Does my set up sound okay?

[ChurroTheTort]

Partner has been researching torts for years and we’re finally getting a 1yr old Hermann.
We live in the UK.

Set up:
- vivarium
- coco coir substrate
- infrared basking light 100W
- UVB light (T5) with reflector
- Humidity-triggered fan

evo connect 3 thermostat - have had it on for a few nights to monitor temps overnight.
- basking light @ 92F for 12hrs during day with slate below it
- temp at cooler end is around 75-80F while basking light on
- Temp 71F overnight when basking light off
- basking light triggered to come on if hits 65F (is infrared so ?ok to be on overnight if too cold)
- humidity was around 60% before putting coco coir in but put coco coir in today and now is ~65-75%
- Fan triggered to come on if humidity >65%

Does all this sound okay?
So many different opinions on temps and humidity is stressing me out!

TIA

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome! How exciting for you guys🐢💚

It can be a minefield out there when it comes to research. This forum has the most up to date info from keepers around the world. Many have spent years perfecting their care for the best long term results.
Most other sources are repeating same old outdated information, some sources have a mixture of both good and bad which makes it all the more confusing. I’d save yourself the headache, if you have any questions feel free to ask them here, they’ll always be someone along to help🙂

When you say infrared, do you mean one of those red heat bulbs? They aren’t appropriate unfortunately, day or night.

For a basking bulb you want an incandescent floodlight, I’ve attached an example.

For night heat during colder months you’ll want a CHE(ceramic heat emitter) they’re non light emitting heat bulbs, tortoises need complete darkness day&night. Any ceramic bulbs will need to be ran on a thermostat.

Humidity for babies needs to be 80+, which is impossible to maintain with an open top, closed chamber set ups work best. Your new arrival only being 1 would benefit from the humidity being higher to help aid in nice smooth growth

Your uv is good, what brand are you using?🙂basking temp directly underneath could do with being just a few degrees higher.

This thread is useful to read through

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I made this one not too long ago that covers set up, equipment, levels etc, feel free to check it out🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Also having a look through this one will hopefully help with what bulbs to avoid👍

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Any further questions, please ask away, they’ll be others along to help advise with anything too😊

 

[wellington]

Along with above, no fans. With thermostat and the right set up you should not need a fan, besides it can make a baby sick unless you were using it to blow heat out, it should not blow in.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Along with above, no fans. With thermostat and the right set up you should not need a fan, besides it can make a baby sick unless you were using it to blow heat out, it should not blow in.

Completely missed the fan part! Thanks for pointing that out🙂

 

[ChurroTheTort]

Hello and welcome! How exciting for you guys🐢💚

It can be a minefield out there when it comes to research. This forum has the most up to date info from keepers around the world. Many have spent years perfecting their care for the best long term results.
Most other sources are repeating same old outdated information, some sources have a mixture of both good and bad which makes it all the more confusing. I’d save yourself the headache, if you have any questions feel free to ask them here, they’ll always be someone along to help🙂

When you say infrared, do you mean one of those red heat bulbs? They aren’t appropriate unfortunately, day or night.

For a basking bulb you want an incandescent floodlight, I’ve attached an example.

For night heat during colder months you’ll want a CHE(ceramic heat emitter) they’re non light emitting heat bulbs, tortoises need complete darkness day&night. Any ceramic bulbs will need to be ran on a thermostat.

Humidity for babies needs to be 80+, which is impossible to maintain with an open top, closed chamber set ups work best. Your new arrival only being 1 would benefit from the humidity being higher to help aid in nice smooth growth

Your uv is good, what brand are you using?🙂basking temp directly underneath could do with being just a few degrees higher.

This thread is useful to read through

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I made this one not too long ago that covers set up, equipment, levels etc, feel free to check it out🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Also having a look through this one will hopefully help with what bulbs to avoid👍

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Any further questions, please ask away, they’ll be others along to help advise with anything too😊

Thank you so much! Really appreciate your detailed response.
We’ve both been trying to research but info varies so widely it’s hard to know what’s right and want to do what’s best for our tort. We have ferrets too so we know how much misinformation there is about less-common pets.

1. Lighting
So we did originally get the 100W ProRep basking bulb (https://www.reptilecentre.com/produ...t-bulb-bc-bayonet?_pos=2&_sid=8bbf61276&_ss=r) but when we messaged the breeder about getting the tort they asked a few questions and they said the UV light (Reptile Systems eco T5) would be enough light/UVB and that we should have the infrared light instead? Which I’d never read about when researching. On the one you’ve posted I see it does say infrared too so maybe they just weren’t totally clear that it should be the ceramic one rather than the red one.

Is that basking bulb okay?

2. Heating
So 95-100F for basking temp?
What would you say is an okay lower limit for overnight when the basking light is off?
(I’m assuming during winter swapping the basking bulb for the ceramic heat emitter bulb to ensure it doesn’t get to cold?)

3. Humidity
Good to know! It is sitting 75% just now and was worried that was too high so had the fan on.

At what age would you say to lower humidity? When they’re fully grown?

4. Fan
Worried about airflow within the vivarium so thought a fan would be useful but is it best just to go with the 4 vents that are already in it?

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[ChurroTheTort]

Hello and welcome! How exciting for you guys🐢💚

It can be a minefield out there when it comes to research. This forum has the most up to date info from keepers around the world. Many have spent years perfecting their care for the best long term results.
Most other sources are repeating same old outdated information, some sources have a mixture of both good and bad which makes it all the more confusing. I’d save yourself the headache, if you have any questions feel free to ask them here, they’ll always be someone along to help🙂

When you say infrared, do you mean one of those red heat bulbs? They aren’t appropriate unfortunately, day or night.

For a basking bulb you want an incandescent floodlight, I’ve attached an example.

For night heat during colder months you’ll want a CHE(ceramic heat emitter) they’re non light emitting heat bulbs, tortoises need complete darkness day&night. Any ceramic bulbs will need to be ran on a thermostat.

Humidity for babies needs to be 80+, which is impossible to maintain with an open top, closed chamber set ups work best. Your new arrival only being 1 would benefit from the humidity being higher to help aid in nice smooth growth

Your uv is good, what brand are you using?🙂basking temp directly underneath could do with being just a few degrees higher.

This thread is useful to read through

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I made this one not too long ago that covers set up, equipment, levels etc, feel free to check it out🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Also having a look through this one will hopefully help with what bulbs to avoid👍

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Any further questions, please ask away, they’ll be others along to help advise with anything too😊

I will have a good read at the articles tomorrow also thank you! Sorry if my questions are answered in them.