Am I doing things right?

[turnip1124]

Hi, I just got my baby hermann's tortoise last month. He's two months old. I've been doing a lot of research but there's just so much information out there! Some of it is conflicting as well. But this what I have. Please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong!!

Enclosure

• 4x2 enclosure
• Substrate is coco coir + orchid bark, the deep end is about 3" deep.
• UVB light (Reptizoo t5)
• Basking light
• CHE
• There's 3 main areas of temperatures:
  • Basking area: 90-100 degrees F
  • Cooler area: 75-80 degrees F
  • At night, the CHE is set to be 70-75 degrees. I turn off the UVB and basking lights.
• I try to keep the non-basking areas at 80% humidity by spraying it morning and night.
• Here's a picture

Diet

• Spring mix cut up and mixed with something else. He's really picky! I have another post asking for suggestions to get him used to other things. But I try to mix it up with
  • weeds: mainly thistle and dandelion is what is available outside
  • dried flowers
  • Mazuri pellets
  • Cat grass
• We have yet to try out other grocery stores items like collard greens and endive -- I want to finish the spring mix first
• Calcium powder twice a week
• Multivitamin powder twice a week
• Cuttlebone is available all the time
• 2 water dishes with rocks

Daily Routine

• Wake up and soak for 20-30 minutes
• Refill water dishes, spot clean, and mist enclosure
• Set him down and give food
• He usually goes on about his day and his day ends around 8pm where I clean up food, spot clean, mist enclosure, and turn off the lights.

 

[Ink]

Is it a closed top enclosure? It looks like there are some small rocks scattered in the enclosure? If there is you should get them out ASAP. He might eat one. Welcome to the forum. Cute little tortoise.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

All sounds/looks pretty good but there’s a few things of observation, t5 for uv lighting is correct, but I believe the reptizoo isn’t considered a very reliable brand, unless you meant zoo med reptisun?

What kind of basking bulb is it specifically? Your temperatures sound pretty spot on!

Also second above, is it a closed chamber? Spraying in an open top won’t keep humidity where needed 24/7 which is very important for babies

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Is it a closed top enclosure? It looks like there are some small rocks scattered in the enclosure? If there is you should get them out ASAP. He might eat one. Welcome to the forum. Cute little tortoise.

I think it’s bits of orchid bark

 

[turnip1124]

All sounds/looks pretty good but there’s a few things of observation, t5 for uv lighting is correct, but I believe the reptizoo isn’t considered a very reliable brand, unless you meant zoo med reptisun?

What kind of basking bulb is it specifically? Your temperatures sound pretty spot on!

Also second above, is it a closed chamber? Spraying in an open top won’t keep humidity where needed 24/7 which is very important for babies

Yes, it's ZooMed ReptiSun. I was trying to recall what it was and double checked from my amazon orders. My basking bulb is a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store.

And it's not a closed chamber! This is where I'm getting conflicting information. The breeder said they don't recommend a closed chamber because air flow is important but let me know what you suggest!

 

[turnip1124]

I think it’s bits of orchid bark

Yes, it's the orchid bark! I mixed it in with the coco coir.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yes, it's ZooMed ReptiSun. I was trying to recall what it was and double checked from my amazon orders. My basking bulb is a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store.

And it's not a closed chamber! This is where I'm getting conflicting information. The breeder said they don't recommend a closed chamber because air flow is important but let me know what you suggest!

No worries, everything is spot on in that case barring it not being covered, so many breeders recommend starting species like this too dry, I’m not sure whether the confusion stems from the fact that their requirements are so much lower with humidity as adults, but hatchlings hatch out in very humid areas in the wild, there’s no way to replicate this in captivity with an open top, air flow isn’t an issue, no enclosure is air tight and you’re creating plenty of exchange when opening up to do daily husbandries, if closed chambers were an issue for babies, we’d hear no end of it here.
It’s been quite the opposite, people have issues when raising them in an open top, often resulting in pyramiding, soon as their babes have spent a few months in a closed chamber, you see the newer growth smoothing out
If needing some different topper options, perhaps a look through this one will help

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Tom]

Hi, I just got my baby hermann's tortoise last month. He's two months old. I've been doing a lot of research but there's just so much information out there! Some of it is conflicting as well. But this what I have. Please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong!!

Enclosure

• 4x2 enclosure
• Substrate is coco coir + orchid bark, the deep end is about 3" deep.
• UVB light (Reptizoo t5)
• Basking light
• CHE
• There's 3 main areas of temperatures:
  • Basking area: 90-100 degrees F
  • Cooler area: 75-80 degrees F
  • At night, the CHE is set to be 70-75 degrees. I turn off the UVB and basking lights.
• I try to keep the non-basking areas at 80% humidity by spraying it morning and night.
• Here's a picture View attachment 384476

Diet

• Spring mix cut up and mixed with something else. He's really picky! I have another post asking for suggestions to get him used to other things. But I try to mix it up with
  • weeds: mainly thistle and dandelion is what is available outside
  • dried flowers
  • Mazuri pellets
  • Cat grass
• We have yet to try out other grocery stores items like collard greens and endive -- I want to finish the spring mix first
• Calcium powder twice a week
• Multivitamin powder twice a week
• Cuttlebone is available all the time
• 2 water dishes with rocks

Daily Routine

• Wake up and soak for 20-30 minutes
• Refill water dishes, spot clean, and mist enclosure
• Set him down and give food
• He usually goes on about his day and his day ends around 8pm where I clean up food, spot clean, mist enclosure, and turn off the lights.

Over all very good. Here is what I would do differently:
-Get the rocks out of the water bowls. He can't soak with those in the way.
-Replace the round flat stone with the food on it with another terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate.
-Replace the Repti-Zoo unit with either a ZooMed or Arcadia.
-I prefer to soak mid day, but this is not critical.
-All your lights should be on timers. That way they turn on and off at the same times every day. Seasonal adjustments are fine too, but it should be more consistent.
-Add a humid hide.
-If this is an open topped enclosure, there is no way it's 80% humidity in there, unless the whole room is 80%. Spraying just creates evaporative cooling. Maintain higher humidity by using a closed chamber enclosure, and by keeping the substrate damp by pouring water into it.

 

[Tom]

The breeder said they don't recommend a closed chamber because air flow is important but let me know what you suggest!

Airflow that is cool and dry, like the room air, is not good for a baby.

Airflow is not important. This is old incorrect thinking. Babies in the wild secrete themselves into tiny little crevices, dug out pallettes, and into plant root balls and such. They don't walk around out in the wild in the open dry air. If they did they'd get eaten by a predator in short order and also dry out. Closed chambers are the way to go, and you don't need 80+% for a Testudo baby. That level is for tropical species.

 

[turnip1124]

Thanks for all the feedback!! This is very helpful!

 

[turnip1124]

Over all very good. Here is what I would do differently:
-Get the rocks out of the water bowls. He can't soak with those in the way.
-Replace the round flat stone with the food on it with another terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate.
-Replace the Repti-Zoo unit with either a ZooMed or Arcadia.
-I prefer to soak mid day, but this is not critical.
-All your lights should be on timers. That way they turn on and off at the same times every day. Seasonal adjustments are fine too, but it should be more consistent.
-Add a humid hide.
-If this is an open topped enclosure, there is no way it's 80% humidity in there, unless the whole room is 80%. Spraying just creates evaporative cooling. Maintain higher humidity by using a closed chamber enclosure, and by keeping the substrate damp by pouring water into it.

I’ve been trying to apply your advice! The greenhouse cover has shipped. Out of curiosity, why replace the slate rock with a terra cotta dish for food? Is it just to keep things cleaner or does it help dull down their beaks better?

 

[Tom]

I’ve been trying to apply your advice! The greenhouse cover has shipped. Out of curiosity, why replace the slate rock with a terra cotta dish for food? Is it just to keep things cleaner or does it help dull down their beaks better?

It keeps the food out of the substrate and contains it better.

 

[turnip1124]

Wanted to follow up and do a little husband brag. We put the greenhouse cover on and my husband had the great idea of cutting out the sides and using transparency sheets as “window panels” attached by magnets so it’s easy to take off and on! There’s an overlap in the flap and the magnets are pretty strong so I’m not too worried about too much humidity escaping. I got better hygrometers and it’s hitting about 75-78% most of the time.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Wanted to follow up and do a little husband brag. We put the greenhouse cover on and my husband had the great idea of cutting out the sides and using transparency sheets as “window panels” attached by magnets so it’s easy to take off and on! There’s an overlap in the flap and the magnets are pretty strong so I’m not too worried about too much humidity escaping. I got better hygrometers and it’s hitting about 75-78% most of the time.View attachment 384886

Yay looks great! Hubby has done a good job! Just a little heads up, I’d try and hang your domes off some makeshift stands and chains as soon as you can, unfortunately those clamps have failed many a time on people causing the bulb to fall in which could hurt your tort, better safe than sorry bet tortie is very happy exploring the new digs

 

[COmtnLady]

Wanted to follow up and do a little husband brag. We put the greenhouse cover on and my husband had the great idea of cutting out the sides and using transparency sheets as “window panels” attached by magnets so it’s easy to take off and on! There’s an overlap in the flap and the magnets are pretty strong so I’m not too worried about too much humidity escaping. I got better hygrometers and it’s hitting about 75-78% most of the time.View attachment 384886

That is gorgeous! Please send him out here, I need one of those built just exactly like you have!!!