Baby spur thigh advice on setup/basking advice

danamayesing

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Joined
Sep 29, 2020
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Essex
Hi all, firstly can I say these forums are great and the information I have picked up already is great, but I’m constantly panicking I haven’t got the correct setup etc in place for my baby spur thigh

I have purchased an eco terra terrarium 90cm x 45cm x 45cm

I have bought orchid bark (after reading extensively on substrates on these forums)

now, for the lighting/heating I have :
One side of the terrarium 2 x 150 UVB deser bulbs 13w

the other side 2 x 25w lamps
The temperature of the terrarium inside is between 80-85

but as such I don’t have a “basking” area if that’s the case that reaches between 90-95 that I read on the guide sheet

do I need to buy a heat mat for the hide side?

Or do I need a basking lamp to sit on top of the eco terra? Any advice on which one I’d need?

thanks in advance, constantly panicking
 

TeamZissou

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Aug 23, 2020
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Albuquerque, NM
Here's a care sheet on Greeks:


The article recommends a basking area of 90-95 degrees. This can be achieved using a flood light bulb varying between 30-65 W, depending on your setup.

Heat mats are not recommended for any species. They can cause burns.

Glass terrariums such as the one you have are also not recommended. The minimum size of the enclosure for a Greek is 4 x 2 feet.

Orchid bark is not recommended for this species. Your tortoise will want to bury itself in moist soil every night. See the section in the above care sheet regarding substrates.
 

counting

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Feb 3, 2017
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Canada
He needs a UVB bulb and then a basking bulb on one end, allowing for a temperature gradient. If there is no gradient, the enclosure needs to be larger even for a tiny hatchling. NO heat mat.

Soil (bags of black earth no additives works well) is a good option for substrate.

The water bowl you are using can cause tipping risk. A better choice a clay saucer nestled down into the ground so the top lip is level.

Reread the guides and you'll be able to make the needed changes ?
Good luck!
 
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