Do I need to put my tortoises to bed?

[bertthetortoisedad]

I think you have probably realized that the bulbs are not fine. Popularity on the internet does not make them suitable or safe. Same thing with that substrate. Many websites still recommend soil or sand because they simply do not realize the risks they pose and have not seen impaction or poisoning from those items first hand... yet. The idea in sharing this info with the tortoise keeping public is to help you avoid learning the hard way that MVBs can burn your tortoises eyes with too much UVB, cause pyramiding, or not provide any UVB at all, which you would eventually figure out once your tortoise started showing symptoms of metabolic bone disease. Or that sandy substrate can cause impaction. Whoever thought it was a good idea to encourage tortoises to eat sandy substrate to satisfy their calcium craving by putting little bits of limestone in it is a complete moron. People who use this substrate just have not thought this through. Just because it says tortoise on the bag and the pet store guy wants your money does not make it safe or even sensible. That stuff should never have been invented and it should not be sold. Should we all sprinkle sand on our cuttlebones and mix sand into our powdered calcium supplements too? Of course not! That substrate makes no sense.

Likewise, I have seen lots of tortoise X-rays with gravel like that obstructing the GI tract. Just don't use it. Use something known to be safe and effective.

Let's talk about tone. The written word just doesn't show voice inflection, enthusiasm or tone. My tone here is intended to be helpful. I'm just enthusiastically explaining what I've learned over the years and know to be true in an effort to help your tortoise and the tortoises of other people reading. I am in no way insulting you, or anyone else that buys the "wrong" tortoise products. Most of the people buying and selling these products have no idea that items labeled and sold for tortoises at pet shops are useless, overpriced, and often dangerous for tortoises, like this substrate and the MVB bulbs. Many people get offended when I, or we, tell them these things. Don't get mad at me! I'm trying to save your tortoise's life! Get mad at the people that sold you the substrate that will literally kill your tortoise in a slow painful way.

Okays that makes sense thank you for the info I will have to change my set up so it's more suitable and safe for my torties will look at changing the lights asap

 

[bertthetortoisedad]

Since they are so young they can't be outside all the time anyway so you have time to really plan a permanent outdoor enclosure. Where I live gets pretty cold in the winter so I'd rather just have an indoor room with a tortoise table and an outside enclosure for my Russian .

Yeah that's the plan for me ATM I've got alot of gaps in fences that's need to be sealed up and stuff 🤣also have a greenhouse that is kinda safer for them they like it in there would I need to move the heat lights and stuff outside too or would that be pointless because of the sun?

 

[Cathie G]

Yeah that's the plan for me ATM I've got alot of gaps in fences that's need to be sealed up and stuff 🤣also have a greenhouse that is kinda safer for them they like it in there would I need to move the heat lights and stuff outside too or would that be pointless because of the sun?

My situation may be different than yours because of where I live. I'll never do an outdoor year round enclosure. So in the winter my little Russian is indoors. Spring, summer, and fall I just carry him outside on suitable days and bring him in in the evening. He's a little pocket pet so that's just part of the fun I have with him 🤗

 

[bertthetortoisedad]

My situation may be different than yours because of where I live. I'll never do an outdoor year round enclosure. So in the winter my little Russian is indoors. Spring, summer, and fall I just carry him outside on suitable days and bring him in in the evening. He's a little pocket pet so that's just part of the fun I have with him 🤗

yeah I may keep mine inside too it can get very cold where I live in the UK summertime though I'll make em a lil paradise in the garden

 

[Cathie G]

I will buy some Coco coir stuff if that's the name and use that instead after a few weeks or combine are you meant to lightly spray water onto the soil in the enclosure daily or not?

Yes or as needed as to spraying every day. Think of a forest floor. You don't want it sopping wet. You don't want it too dry either. It tends to need more in the winter because of the lamps for maintaining humidity.

 

[Cathie G]

Yeah that's the plan for me ATM I've got alot of gaps in fences that's need to be sealed up and stuff 🤣also have a greenhouse that is kinda safer for them they like it in there would I need to move the heat lights and stuff outside too or would that be pointless because of the sun?

And yes it's pointless because of the real sunlight. True sunlight is way better for all animals including us.🤗