get in uk but I’ve managed to get some shipped over from America. (Costs more but she’s worth it)
She had a sniff of everything and again toddled off. I think maybe she still settling in. Or she’s just a fussy tort. I’ve had her for a week. Her poop is normal. She’s peeing. Eyes and nose clear.
Could you send me the link if possible cos I couldn’t find it. I found the Other on but it’s not called mazuri.Hi, you can get the Mazuri on Ebay. Good luck with your Tortoise.
Yeah that’s all I can find. And it doesn’t have great reviews. And ingredients are slightly different. I have ordered 4KG from America that should last a while I only giver her 3/4 pellets soaked in water couple times a week.Actually now that I think about it Mazuri is available over there but it's called Nutrazu.
Is that the natrazu or what ever it’s called?I've seen mazuri on ebay so I ordered some but when it came it looked like this, this doesn't look like the tortoise formula at all, to me it looks like the 'leaf eating primate' formula! I cross referenced the ingredients and they are pretty similar but this one has apple in it and also vitamin C, I do sometimes give Nitro a cheeky piece of satsuma but I'm not sure this formula would be a good idea long term