Habitat Smells?

[ZEROPILOT]

There were two posts. The other was more descriptive.

 

[Jillian Fricke]

Not sure if this helps, but ss the smell more on the organic side? Like putrid meat (gross, I know). On two separate occasions, after I soaked new coir, that's what it smelled like. One was purchased off Amazon and one was from my local pet store. But the the awful smell was immediately noticeable; it didn't take a month.

A very warm welcome to the forum!

And I hope you get an answer to your somewhat "strange" question soon.

The plastic water dish....would you mind removing it for awhile ...air out the enclosure and then see if the smell still persists....if no, then return the plastic water dish and see if the smell returns....I once had a plain bulb literally melt a plastic water dish and the only clue it was happening was I smelt a burning smell.....the dish is still a tad warped.....

How far away from the heat element/lamp is the substrate? Top of the tortoise? 10 inches, 12 inches????

You've presented a real mystery.
But I don't know what coco coir smells like.

Gosh, I am getting a ton of feedback here! It truly means a lot to me to have all of you offering up suggestions and solutions in your spare time.

The basking lamp is probably eight inches away from the substrate, and the UVB light is 12 inches away. Nothing appears to be melted, but I will remove the water dish from under the UVB light to test out your theory, ascott. I think I MAY have narrowed it down to the opuntia cactus pad. It tends to smell a bit after sitting out for an hour or so.

 

[ascott]

Gosh, I am getting a ton of feedback here! It truly means a lot to me to have all of you offering up suggestions and solutions in your spare time.

The basking lamp is probably eight inches away from the substrate, and the UVB light is 12 inches away. Nothing appears to be melted, but I will remove the water dish from under the UVB light to test out your theory, ascott. I think I MAY have narrowed it down to the opuntia cactus pad. It tends to smell a bit after sitting out for an hour or so.

What type of uv bulb are you using?