First post! Tortoise enclosure and supplies. What else do I need?

Wolfmama

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May 21, 2020
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Hi everyone!

I have been lurking for awhile. Finally decided to create an account so I could see pics, comment, and make a post. It took me some time to build up the courage to make a post but I rather make sure that my tortoises have everything they need then be to embarrassed or afraid to post. Below is what I have purchased so far. Do I need anything else? Thank you in advance!

I will try to keep this short but there will be alot of pics.

I have 2 tortoises arriving on Wednesday, the names I chose for them are Wolf and Bear. Some pics are stock photos because I ordered the items online and they won't arrive until tomorrow.

The little I do know:
They eat about 20% non citrus fruits, the rest veggies and tortoise food
Need around 80°-85° temp and 80% humidity
I will take them outside but it will have to be limited to the covered patio (and its a mini forest edibles by the way, so no grocery produce needed) until I move into my new house hopefully in December. They spray pesticides where I live now.

Tortoises:
2- Bolivian cherry headed red foots babies about 1.5-2 inches big.
( I know they get bigger than redfoots, I am prepared for that, and that the name is a misnomer, but it's what I have. All I know is they are beautiful and I want them to be healthy and stay healthy)

Enclosure:
36" X 23"
Organic topsoil
Zoo med Reptibark
Confirmed safe plants including hibiscus
Very shallow food/waterbowls
Seeds planted in soil for intermittent growth of safe greens
2- hideaways

Lighting:
CHE bulb
60 watt incandescent bulb
Tubular UVB

Food:
Repti-calcium
Timothy hay blend
Zoo Med forest tortoise food
Turtle bone
Prickly pear cactus
Oat and wheat grass
Safe plants in moderation

Other stuff:
Aqua rocks( to put around water bowl)
Sphagnum moss
Turtle eye drops( I know not necessary just wanted them on hand)
Hygrometer/thermometer
UV sensor
Thermostat
Fogger- just for an hour in morning and an hour in evening.

I made a hurdle out of plumbing pipe to hang all the lighting without using the clips for added safety.

This enclosure is temporary. And if need I can make something out of green house material to enclose it completely if necessary. Will monitor for a few days to see what adjustments may be necessary.

Thanks again!
 

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Last edited:

solidsounds17

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Looks like you're in the right direction. I would still double check the care sheets for your specific species for the do's and don'ts, just to be safe!
 

Maro2Bear

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Looks like you’ve bought a ton of supplies & things, not sure you need all of those “extras”, but it will be nice to see your enclosure all finished. Are you planning to put on a lid to keep the humidity & heat stable?

Good luck with the new arrivals. Keep up the posts.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Welcome to the forum. Sounds like your on your way. I think you'll find it'll be easier to enclose your enclosure with a green house to get proper humidity rather than the fogger. It's really hard if not impossible to keep the humidity high in an open top even with a fogger. Also, Next time you get a cuttlebone you can get one from the bird section. The "Turtle Bone" is just a cuttlebone they charge people more for because it says Turtle on the box. If you don't mind me asking though, where did you find Bolivians? True Bolivian Redfoots are extremely hard to find.
 

Wolfmama

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Georgia
Welcome to the forum. Sounds like your on your way. I think you'll find it'll be easier to enclose your enclosure with a green house to get proper humidity rather than the fogger. It's really hard if not impossible to keep the humidity high in an open top even with a fogger. Also, Next time you get a cuttlebone you can get one from the bird section. The "Turtle Bone" is just a cuttlebone they charge people more for because it says Turtle on the box. If you don't mind me asking though, where did you find Bolivians? True Bolivian Redfoots are extremely hard to find.


Hi! I got both cuttlebones lol because I wasn't sure which was best, I think I forgot to take a picture of one of them. But I have a box listed for turtles and a box listed for birds. So thanks for the heads up because I was confused.

I got my babies from turtle source from their rare and exotic page. I attached a photo.

Also I bought this sheet moss to use later in the future, it looked nice and thought it may be something they like. Its alive, you add water to it and it keeps growing and stays green. Also added a photo. Is this moss ok? I got sphagnum moss too just to be safe but I like this moss better since its living.

Thanks in advance!
 

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Wolfmama

New Member
Joined
May 21, 2020
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Georgia
Looks like you’ve bought a ton of supplies & things, not sure you need all of those “extras”, but it will be nice to see your enclosure all finished. Are you planning to put on a lid to keep the humidity & heat stable?

Good luck with the new arrivals. Keep up the posts.


I am looking to make some kind of greenhouse out of plumbing pipe and clear tarp but wanted to monitor the setup for a few days first. Just to see what direction I may need to go.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Hi! I got both cuttlebones lol because I wasn't sure which was best, I think I forgot to take a picture of one of them. But I have a box listed for turtles and a box listed for birds. So thanks for the heads up because I was confused.

I got my babies from turtle source from their rare and exotic page. I attached a photo.

Also I bought this sheet moss to use later in the future, it looked nice and thought it may be something they like. Its alive, you add water to it and it keeps growing and stays green. Also added a photo. Is this moss ok? I got sphagnum moss too just to be safe but I like this moss better since its living.

Thanks in advance!
You'll get many opinions on moss. Personally I use it with no problems but if you see your tort constantly trying to eat it I would remove it.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
I use sphagnum moss as part of my topsoil/moss/coir/woodchip mix. Never had a problem with any reptile, from snakes to monitors to iguanas to torts. Mosses hold humidity and resists mold very will. As @Toddrickfl1 said, pull it if you see it being eaten. I prefer the mulched moss personally, just because it doesn't look yummy to a tort and blends in with the rest of the substrate.

There are so many different ways to do things right... and wrong... with reptile husbandry that there really isn't one definitive thing. Remember, everything that is "the way" to do things today was someone "taking a chance" a few years ago. That's how the hobby grows and adapts.
 

Wolfmama

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I use sphagnum moss as part of my topsoil/moss/coir/woodchip mix. Never had a problem with any reptile, from snakes to monitors to iguanas to torts. Mosses hold humidity and resists mold very will. As @Toddrickfl1 said, pull it if you see it being eaten. I prefer the mulched moss personally, just because it doesn't look yummy to a tort and blends in with the rest of the substrate.

There are so many different ways to do things right... and wrong... with reptile husbandry that there really isn't one definitive thing. Remember, everything that is "the way" to do things today was someone "taking a chance" a few years ago. That's how the hobby grows and adapts.


Thank you!! I will keep an eye on them and make sure its not eaten. I was thinking of maybe surrounding the hibiscus with it. It will keep moisture on the plant and make it easier to climb and eat the tree when they want.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
Thank you!! I will keep an eye on them and make sure its not eaten. I was thinking of maybe surrounding the hibiscus with it. It will keep moisture on the plant and make it easier to climb and eat the tree when they want.
Personally, I wouldn't plant directly in an enclosure. I always place pots in enclosures tall enough to meet the needs of the plant and keep the tort from tipping or climbing into. Most plants don't like being so close to UV lights and will "burn" quickly under a reptile light. Also, it's easier to soak a plant's roots if you can remove it (most plants require a soak in the spring to stimulate post-hibernation growth. Things like ferns or draping grasses can be browsed upon as they drape over the pot, but the core plant is safe. Other plants like tropical hibiscus can be gently trimmed and shaped to be fed to torts, without letting them have as much as they want (they tend to bulldoze food to the root). Succulents are also susceptible to over-grazing by torts. Keeping them in ornamental pots, and trimming the growth and flowers/fruit for treats will keep the plant healthy and your torts fed.
 

Wolfmama

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Personally, I wouldn't plant directly in an enclosure. I always place pots in enclosures tall enough to meet the needs of the plant and keep the tort from tipping or climbing into. Most plants don't like being so close to UV lights and will "burn" quickly under a reptile light. Also, it's easier to soak a plant's roots if you can remove it (most plants require a soak in the spring to stimulate post-hibernation growth. Things like ferns or draping grasses can be browsed upon as they drape over the pot, but the core plant is safe. Other plants like tropical hibiscus can be gently trimmed and shaped to be fed to torts, without letting them have as much as they want (they tend to bulldoze food to the root). Succulents are also susceptible to over-grazing by torts. Keeping them in ornamental pots, and trimming the growth and flowers/fruit for treats will keep the plant healthy and your torts fed.


Ok! Good to know, I will monitor them and make some changes if they are tipping over or if the plants start to suffer. I didn't think about keeping them in pots and threw those away already. But can buy some if needed.
 

Wolfmama

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You'll get many opinions on moss. Personally I use it with no problems but if you see your tort constantly trying to eat it I would remove it.

Hi again! Do you recommend getting the torts checked by the vet right away or is that unnecessary. Will it cause more harm after a long trip? I just want to make sure they are truly healthy and catch anything they may have early. Or just wait for symptoms?
 

Toddrickfl1

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Hi again! Do you recommend getting the torts checked by the vet right away or is that unnecessary. Will it cause more harm after a long trip? I just want to make sure they are truly healthy and catch anything they may have early. Or just wait for symptoms?
A Vet is not necessary unless your tort shows symptoms of being sick. Most Vets have no idea what they're doing with torts and will try to sell you on unnecessary things like Vitamin shots, calcium injections, etc that will do more harm then good to a healthy tort.
 

Wolfmama

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Ok thanks! I was just about to make an appointment, glad I thought to ask first.
 
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LasTortugasNinja

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In 30+ years of reptile owning, I've only utilized a vet twice and those times were requiring stitches and a parasite panel... like Toddrick said, with anything other than an iguana or leopard gecko, they don't have a clue what to do. Reptiles' metabolisms are really good at fixing them up, so unless you see red flag activity after the acclimation period, they usually will never need a vet unless you need a de-wormer. They don't require vaccines, and most recovery from ailments is either raise/lower humidity or raise/lower the temp.
 

Idahorosie1

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I have desert and a common box turtle. My vet says they need their beaks ground down so they can eat. Should they get a cuddle bone to keep their beaks worn down?
 

Wolfmama

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I have desert and a common box turtle. My vet says they need their beaks ground down so they can eat. Should they get a cuddle bone to keep their beaks worn down?


I read in my research that it is a good source of calcium and also helps keep the beak from over growing. My 2 haven't touched it yet. So I hope it helps.
 

Idahorosie1

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I have had to treat both box turtles with eye drops to add vitamins A per my vet's advise. I also put a crocheted blanket over their outdoor pen so now they get dappled sunlight instead of the harsh sun glare of southwest Texas. I hope this helps with their puffy eyelids.
I have pine shavings in their pen and keep it moist (80 degrees humidity) . They have a shallow pond for soaking too. I give them live mealworms and dried ones too along with tortoise chow and greens from my garden (kale and Spanish leaves) I will add fruit too.
What else do I need to do?
 
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