glass surfing

[OogWillie]

I have had a baby margie for around a month and a half and has recently been pacing around a lot and glass surfing, even trying to climb it occasionally under near his basking spot. Is this something I should be worried about?

 

[Tom]

I have had a baby margie for around a month and a half and has recently been pacing around a lot and glass surfing, even trying to climb it occasionally under near his basking spot. Is this something I should be worried about?

What size Margie (weight in grams) and what size tank?

What type of heat lamp, and what type of UV bulb?

What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?

 

[OogWillie]

What size Margie (weight in grams) and what size tank?

What type of heat lamp, and what type of UV bulb?

What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?

Right now he’s in a 3x1 foot tank and he weighs about 48 grams.
He has above heat, it’s a ceramic bulb and a normal UV bulb from zoo med.
The warm side is an ambient 80ish, with the basking spot being 100, the cool is around 74 and the night temp drops to around 70

 

[Tom]

Right now he’s in a 3x1 foot tank and he weighs about 48 grams.
He has above heat, it’s a ceramic bulb and a normal UV bulb from zoo med.
The warm side is an ambient 80ish, with the basking spot being 100, the cool is around 74 and the night temp drops to around 70

Sorry to be a pain, but its relevant... What type of UV bulb from ZoMed? They make multiple types. Is it the screw in CFL type? If yes, that could be the problem. Those burn their eyes. Turn it off ASAP and don't use it.

Your temps sound perfect.

 

[OogWillie]

Sorry to be a pain, but its relevant... What type of UV bulb from ZoMed? They make multiple types. Is it the screw in CFL type? If yes, that could be the problem. Those burn their eyes. Turn it off ASAP and don't use it.

Your temps sound perfect.

It’s this

 

[OogWillie]

Sorry to be a pain, but its relevant... What type of UV bulb from ZoMed? They make multiple types. Is it the screw in CFL type? If yes, that could be the problem. Those burn their eyes. Turn it off ASAP and don't use it.

Your temps sound perfect.

If this is the problem, what should I do for UVB instead ?

 

[Tom]

If this is the problem, what should I do for UVB instead ?

That might be the problem.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html Here in our climate, you shouldn't need indoor UV.

 

[OogWillie]

That might be the problem.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html Here in our climate, you shouldn't need indoor UV.

Okay thank you.

 

[Yossarian]

Torts dont do great with glass tbh, if they can see through it some will try forever to get to the other side. If thats the case, you can try screening the bottom but torts also have good memories and it wont soon forget that it wants out.

 

[OogWillie]

Torts dont do great with glass tbh, if they can see through it some will try forever to get to the other side. If thats the case, you can try screening the bottom but torts also have good memories and it wont soon forget that it wants out.

Yea, I've been thinking the same thing, I am going to get a tortoise box and I'm going to build a table for it.