Recent content by alaf

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    UVB and heat

    You can use this website to check if a plant is safe: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/ If you want them to grow enough to feed them to your tort it would probably require at least some sun (I'm not sure) I believe you could also do this with chia seeds.
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    UVB and heat

    If you're talking about three babies: - I'm not sure the previous enclosure discussed is big enough for three tortoises. - you can't know their sex at this age, meaning you might have a mix that doesn't work well together, do you have enough room to house three adult tortoises separately (8x4...
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    need HELP/suggestions for 6x3 enclosure

    I agree 👍 Could the wattage be written on the bulb? I would bet you have a 50W, I have a 75W (not the same brand though), I can easily reach the required temps and it’s further away than yours. But you could pick up a 100W maybe if you’re not sure.
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    need HELP/suggestions for 6x3 enclosure

    Parroting what I’ve read on the forum (so please wait for other opinions), you want: - something in the 5000-6500K range (some recommend 5000K because the T5 is around 7000-7500K so it average out I guess) - a CRI of 90+ - 400 lumen per sq feet I think this is a mix of info from @Tom and...
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    need HELP/suggestions for 6x3 enclosure

    Let it run a little longer like 1-2 hours to make sure. If the basking temp is still off you need to increase the watts (or maybe decrease the height but I don’t know how close you are already). Focus on that then you can see about the CHE. Placement seems good. Is 73-75 the absolute coldest it...
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    UVB and heat

    PVC enclosures; - no damage possible from humidity - easy to clean (wood is porous so hard to clean) - lighter (easier to move around) (a wood 8x4 vivarium would be impossible to move around, here we say it would “weight as much as a dead donkey” 😅) Wooden enclosure: - cheaper - depends on the...
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    need HELP/suggestions for 6x3 enclosure

    Looks good for now, liking the updates 👍 Little lighting guide from Tom: “There are four elements to heating and lighting: Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. Ambient heat...
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    UVB and heat

    I’ve wanted to do that as well but I’m a little worried that the material used is not made to be heated after printing and some of them produce toxic fumes when printing (so when it melts, does that mean it can’t be in an environment at 80f, I do not know). Just keep that in mind. But I think I...
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    UVB and heat

    Try to find something wider and/or less deep (focus specifically on wider) but if you can’t this will work better than no reflector at all.
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    UVB and heat

    Try to find 8in maybe, if not 5.5 would probably be fine, it’s not optimal but if you can’t find bigger it will have to do. 30cm deep for a dome seems weird though, you’d want something less deep. Can you post a picture?
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    UVB and heat

    Let’s say you decide to have a 80cm high enclosure. You could add a hook to the top (like @Littleredfootbigredheart just showed you) then you would attached your dome to it (the fixture would come done to maybe 65cm min), put a floodlight in, then use a thermometer to get the temp at substrate...
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    UVB and heat

    If you were to do that you would never be able to provide your tortoise a 95-100f basking area. 60-80cm is enough for a dome, I have one with a 75w floodlight and it works great. I can adapt the height for my tortoises to have the perfect temperature. What you need is a dome and a way to secure...
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    UVB and heat

    I don’t know what dimensions you have in mind but that could make things difficult to clean really fast since half the enclosure would be very difficult to reach. You could ask them to make two door of half the enclosure each if you’re worried about weight
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    UVB and heat

    I’m no expert but if this is for the basking area or a CHE you’d want something with a reflector around 10in wide. Most people use reptile specific domes or brooder lamps. Photo for reference:
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    UVB and heat

    Noted 👍 You’d be surprised when you look at pvc enclosure how little people selling those seem to take for themselves, but I understand. Maybe. Mine are on the floor and basically front opening and I don’t have a problem but a top opening could work as well. You could just ask someone to build...
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