Recent content by johnreuk

I use these with my Indian Star and Radiated tortoises, alongside an Arcadia Jungle Dawn for high visible light, and an Arcadia flood for UV provision. All over the basking site. The DHP's replaced halogen basking bulbs, and I much prefer the DHP. Subjectively I think the tortoises basking...

Just been reading this post. I swapped from using halogen basking lights, to the DHP, approx 1yr ago when I upgraded my torts vivs. My Indian Star and Radiated tortoises seem to bask well under the DHP, but it is immediately next to a UV flood, so the area is light and heat rich. I like the DHP...

I know this thread is a bit old, but wanted to say that I now use the DHP with both my radiated and indian star tortoises... they seem to bask under them more frequently than they did when I was using halogen basking bulbs, although the basking temperatures are basically the same. I've been...

Hi :) Im no expert on substrates, but I have used coco coir, cypress mulch and orchid bark (not all at once lol!) with my star (and radiated) tortoise, and I think all are perfectly suitable.... I personally like orchid bark because its less messy than coir, and less sharp/splintery than cypress...

Thanks for the info. I understand the concern, but I haven't had any issues at all. Im just about to change it, but i'll be using orchid bark instead. I have used coir/soil on my indian star before, but I really don't like it, and they seem to be doing well on the bark based substrates.

Hey, yeh would be good to see your two!! :)

Stunning!!!!

Looks fantastic, nicely done :)

But why? Its obviously fine if you think this, but you should justify statements like this, otherwise it's tantamount to scaremongering. A lot of excellent, renowned reptile/tortoise specialist vets would be happy to inject into the back leg.....

Also, I feel compelled to comment...... Why exactly should the vet NOT inject anything into the rear legs?! I assume you are concerned about the renal-portal system of reptiles? If you are, you should know that the significance of the renal-portal system on drug elimination/excretion is rather...

Whilst I agree that, on balance, it sounds likely this tortoise received a dose of vitamin A by injection, and that is the cause of the signs... we don't know this. The OP states that it received vitamins...... how? orally? by injection? And what were they...? at what dose? To the OP - I would...

Ideally, you should take your tortoise to a vet for a check over... I would usually start systemic antibiotics in this case, it is often better than waiting until infection sets in when dealing with dog bites and tortoises. That said, judging solely from the pictures (cannot be completely sure...

Distilled water is just pure H2O, and nothing else..... no dissolved minerals or salts at all. Because of this, if an animal were to drink/bathe in distilled water, particularly amphibians, they will absorb more than is natural, due to the massive osmotic gradient created by the fact the...

Both stunning tortoises :)

I wouldn't use distilled water for any tortoise (or reptile for that matter)... apart from in humidifiers/foggers... I would advise treating the water with a reptile safe dechlorinator though, if you use tap water and it is treated.