Good Enclosure for a year?

[LR72]

This is the enclosure which im going to be keeping my russian tortoise (Sami) in for about a year or so until i can make a bigger one myself. She’s currently 1 year old and the table is about 3-4 feet. I am still learning as i am going. I’ve recently ordered a Floodlight and will be able to order a proper uvb arcadia tube within 1-2 months but for now, she’s getting a spotlight uva/uvb which i now know isn’t the best but i’m sure it won’t have any long term effects. I’ve already also ordered a hydrometer for humidity which should be coming soon. Please let me know if you think there is anything that i should change

 

[wellington]

Take the log hide and the small water dish out. They only need one hide and one water dish. The green leaf dish is a better size for a water dish.
Also you do realize she will need a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure as an adult.

 

[Tom]

This is the enclosure which im going to be keeping my russian tortoise (Sami) in for about a year or so until i can make a bigger one myself. She’s currently 1 year old and the table is about 3-4 feet. I am still learning as i am going. I’ve recently ordered a Floodlight and will be able to order a proper uvb arcadia tube within 1-2 months but for now, she’s getting a spotlight uva/uvb which i now know isn’t the best but i’m sure it won’t have any long term effects. I’ve already also ordered a hydrometer for humidity which should be coming soon. Please let me know if you think there is anything that i should change

That encloosure with that light and that substrate is going to cause irreversible pyramiding. Its too dry. Also, that one heat/light source forces the tortoise to bask under a desiccating bulb in order to function and live. You need ambient light, a UV tube, and ambient heat in addition to that one bulb.

The size of the table is adequate for a small tortoise temporarily, but the conditions in an open topped table can't be made right for a growing baby. Irreversible damage is being done daily in an environment like that.

Also, you need to secure the lamp fixture. Those clamps always fail eventually. If you are lucky, the bulb will break and your tortoise will be walking in broken glass and possible have a shock hazard. If the bulb doesn't break when it falls, it could burn down your whole house, and your neighbor's too. This happens all the time. Don't rely on that clamp. Mount it and fix it in place in some way or other.

I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but our only interest is in helping your tortoise, and helping you have a long term enjoyable tortoise owning experience. We aren't trying to be mean. We have to tell you what is wrong so you can fix it.

 

[LR72]

That encloosure with that light and that substrate is going to cause irreversible pyramiding. Its too dry. Also, that one heat/light source forces the tortoise to bask under a desiccating bulb in order to function and live. You need ambient light, a UV tube, and ambient heat in addition to that one bulb.

The size of the table is adequate for a small tortoise temporarily, but the conditions in an open topped table can't be made right for a growing baby. Irreversible damage is being done daily in an environment like that.

Also, you need to secure the lamp fixture. Those clamps always fail eventually. If you are lucky, the bulb will break and your tortoise will be walking in broken glass and possible have a shock hazard. If the bulb doesn't break when it falls, it could burn down your whole house, and your neighbor's too. This happens all the time. Don't rely on that clamp. Mount it and fix it in place in some way or other.

I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but our only interest is in helping your tortoise, and helping you have a long term enjoyable tortoise owning experience. We aren't trying to be mean. We have to tell you what is wrong so you can fix it.

Okay, I will change the lamp fixture as soon as possible. I forgot to mention that i will change the substrate to reptibark in 1 or 2 months from now.

With the lightbulb, since my new floodlight has arrived, I will let my tortoise get its daily 12 hours of UVB/UVA and then switch it to the UVA floodlight for a little while until i can afford my UVB arcadia tube.

If this tortoise table isn’t adequate, could you recommend an example of one that would be please.

Also, no worries about being harsh, im on this forum to hear whats best for my tortoise not what i want to hear so thank you!

 

[LR72]

Take the log hide and the small water dish out. They only need one hide and one water dish. The green leaf dish is a better size for a water dish.
Also you do realize she will need a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure as an adult.

yeah okay i will. I’ll be able
to give her a larger enclosure as ill have moved out of my parents house with sami by the time she’s an adult

 

[Tom]

Okay, I will change the lamp fixture as soon as possible. I forgot to mention that i will change the substrate to reptibark in 1 or 2 months from now.

With the lightbulb, since my new floodlight has arrived, I will let my tortoise get its daily 12 hours of UVB/UVA and then switch it to the UVA floodlight for a little while until i can afford my UVB arcadia tube.

If this tortoise table isn’t adequate, could you recommend an example of one that would be please.

Also, no worries about being harsh, im on this forum to hear whats best for my tortoise not what i want to hear so thank you!

No reptile needs 12 hours of UVB per day. This doesn't happen in the wild and it isn't natural. 2-3 hours mid day is plenty with a UVI of 3 to 4. This is one reason why the ambient lighting is necessary. It still needs to look like day time even when the UV is off.

You need a large vivarium. An open topped enclosure isn't going to work for a baby. Babies need higher temps and humidity to grow smoothly. Full sized adults can handle the lower room temps and lower room humidity, but babies need it warmer and more humid. Having an open top is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof. It can't work. There is at least one company there in the UK that makes large custom vivariums at a reasonable price. You can't buy it at a store because they are too small and poorly designed.

 

[LR72]

No reptile needs 12 hours of UVB per day. This doesn't happen in the wild and it isn't natural. 2-3 hours mid day is plenty with a UVI of 3 to 4. This is one reason why the ambient lighting is necessary. It still needs to look like day time even when the UV is off.

You need a large vivarium. An open topped enclosure isn't going to work for a baby. Babies need higher temps and humidity to grow smoothly. Full sized adults can handle the lower room temps and lower room humidity, but babies need it warmer and more humid. Having an open top is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof. It can't work. There is at least one company there in the UK that makes large custom vivariums at a reasonable price. You can't buy it at a store because they are too small and poorly designed.

oh okay, ill make these changes as soon as possible. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

oh okay, ill make these changes as soon as possible. Thanks!

You are welcome. Please feel free to ask all your questions.