Diet issues! PLEASE HELP!

[Kevin Kaz]

In my little guys habitat, I have spaghnum moss. I've notice just now at 11:43pm that he was trying to eat it. Should I take it out? Is it safe if he does snack on some here and there? I keep fresh food in there all hrs of the day. He eats the spring mix I provide for him. Any ideas?

 

[Badkneesbond]

I've had a few babies eat some and it was fine. I think they can smell old food that is in it and get confused. Just keep an eye out and if it continues to eat, it take it out.

 

[Kevin Kaz]

I've had a few babies eat some and it was fine. I think they can smell old food that is in it and get confused. Just keep an eye out and if it continues to eat, it take it out.

Thanks. But I don't even keep the food by the moss. He just most of his time in the moist moss sleeping under the light. But this was a first time eating it that I saw.

 

[Alexio]

I'm not sure if the moss is toxic in and of its self but if it was grown in soil with fertilizer or other chemicals I would not let him eat it. I personally don't use moss so I don't know if it's safe to eat but many many people do I highly doubt it's toxic.
11:45 seems kinda late for him to be eating. My guys are all usually in bed by 7 or 8 but I guess if your hungry your hungry.

 

[Kevin Kaz]

I'm not sure if the moss is toxic in and of its self but if it was grown in soil with fertilizer or other chemicals I would not let him eat it. I personally don't use moss so I don't know if it's safe to eat but many many people do I highly doubt it's toxic.
11:45 seems kinda late for him to be eating. My guys are all usually in bed by 7 or 8 but I guess if your hungry your hungry.

He is just like me in that aspect. He is up moving around from like 10-12 then packs it up and sleeps till around 11. Then he would eat walk around a bit the go back to sleep then is awake around 5 when I change his water and put more fresh food.

 

[Jodie]

I don't use moss much. My tortoises will eat or try to eat new things at first. I think they are just testing to see if it is good. I suspect he won't eat much.

 

[Tom]

This is why I don't use it. I'd take it all out. You don't need it for anything.

What sort of night heat are you using? I'm trying to figure out why your tortoise is even awake, much less eating that late at night. It should be dark at night. How does he see the food?

 

[Robber]

This is why I don't use it. I'd take it all out. You don't need it for anything.

What sort of night heat are you using? I'm trying to figure out why your tortoise is even awake, much less eating that late at night. It should be dark at night. How does he see the food?

Good question...they become very programmed to day/night light cycles and it would be unusual for one to be seeking out food at night.

 

[Kevin Kaz]

This is why I don't use it. I'd take it all out. You don't need it for anything.

What sort of night heat are you using? I'm trying to figure out why your tortoise is even awake, much less eating that late at night. It should be dark at night. How does he see the food?

I use a red heat infrared heat bulb.

 

[Kevin Kaz]

This is why I don't use it. I'd take it all out. You don't need it for anything.

What sort of night heat are you using? I'm trying to figure out why your tortoise is even awake, much less eating that late at night. It should be dark at night. How does he see the food?

In the leopard tortoise I have, it says it is good for them eat carrots every now and then. I saw to not give him fruits since they are high in sugars. Is that true? From the book in the pictures

 

[JoesMum]

I use a red heat infrared heat bulb.

Torts need complete darkness at night.

Also the red light colours objects in the enclosure red. Torts have excellent colour vision, but are not always terribly intelligent. They live red food and so can start eating things they shouldn't.

Turn off the red light - you don't need it.

What temperature do you have without the red light? If it is too low use a Ceramic Heat Emitter which doesn't give out light to boost the temperature

 

[Kevin Kaz]

Torts need complete darkness at night.

Also the red light colours objects in the enclosure red. Torts have excellent colour vision, but are not always terribly intelligent. They live red food and so can start eating things they shouldn't.

Turn off the red light - you don't need it.

What temperature do you have without the red light? If it is too low use a Ceramic Heat Emitter which doesn't give out light to boost the temperature

With out the red light, it would drop to mid 60's. How would I arrange it with ceramic heat emitter. Run that at night? I run a 100W UVB bulb during the day.

 

[JoesMum]

With out the red light, it would drop to mid 60's. How would I arrange it with ceramic heat emitter. Run that at night? I run a 100W UVB bulb during the day.

A ceramic heat emitter looks a bit like a bulb. You hang it from a special lamp holder and use a thermostat with it to control the the temperature in the enclosure

 

[Kevin Kaz]

A ceramic heat emitter looks a bit like a bulb. You hang it from a special lamp holder and use a thermostat with it to control the the temperature in the enclosure

Any recommendation for wattage and thermostat? Get a black bulb one?light fixture is 12" above the habitat floor.

 

[JoesMum]

I'm not sure if the size of your enclosure but 100W should be fine as long as you use it with a thermostat

 

[Kevin Kaz]

I'm not sure if the size of your enclosure but 100W should be fine as long as you use it with a thermostat

It's 36"x24"x12". So 100W, black bulb. Is there an auto thermostat. To set temp ranges?

 

[JoesMum]

I am sure there is, but I cannot advise I'm afraid. If @Tom is around he might know

 

[Tom]

I use a red heat infrared heat bulb.

This is the likely explanation for your problem. Tortoises have better color vision than we do. If you can see it at night, your tortoise can see it better. Tortoises are attracted to the color red on foods. Like hibiscus flowers, for example. The red bulb makes things look lit up and red.

Those bulbs should never be used. Tortoises need it dark at night. They are not meant to live in a world that is all red and never dark. It messes with their heads. Use a CHE instead, and set it on a thermostat to control the temperature.

 

[Tom]

That book is repeating old out-dated diet info. If you could find and even older book, they used to recommend dog food. Fruit is not good for them. They don't need it, it messes up their GI tracts, and its best to skip it in favor of all the things that are good for them. Like grape leaves, mulberry leaves, various weeds, spineless opuntia pads, flowers and succulents…



Here are two thermostats that I have personal experience with and recommend:
http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller
https://www.hydrofarm.com/p/MTPRTC

Make sure you use a fixture with a wide dome and a ceramic base. I like these:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Designers-Edge-10-1-2-in-Brooder-Lamp-with-Hang-Hook-0165/204667675

 

[Kevin Kaz]

That book is repeating old out-dated diet info. If you could find and even older book, they used to recommend dog food. Fruit is not good for them. They don't need it, it messes up their GI tracts, and its best to skip it in favor of all the things that are good for them. Like grape leaves, mulberry leaves, various weeds, spineless opuntia pads, flowers and succulents…



Here are two thermostats that I have personal experience with and recommend:
http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller
https://www.hydrofarm.com/p/MTPRTC

Make sure you use a fixture with a wide dome and a ceramic base. I like these:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Designers-Edge-10-1-2-in-Brooder-Lamp-with-Hang-Hook-0165/204667675

For my night lighting issue, since when I go to change my day bulb it is usually around 90-95 degrees in it. So until my CHE and lamp comes in on Thursday. I'm turning the off the light completely. Then going back to make sure he is sleeping then turn on the red so I can maintain the heat back up again. It worked tonight. So it should suffice 1 more night.