Unusual bond <3

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This is what I come home too!! I just can't keep my cat Bobbi away

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Very cute pics. I would be so afraid my cat would start on fire from the heat lights.

Re: Unusual bond

Oh it makes me nervous too! Especially with all her fluff hahaha. When she sleeps on the lid she's right on the lamp, and she doesn't even care. So I let her go for it

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Re: Unusual bond

Your tort needs a water dish in his cage:/

Re: Unusual bond

Kitties want their own basking spot! lol

Ann from CT

I know you intended for this to be cute, but this is a tortoise forum and we want to help tortoises and their owners. You have several problems there.

That tank is way too small for a tortoise of that size.

I agree that you do need a water dish.

That half log is not suitable as your tortoises only place to hide and its too open.

Your substrate looks very dry.

Those stick on dial thermometer hygrometers are not accurate or reliable at all.

What is in the two hoods? Russians don't need night heat.

Those clamps are NOT reliable. Of all the things I'm telling you, PLEASE listen to me before you have to learn the hard way. It is just a question of time until your cat, or something else, makes one of those lamps fall into the enclosure or onto the floor. This could start a fire, kill your tortoise and burn your whole house down. I am not joking. This happens all the time. The lights need to be hung from above, or somehow securely mounted. Do NOT rely on the spring tension of those clamps or just having them resting on the top.

I realize that I'm offering advice you didn't ask for, but your tortoises well being is what matters most to me. I hope this info will help you.

Cute cat, My cats love that too, but I do have to warn you, allow her to do that at your own risk.... I have lost a tort from a cat before and its not fun.

Yours may not have done so yet, but may use it as a litter box at some point and the ammonia in the urine stuck in that cage is enough to suffocate the tort.... One of my cats jumped into my wood turtle's cage a few years back and I didn't think much of it as I thought they were just basking, and when I went to check on the tort for dinner a few hours later he was dead and the whole cage smelled of urine..... Not trying to be a downer but like ppl sharing their dog horror stories I thought I would share my cat story with you.

To keep them out now, I wrap all my cages with chicken wire or hardware cloth, whatever one I have extra of when I make the cages, the cats will still occasionally sit on top of the cage to bask but they cannot get in so they cant go to the bathroom in there anymore.

Re: Unusual bond

Oh noo that's so sad!!! Yea I was actually thinking about her doing that and it freaked me out. So I keep the lid on when I'm not home even though I don't like her sleeping on it. The mesh lid is bending inward because she's too heavy haha. But if need be I can replace the mesh.

The cat is such a fluff ball I was more worried about her fur being in the tank until I thought about her using it as a litter box, thank you so much for letting me know!!

Hopefully I can build a nice bigger wooden enclosure that can stand taller so I can avoid going in as well as sleeping on top of it.

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Tom said:

I know you intended for this to be cute, but this is a tortoise forum and we want to help tortoises and their owners. You have several problems there.

That tank is way too small for a tortoise of that size.

I agree that you do need a water dish.

That half log is not suitable as your tortoises only place to hide and its too open.

Your substrate looks very dry.

Those stick on dial thermometer hygrometers are not accurate or reliable at all.

What is in the two hoods? Russians don't need night heat.

Those clamps are NOT reliable. Of all the things I'm telling you, PLEASE listen to me before you have to learn the hard way. It is just a question of time until your cat, or something else, makes one of those lamps fall into the enclosure or onto the floor. This could start a fire, kill your tortoise and burn your whole house down. I am not joking. This happens all the time. The lights need to be hung from above, or somehow securely mounted. Do NOT rely on the spring tension of those clamps or just having them resting on the top.

I realize that I'm offering advice you didn't ask for, but your tortoises well being is what matters most to me. I hope this info will help you.

Click to expand...

I appreciate all the advice I can get! And to be clear, I most certainly don't let my cat go in the tank, that's insane! I just catch her in it and get pictures.

As well this is her tank for at night or bad weather. she has a huge enclosure outside with tons of space, multiple shelters and water dish. This tank also has a water dish big enough for her to fully climb into it but I remove it every day for cleaning before I put her away for the night

I am in process of building a custom wooden enclosure for indoors that will be much bigger. Once that's built I can have a secure mount on top for the heating lamp.

What kind of thermometers should I get for the tank? and what is a good humidity level for Russians?
And are you sure she doesn't need a night heat lamp? The temp drops pretty low, makes me nervous :-/


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sawz said:

Oh noo that's so sad!!! Yea I was actually thinking about her doing that and it freaked me out. So I keep the lid on when I'm not home even though I don't like her sleeping on it. The mesh lid is bending inward because she's too heavy haha. But if need be I can replace the mesh.

The cat is such a fluff ball I was more worried about her fur being in the tank until I thought about her using it as a litter box, thank you so much for letting me know!!

Hopefully I can build a nice bigger wooden enclosure that can stand taller so I can avoid going in as well as sleeping on top of it.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using TortForum mobile app

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Tom said:

I know you intended for this to be cute, but this is a tortoise forum and we want to help tortoises and their owners. You have several problems there.

That tank is way too small for a tortoise of that size.

I agree that you do need a water dish.

That half log is not suitable as your tortoises only place to hide and its too open.

Your substrate looks very dry.

Those stick on dial thermometer hygrometers are not accurate or reliable at all.

What is in the two hoods? Russians don't need night heat.

Those clamps are NOT reliable. Of all the things I'm telling you, PLEASE listen to me before you have to learn the hard way. It is just a question of time until your cat, or something else, makes one of those lamps fall into the enclosure or onto the floor. This could start a fire, kill your tortoise and burn your whole house down. I am not joking. This happens all the time. The lights need to be hung from above, or somehow securely mounted. Do NOT rely on the spring tension of those clamps or just having them resting on the top.

I realize that I'm offering advice you didn't ask for, but your tortoises well being is what matters most to me. I hope this info will help you.

Click to expand...

I appreciate all the advice I can get! And to be clear, I most certainly don't let my cat go in the tank, that's insane! I just catch her in it and get pictures.

As well this is her tank for at night or bad weather. she has a huge enclosure outside with tons of space, multiple shelters and water dish. This tank also has a water dish big enough for her to fully climb into it but I remove it every day for cleaning before I put her away for the night

I am in process of building a custom wooden enclosure for indoors that will be much bigger. Once that's built I can have a secure mount on top for the heating lamp.

What kind of thermometers should I get for the tank? and what is a good humidity level for Russians?
And are you sure she doesn't need a night heat lamp? The temp drops pretty low, makes me nervous :-/


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Click to expand...

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nope, the night-time temperature drops are supposed to happen, and because the tort is grown they can easily withstand the drop. a temperature gun is used by many members here on the forum and are very accurate. theres some on amazon for under $20 that people use. an open-top table is okay for a Russian, so long as the substrate is damp. they dont need a high level of humidity..anywhere from 40-70% is fine.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog

Re: RE: Unusual bond <3

[/quote]

nope, the night-time temperature drops are supposed to happen, and because the tort is grown they can easily withstand the drop. a temperature gun is used by many members here on the forum and are very accurate. theres some on amazon for under $20 that people use. an open-top table is okay for a Russian, so long as the substrate is damp. they dont need a high level of humidity..anywhere from 40-70% is fine.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog
[/quote]

Thanks so much for the info! I'll order a new temp gun tonight

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Please keep in mind that you have an adult tort and wet/damp substrate with cool temps can create a bad health situation for your tort....if you are going to use natural night temp drops...then I would not keep the enclosure substrate damp...

Re: RE: Unusual bond <3

ascott said:

Please keep in mind that you have an adult tort and wet/damp substrate with cool temps can create a bad health situation for your tort....if you are going to use natural night temp drops...then I would not keep the enclosure substrate damp...

Click to expand...

Thanks! that's what I was thinking, I don't want her getting shell rot or anything.
I appreciate the advice

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ascott said:

Please keep in mind that you have an adult tort and wet/damp substrate with cool temps can create a bad health situation for your tort....if you are going to use natural night temp drops...then I would not keep the enclosure substrate damp...

Click to expand...

Thanks! that's what I was thinking, I don't want her getting shell rot or anything.
I appreciate the advice

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oh i didnt think about that, haha. i was just listing things off as i remembered them. sorry about that.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog