The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Yeah, since it is for plants we need to make sure that there aren't any additives or anything
I buy the stuff in 10 pound compressed bulk blocks from the garden center. But be careful. Make sure there are no additives, and be sure to get "coco coir" or "coco peat". Do NOT get "coco fiber". It can be confusing with so many different names, but chips, fiber, and coir are all different things. Coco coir and coco peat are the same thing with two different names. But don't get coco peat mixed up with "peat moss" or sphagnum peat moss. Coco peat is ground coconut husk with no stringy fiber. Its not peat at all. Peat is something totally different that is not good for tortoise substrate.Ur right guys. I’ll cover both areas so she can walk and explore freely.
I already bought all the woods to build the enclosure. So for substrate as u both suggested i will use coco soil but on amazon i found coco soil for reptiles and coco soil for plants (that costs half the price) are they different or just marketing? Can i use whatever deidrated coco fiber right?
ill attach some links guys i didnt know those differences, glad ur helping.Yeah, since it is for plants we need to make sure that there aren't any additives or anything
That 3rd link is the one you want to go for, the others are fibre far as I can tell🙂@Littleredfootbigredheart @Tom
ill attach some links guys i didnt know those differences, glad ur helping.
1) https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0128FZEP0/?tag=
2) https://www.amazon.it/dp/B08PDF1YX4/?tag=
3)https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07DRMSS1M/?tag=
the price difference is noticable from the reptile one to flover one
Perfect, i will get it then. what about the lights.That 3rd link is the one you want to go for, the others are fibre far as I can tell🙂
1. This is a good bulb. Use it in a ceramic based fixture with a large aluminum dome. Adjust the height of the fixture to get the basking temperature around 36C directly under the bulb. To test the temperature, lay a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb at tortoise shell height and let it cook there for an our or more. Adjust the fixture height to get the correct temperature.Perfect, i will get it then. what about the lights.
I was thinking about buying the
1) arcadia basking floodlight 75W that should ensure around 34° C
2) the uvb T5 fluorescent tube (but the arcadia one on amazon costs around 84euros....) can u help me find a cheaper but still valid alternative?
i was thinking to not buy forn now the Ceramic heater cuz its summer and i already will have the basking floodlight. what do u think?
2) the uvb T5 fluorescent tube (but the arcadia one on amazon costs around 84euros....) can u help me find a cheaper but still valid alternative?
Sorry for the delay! Hopefully the other responses helped!Perfect, i will get it then. what about the lights.
I was thinking about buying the
1) arcadia basking floodlight 75W that should ensure around 34° C
2) the uvb T5 fluorescent tube (but the arcadia one on amazon costs around 84euros....) can u help me find a cheaper but still valid alternative?
i was thinking to not buy forn now the Ceramic heater cuz its summer and i already will have the basking floodlight. what do u think?
If you want to grow something edible, you can get some seed mixes like https://www.agrobs.de/en/testudo-saatgut-p3236/ or https://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix and use two or three planter boxes (one in the enclosure, one growing and one maturing). If you want just some grass for shade/hides - no problem using potted plants like carex/sedge, festuca and so on. Make sure you have good ambient light in the enclosure.hi guys sorry if i disappeared but it has been an hell of a month, i had to leave my baby herman to my girlfriend's mother cuz i had to go to another country and she took well care of her.
overall she's doin great, no lights or bulbs for now cuz she has access to direct light.
soaked every day.
eating good fresh stuffs, she hates the bone i dont know why... but she get sometimes calcium powder on food.
rn she only has the first box 1m x 50cm cuz i had no time to finish building the second one, in about half a month she will have all ready + uv and heating cuz in my house she hasnt direct sun light.
she also had a closed top from a clear plastic hard stuff.
ill attach some pics they sent to me.
she is so stubborn but freakin cute.
i hope that in a week we can finally be togheter.
thanks everyone for always being there to help
edit u can see a pile of grass bottom left, she loves it from the first time we let her walk outise in the garden so we put some in there, we are planning to plant some fresh grass in the other box, could be good?
thank u so muchIf you want to grow something edible, you can get some seed mixes like https://www.agrobs.de/en/testudo-saatgut-p3236/ or https://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix and use two or three planter boxes (one in the enclosure, one growing and one maturing). If you want just some grass for shade/hides - no problem using potted plants like carex/sedge, festuca and so on. Make sure you have good ambient light in the enclosure.
-This is not a grass eating species. I would not feed it grass. Feed it broadleaf weeds, certain leaves and flowers, or grocery store produce with amendments added. Some tortoise pellets make a nice supplemental food.hi guys sorry if i disappeared but it has been an hell of a month, i had to leave my baby herman to my girlfriend's mother cuz i had to go to another country and she took well care of her.
overall she's doin great, no lights or bulbs for now cuz she has access to direct light.
soaked every day.
eating good fresh stuffs, she hates the bone i dont know why... but she get sometimes calcium powder on food.
rn she only has the first box 1m x 50cm cuz i had no time to finish building the second one, in about half a month she will have all ready + uv and heating cuz in my house she hasnt direct sun light.
she also had a closed top from a clear plastic hard stuff.
ill attach some pics they sent to me.
she is so stubborn but freakin cute.
i hope that in a week we can finally be togheter.
thanks everyone for always being there to help
edit u can see a pile of grass bottom left, she loves it from the first time we let her walk outise in the garden so we put some in there, we are planning to plant some fresh grass in the other box, could be good?
Im not saing i will feed her grass, but she spent every evening sunbathing outside in the garden and she liked so much. i was asking if it was great to recreate something like that in the enclosure.-This is not a grass eating species. I would not feed it grass. Feed it broadleaf weeds, certain leaves and flowers, or grocery store produce with amendments added. Some tortoise pellets make a nice supplemental food.
i had a breeder that suggested me to buy it (beech wood) he told me that it was the only one notarmfull if ingested. i will get rid of it if necessary.-You need to get rid of the wood chip portion of the substrate. That is no safe or suitable for a tortoise. Like wise, the white pebbles need to go to.
i had this one at the time but i alwais made sure that she stayed in there for at least 10 min.-The tortoise needs to be soaked in a tall sided opaque container. Setting it in a shallow saucer that it can climb out of is not soaking.
i know she couldnt wait two weeks but the shipping times for arcadia stuffs are like this unfortunately, but while waiting she had the access to direct sunlight and natural light everyday so i think she is almost the same right?-The tortoise needs a heat lamp and ambient lighting whenever it is indoors. A good UV tube is optional indoors if the tortoise is getting some outside time with access to direct sunshine, but it still needs a basking lamp inside. She needs this every day. It can't wait two weeks.
Basking lamp in the enclosure is needed to let her warm whenever she needs to (in the morning, during the day, in the evening). Correct temperatures help to to fight infections, food digestion and such.Im not saing i will feed her grass, but she spent every evening sunbathing outside in the garden and she liked so much. i was asking if it was great to recreate something like that in the enclosure.
i had a breeder that suggested me to buy it (beech wood) he told me that it was the only one notarmfull if ingested. i will get rid of it if necessary.
i had this one at the time but i alwais made sure that she stayed in there for at least 10 min.
i know she couldnt wait two weeks but the shipping times for arcadia stuffs are like this unfortunately, but while waiting she had the access to direct sunlight and natural light everyday so i think she is almost the same right?
i did this way while i am waiting for arcadia t5 desert uvb and basking lamp uva, i think it will arrive in around 3 days.If she stays most of the day outside and you bring her inside at night - basking lamp and ambient lights are not required. But as days are getting shorter and temperatures getting lower, she will stay more inside and then you will need them.
These lights will help - she will be able to thermoregulate and get enough UVB in the winter. Ambient lights are still desired, though.i did this way while i am waiting for arcadia t5 desert uvb and basking lamp uva, i think it will arrive in around 3 days.
i bring her in a sunlight spot during the day but she stays in there like 1 hour and then come back to sleep i hope that with the correct lights that i am waiting for she will be more active
They like to hide in grass and under bushes, that's true. However, grass and hay often mold quickly. Having live plants or grass in the enclosure is a good enrichment for tortoise. But plants require some maintenance.isnt it fine i i keep a bit of that green stuff from the garden in her hiding spot? she likes it so much
its not possible i moved. anyway she will have that uv and basking + ill add something as ambient lights, are led stripes ok?If it's possible to build secure outdoor area for her - this would be the best while it's warm outside. She can stay there all day long.
"Full spectrum", non-colored grow lights are better. But LED flood lights or ceiling lights will work too. Some under-cabinet LED strips are fine as well, but check the brightness before buying: most cheaper LED strips are pure decorative lights and are pretty dim. You can look at strip wattage and lumen output: while it's not a definitive property but 20W per meter or 1200-2000 lumens per meter should be ok. You can ask here in thread before ordering if you wish.its not possible i moved. anyway she will have that uv and basking + ill add something as ambient lights, are led stripes ok?