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You can sift your coir through some 1/4 inch hardware cloth to remove those fibers.

Hello and welcome! I first want to tell you that sulcatas are NOT desert tortoises. If you house them in desert conditions, it will likely kill them and it will for sure cause pyramiding. Please read through these two threads and feel free to ask all of your questions...

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials: Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to...

Marginated tortoises are not known for digging. I wouldn't put anything down. Just make opaque walls and make sure no light is showing under the walls. Also, make the enclosure very large and put lots of furniture in it. Logs, large rocks, plants and shrubs, hides, etc... The more interesting...

It can work, but I was not thrilled with the results when I tried it. I prefer single levels for tortoises.

What you propose will work okay for a baby, but probably not so well for an adult of any species. Any foam will have to be up out of reach. Imagine the tortoise standing on its hind legs and reaching up with its front legs. Above that is how high above them the foam would have to be. So 10 or 11...

That depends on what they are eating. If it's lots of weeds, mulberry leaves, cactus pads, Mazuri, etc..., then you really don't need much supplementation. If its a lot of grocery store greens, they you will need the supplements and other amendments too.

The most secure housing option would be a large cage. I use a couple of these for my stars here. They are around 30x30 feet. No predator or dog can get to them. Most of my other large tortoises are in large open topped pens. You could use this method and just have secure fencing around it to...

You are correct. Yes and yes.

I just wet the substrate under the humid hide. It's good to move the hygrometer around and get readings all over. Have a little fun with it. Since it is a closed chamber, it will mostly be one ambient temperature inside except under the heat lamp. I like to put a hide on both sides.

No forumla. Just long held beliefs based on what works and what doesn't over the years.

Yes if it is a flood type bulb, or a round type bulb in an aluminum hood. See the very precise, scientific, and technical diagram above in post #204. :)

I can just feel a TTPG presentation, with loads of great pictures, coming on... Can't wait! Hurry up November!

If they have suitable shade, they should be fine outside. It gets hot where they come from in summer too. Put a digital thermometer in the shady areas where they are hiding out and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how cool it is there. If your thermometer reveals that it is too hot, add...

So many great questions! -FIrst and foremost. I will share with you what works for me with Testudo species in general and with other temperate species like desert tortoises and chersina. I have not personally kept and tried this with Egyptian tortoises, but I have now found several experience...

I appreciate your efforts, but this enclosure is still way too small. You need one at least 122cm x 61cm wide. Bigger than this would be even better. It would be best to use some sort of outdoor pool or pond and put it in an area that gets afternoon shade.

You need an incandescent bulb. These produce light AND heat. The newer more efficient LED type bulbs are great for lighting up the enclosure and should also be used, but they do not produce basking heat.

I do't know what brands are available over there. Over here we have dozens of brands and they are ever changing. Just be sure there is no fiber in it. You want just plain coir. Not "coco fiber". I'm talking about those long hair-like pieces. Don't want those fibers.

-Your current UV tube is all you need for the new enclosure. -Nothing species specific. Sounds like you've got a good handle on things. -Substrate choices are great. I would use one or the other, but no reason you can't use both.

The best way to introduce it is with those young new pads. Over time, as they grow to like it more and more, they are more and more willing to really work on older more fibrous pads. The variety that you have tends to always make the more tender easy-to-eat pads, and there is more where that...