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wellington

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Substrate needs to be changed to coconut coir or reptile bark/orchard bark or combo of the two. Water dish needs to be replaced with a low sided clay saucer. Those water bowls with the ramp is a drowning hazard. The red bulb needs to be replaced with either a incandescent flood bulb for basking or ceramic heat emitter if it's for added day heat and for night heat. The red bulbs can make them eat the substrate. The puck gauge needs to be at tortoise height same with the temp one.
What are you using for uvb? I'm guessing a tube florescent? Which is good
 

cpl1307

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What about ZooMed ReptiBark. I've got some coming tomorrow. You think I should take alot of decoration out? I've got a red 40w bulb in at the minute, but I do have a 50w basking spot bulb?
 

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cpl1307

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What about ZooMed ReptiBark. I've got some coming tomorrow. You think I should take alot of decoration out? I've got a red 40w bulb in at the minute, but I do have a 50w basking spot bulb?
What about ZooMed ReptiBark. I've got some coming tomorrow. You think I should take alot of decoration out? I've got a red 40w bulb in at the minute, but I do have a 50w basking spot bulb?
Also got rid of the hemp bedding for aspen. And yet florescent strip bulb
 

cpl1307

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Substrate needs to be changed to coconut coir or reptile bark/orchard bark or combo of the two. Water dish needs to be replaced with a low sided clay saucer. Those water bowls with the ramp is a drowning hazard. The red bulb needs to be replaced with either a incandescent flood bulb for basking or ceramic heat emitter if it's for added day heat and for night heat. The red bulbs can make them eat the substrate. The puck gauge needs to be at tortoise height same with the temp one.
What are you using for uvb? I'm guessing a tube florescent? Which is good
No I just use the sun as warmth in his bath. I've got a 40w basking red bulb. I switched to aspen bedding, So the picture still is sharp hemp. I've got ZooMed ReptiBark coming tomorrow to do half snd half as it retains more moisture without moulding. I'm too scared to let her out in the house. She has Kale, rocket, baby leaf ect. Shredded carrot which isnt her favourite to be honest. She lives the complete food, but I don't. Treat only. She burrows into a big pile of meadow hay in the daytime. When not exploring. I have NEVER seen her drink, so the ramp dish has gone
 

wellington

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Use only the repti bark not any that you are using now, not the Aspen either. The spot bulb is no good, it's too intense. Get a regular flood bulb for basking from a hardware store. Do not use hay for bedding it's too drying and molds easy. I would remove some decorations as the proper water dish you need to get, needs to be big enough that he can fit in it and that will take up space
Never let him roam your house, that can be deadly. Feed as big a variety of the proper foods as possible. Spring mix, endive, ridicchio, mustard and collard greens, then any weeds that you can find that are safe and chemical free.
 
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zovick

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No I just use the sun as warmth in his bath. I've got a 40w basking red bulb. I switched to aspen bedding, So the picture still is sharp hemp. I've got ZooMed ReptiBark coming tomorrow to do half snd half as it retains more moisture without moulding. I'm too scared to let her out in the house. She has Kale, rocket, baby leaf ect. Shredded carrot which isnt her favourite to be honest. She lives the complete food, but I don't. Treat only. She burrows into a big pile of meadow hay in the daytime. When not exploring. I have NEVER seen her drink, so the ramp dish has gone
Just a word of caution here. I lost an extremely beautiful adult female Star Tortoise years ago when I tried keeping my Stars on Aspen Bedding. Although I never saw her eating it, she became fully impacted and died. The necropsy showed absolutely nothing except Aspen Bedding throughout her entire GI tract. She must have loved eating it, but it is not digestible by tortoises, and using it caused her death.
 

TammyJ

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No I just use the sun as warmth in his bath. I've got a 40w basking red bulb. I switched to aspen bedding, So the picture still is sharp hemp. I've got ZooMed ReptiBark coming tomorrow to do half snd half as it retains more moisture without moulding. I'm too scared to let her out in the house. She has Kale, rocket, baby leaf ect. Shredded carrot which isnt her favourite to be honest. She lives the complete food, but I don't. Treat only. She burrows into a big pile of meadow hay in the daytime. When not exploring. I have NEVER seen her drink, so the ramp dish has gone
That final sentence "I have NEVER seen her drink, so the ramp dish has gone." It's totally scary, if you have in fact removed her drinking/soaking water because you have not seen her drink. Please understand that all tortoises need water, whether you see them using it or not! You were advised to replace the ramp dish with a plain shallow plant pot saucer sunk into the substrate (orchid bark or coconut coir, hopefully), because the ramp dish is a drowning hazard. She needs a soaking and drinking pool that she can easily reach to drink from or slide down into easily. Thanks.
 

cpl1307

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That final sentence "I have NEVER seen her drink, so the ramp dish has gone." It's totally scary, if you have in fact removed her drinking/soaking water because you have not seen her drink. Please understand that all tortoises need water, whether you see them using it or not! You were advised to replace the ramp dish with a plain shallow plant pot saucer sunk into the substrate (orchid bark or coconut coir, hopefully), because the ramp dish is a drowning hazard. She needs a soaking and drinking pool that she can easily reach to drink from or slide down into easily. Thanks.
I've kept her healthy for over a year. Do you really think I completely remove her water source 😄.. i took your advice and put a small shallow dish it for her. The ramp took too much room up anyway. Do people really believe they don't need water? It was yiyr advice I used!!
 

wellington

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I've kept her healthy for over a year. Do you really think I completely remove her water source 😄.. i took your advice and put a small shallow dish it for her. The ramp took too much room up anyway. Do people really believe they don't need water? It was yiyr advice I used!!
Yes, there are people out there that do think they don't need water and we have gotten them on here
Water should always be available 24/7 in a low sided clay saucer so they can self soak if they feel the need.
 

cpl1307

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Has a 20 minute bath everyday aswell with a heat regulator in it. Do you live in the uk and could you send me a picture of the correct bult, watt, colour because I have 3 different ones now that 3 different vets have told me to get
 

cpl1307

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Has a 20 minute bath everyday aswell with a heat regulator in it. Do you live in the uk and could you send me a picture of the correct bult, watt, colour because I have 3 different ones now that 3 different vets have told me to get
Bulb sorry
 

cpl1307

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Yes, there are people out there that do think they don't need water and we have gotten them on here
Water should always be available 24/7 in a low sided clay saucer so they can self soak if they feel the need.
 

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wellington

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Do not listen to vets, most do not have a clue about tortoise care.
I'm no in the UK. But I do believe you can get the correct bulb for basking.
Pictured. It's just a regular incandescent flood bulb that you would buy for your house. Not sold at or in reptile supply stores, but hardware stores, etc.
 

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cpl1307

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4 I've got. 3 red 1 white. The white is only 50w. Il order a 120v right now. Thankyou
 

cpl1307

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wellington

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The white one I showed
Not to replace getting the flood bulb. The spot bulb is too intense.
You need to get the flood bulb for basking.
Florescent with UVB for uvb
Ceramic heat emitter for added day heat if needed and for night heat if needed.
The spot bulb you have can be used higher up just for light if you want but not for basking
The red bulbs don't use at all.
 

Lyn W

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We can't get incandescent bulbs in the UK anymore. Arcadia are a good brand and sell flood bulbs. uvb tube kits and ceramic heat emitters. CHEs are great for night heat as they don't give any light and torts need darkness to sleep; also can be used for basking and extra heat when needed, but they should always be run through a thermostat to make sure they don't make your tort overheat.
 

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