Bermuda Grass Question

[Paul Runyon]

The pet store sold me a bag of dry Bermuda grass for my hatchling. I know I am supposed to be feeding it grass, weeds, and flowers. However, I am still working on finding the grass and weeds. This week I am going to invest in the equipment needed to plant this stuff and grow it myself. Should I avoid the Bermuda grass until it gets older? It's amazing how mishandles these tortoises are by pet stores. Thanks for the information!

As a side note, I built a nice big hide out of a plastic shoe box. I also added a hollowed wood refuge, the ones you can get everywhere. The little stinker likes the wood refuge better than the one I made lol.

 

[Yvonne G]

Bermudagrass is a good tortoise food, however, it's quite invasive and will grow EVERYWHERE!!! up through cracks in the driveway, into the house foundation, all through the flower beds.

You can use the bagged grass, but cut it up with the scissors and let it sit in water for a bit to soften it.

 

[Tom]

I don't bother with hay for babies. I use only chopped up fresh grass for little ones. Those little plots you can get at pet stores or organic food places work well. I chop it onto their greens. If you keep the plot watered and in a window sill, it will regrow 7 or 8 times.

 

[Paul Runyon]

Thanks Tom. I have read a lot about temps. I have a raised area that is for basking, about 100 degrees. Mid tank is about 85 degrees and my cool side is 78-80 degrees. My humidity is about 70%, I am struggling to keep it at that. I know an enclosed take is better, but I don't have the money for that. I have managed to close up 98% of the tank, little cracks around lighting. Any suggestions?

 

[Dizisdalife]

Looks like you could moisten the substrate some to bring the humidity up. Placing the plastic hide over damp substrate will raise the humidity in that area. If you had a spray bottle with water in it you could spray the glass down periodically to increase the humidity. Some members have made tents from shower curtains to totally enclose the lights and the tank. That may be an affordable option for you. Look at some of these: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

I place my water saucer under the heat lamp. It turns warm and it helps the humidity stay up. I have to refill it everyday though. I also spray the substrate and the walls down every morning.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks Tom. I have read a lot about temps. I have a raised area that is for basking, about 100 degrees. Mid tank is about 85 degrees and my cool side is 78-80 degrees. My humidity is about 70%, I am struggling to keep it at that. I know an enclosed take is better, but I don't have the money for that. I have managed to close up 98% of the tank, little cracks around lighting. Any suggestions?


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Well, now...there's an idea. I never thought to use the rigid foam as a cover. I use plastic sheeting. But the rigid foam would be much easier. Cut out holes for the lights and Bob's your uncle! I like it.

 

[Paul Runyon]

Thanks Yvonne! I was going to mention it to people, but being as new as I am, I figured it may have been figured out already. I was pretty impressed with myself lol. One suggestion though, get a medium think foam cover (1 inch or a little thicker). I picked the thinnest one (1/2 inch, I believe) and had to reinforce it do to sagging. Easy to cut out the holes for lighting, super light for removing, and simple to to seal up with foil or tape to limit heat and humidity loss. The smaller saucer is under the heat lamp for humidity. I have been soaking the substrate and that is working really well.