Good advice on Russian Tortoises appreciated.

[erickrawls]

Hello I could use some help with my Russian tortoises. Is there better uvb bulbs then what my local pets mart has on the shelf? if so what? and how can I get my little buddies to eat repcal calcium? its in a powder form and when I mix it with food like spring mix or there grass pellets they will not eat it. is 85-90 degrees fine? also how can I measure or create the right humidity in there enclosure? Thanks.

 

[SweetGreekTorts]

The UVB bulbs that I use are the Arcadia 12% T5 HO fluorescent tubes. You'll find them and the ballast cheapest on Reptile Basics Inc website.

I leave a cuttlebone in the enclosures for babies to munch on. But if you want to use the powder and sprinkling doesn't work, try adding a little water and stir a few pieces of food in it to soak up the mixture.

Basking temp should be 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity for babies should be around 80%, which can be achieved by keeping substrate damp, providing a humid hide, and covering the enclosure to keep heat and humidity in. "Hot and humid" is the key. Digital thermometer + hygrometer with probes is what I use to monitor my temps and humidity.

Pics of your enclosure would certainly help us to see if anything might need tweaking.

 

[wellington]

We have a couple good carsheets to read in the russian section.
How many do you have and are you housing them in the same enclosure and how big is that enclosure?

 

[Lyn W]

Using any coiled or cfll type of bulb isn't advised because of the risks of damage to tort eyes.