6 month horsefeild light & humidity requirements?

[amy&alfie]

Please help? My little Alfie is 6 months old and I've absolutely no clue what humidity levels he requires and how to achieve them. I did a whole load of reading before I bought him that told Vivs are BAD and Tortoise Tables are the way to go. So of course I refused the Vivs on offer and got myself a very lovely custom made tortoise table from the Tortoise Lounge. I thought my little Alfie had a home fit for kings. I also read that replicating the natural environment was key. So he has a uv strip and a basking spot to replicate sunlight and it goes off at night and gets a bit cooler as it would do in the wild. But now the pet shop tell me he should have an infa red heat light that stays on 24hrs. I've read they don't like the coloured bulbs and that they need a drop in temps overnight ...so who's right and who's wrong? :'( I'm confused!! Haha! And... I'm now reading that because he's so little he needs a closed chamber that should be hot and humid?? So how do I make my tortoise table got and humid? I've covered it with tinfoil as a temporary measure and and have been writing his topsoil& loam substrate. Any help would be great!!x

 

[amy&alfie]

@Yvonne G can you help?

 

[Yvonne G]

Pet stores are in business to sell stuff and make a profit. They don't always know what's best for your tortoise. We have two very good care sheets pinned at the top of our Russian tortoise section.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Did you read the care sheets here?
Most of your answers are there. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Humidity should be 50 to 70%.
Your substrate looks too dry and should be mixed with water if not replaced with something that holds moisture better, like coco coir, orchid bark or cypress mulch. The little white bits in your substrate could encourage eating of the substrate leading to impaction, I don't like little white things in the substrate at all.
have a look at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
For ideas to keep up humidity.
This is essential, as i believe your tortoise is showing signs of pyramiding.
See http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-end-of-pyramiding.15137/
I think the pet shop are trying to sell you stuff, can't see why you need infra red, not needed at all.
You are right that a Russian can tolerate lower night time temperatures.
Check your temps, and if night heat is needed use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) on a thermostat in a ceramic holder. This provides heat, but no light, as tortoises need darkness to sleep properly. Red light indeed encourages some to eat what looks red.

 

[amy&alfie]

I know it's awful isn't it, I've been reading... for months haha!! It just seems different everywhere I look and different when specific to young torts. I also saw you had suggested tinfoil for humidity so I've tried that. I'll read again thanks x

 

[amy&alfie]

He is, he was when I got him, he was kept in a Viv with 24hr red light, fed supermarket food and never bathed. The substrate is not so dry now that was before he was in it, I wet & mix it everyday the little white bits are calcium but I've never seen him try to eat them. I will change it ASAP I've read in a few places this mix isn't best now. I did have a red light for a while but he was very lethargic and his aim wasn't great when trying to eat so that's now changed to a basking spot at 32degrees C, cool end is at about 23degrees. Just want to do the best by himx

 

[Tom]

Amy, Read the care sheets that Adam linked for you above. I know that the contradicting info is confusing and frustrating.

They don't need tropical humidity like a red foot tortoise, but they do need some moderate humidity at least. This can be accomplished with a humid hide and damp substrate. I do think a Vivarium is better for babies, but you don't have to keep it super humid and hot like you would for some other species. The closed chamber simply allows you to control your parameters much more easily and it keep conditions more stable for a baby.

Night temp drop is good.
Your basking temp needs to be around 37. Lower that bulb, get a higher wattage bulb, or add another bulb.
No red bulbs at any time, and no night heat should be needed.
You should soak this baby daily for a while and then every other day for the next year or so. You can eventually taper that down to once or twice a week when he is an adult.

You need to get rid of that substrate. Encouraging them to eat their substrate is a bad idea. It seems every pet shop in the UK recommends that stuff and it just makes no sense.

 

[amy&alfie]

Thank you Tom, I've covered the table with foil, have lowered the bulb and put a hide box near the light with damp substrate in it, I will monitor temps closely. It was around 38 with the red bulb I was sold but I thought that was too hot. This is now my third attempt at lighting. I insisted on a colourless bulb it's a lower wattage but I've got to say he's much more active since I've changed it. I will order some new substrate now and change it ASAP. He is bathed daily at the moment so will keep that up, really appreciate all of your advice.

 

[amy&alfie]

Just a little update, Alfie is happily in his humid hide!! Clearly exactly what he needed. Thanks for the help, I have one more question though, if he stays there overnight and his lights go out will the cooler humidity cause a problem?

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the help, I have one more question though, if he stays there overnight and his lights go out will the cooler humidity cause a problem?

At 23c you should have no problem. I let mine drop to 20c on damp substrate with humid hides and had no issues. They warmed up to an ambient of 30-32c every day and had a daily basking area of 37c. I just raised 20 of them this way in three different enclosures and no issues with these temps and this humidity.

 

[amy&alfie]

At 23c you should have no problem. I let mine drop to 20c on damp substrate with humid hides and had no issues. They warmed up to an ambient of 30-32c every day and had a daily basking area of 37c. I just raised 20 of them this way in three different enclosures and no issues with these temps and this humidity.

Thanks for the help