Enclosure Questions (again)

[griefold]

I am reading and trying many different suggestions and many of them are working. At the same time I am having trouble with some of the others. How do I get my ambient temp to stay above 80 at night when I turn off the lights and use a CHE to adjust the temp? I hear a thermostat, but where do I find one and how much are they? Also I am trying to find the best UV light to use indoors with my Sully. I do not want to by the coiled CFLs since I have been reading nothing good about them. What do I do then? I am worried about a spot on Alex's shell that is discolored and slightly soft to the touch. I take Alex out for at least 20-30 minutes of sun once a day and twice a day on the weekends. How can I fix this problem since I also increased the calcium rich foods in Alex's diet. I was using calcium powder, but he would not eat the food with the powder on it, now I am tricking him into it finally. I am worried about Alex because I do not want to lose my first Sully, all of my pets are my kids no matter they are furred or scaled.

 

[Kirin]

Sheldon(leopard) would not eat the lettuce with the calcium and his multi vitamin on it either. He does eat it on his mazuri. He loves his mazuri! For his thermostat, I use the one from big apple pet supply. I used the zoo med one first and returned it because to me it wasn't accurate. Hope this helps.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I bought my Hydrofarm digital thermostat online for less than $30.

You plug the thermostat into the wall and place it's attached temperature probe into the farthest corner if the enclosure. Then you plug your CHE into the thermostat (it has it's own outlet) and place the CHE over the middle if the enclosure.
Set the thermostat to your desired temperature (80F) and you are done. When the temp probe reads less than 80 it will turn your CHE on and click it off once the temp is over your set temp. Make sense?

For UV, where do you live? Can your sully get time outside every day? How about a few hours each week? The sun is far more beneficial than any artificial bulb.
If you want a UV light inside I'll let others advise you on that since I only use the sun
...just read you take him outside..

I have never used calcium powder but have always provided a cuttlebone and calcium rich foods.

Sent from my TFOapp

 

[griefold]

I live in North Western AZ and right now we are getting tons of rain so the temps outside are a little low for Alex. They have been staying mid to low 70s some days and others reaching to the mid 80s. I will try to get him/ her more day light time, but I work and when I am at work he is with me and only gets so much time. It is a pain right now since we are coming up on fall here. I will keep a look out for the thermostats that were mentioned here. Cost is an issue with me, my wife likes to keep an eye on our expenses and she does not like me spending too much money . I will take care of the problem. Is there a substitute that I can buy at Home Depot or some other place.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Here is the cheapest thermostat that I have seen.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002CZ0J3E/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I like the 1000 watt capacity because as the tortoise gets older it will need more space and that will require more heat (watts). I live in Southern California and use a 700 watt oil filled heater for night time heat. Well, not for the last two weeks because it has been almost 100F ever day, but for most of the year I need some controlled heat at night. Even in June it gets to low 60's at night and winter nights can be low 30's or even colder.

I think that a thermostat is a inexpensive investment compared to vet visits and treatments for an upper respiratory infection.