Healthy Diet or Pyramid Bound?

[Tom]

A few things:

• Fruit is not good and not needed. I would skip it entirely.
• Hay is not a good food for babies. Fresh young grass that is chopped into small pieces will serve your tortoise much better.
• Very difficult to maintain correct conditions in an enclosure with an open top. Closed chambers work much better. Like this: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-stack-of-animal-plastics-closed-chambers.165626/
• If you must use something from the grocery store as a base, use endive or escarole, not romaine.
• Best to use as many things from this list as you can find or grow, and skip the grocery store altogether: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
• Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Not by food.

 

[teresaf]

Don't forget. No coil lights. They're not good for tortoise eyes....

 

[Tank & Scooter]

Don't forget. No coil lights. They're not good for tortoise eyes....

I don't know what coil light is ? Like Florissant? I use ceramic for heat and this for uvb & uva

 

[Tank & Scooter]

Did i mess up? Thanks for everyone's input, I read all links you guys post. I think I just messed up? I made new light mount because old mount was unsafe, wire was tied in a knot and that's what was holding my lights. I now made safer mount with matel braces. Don't know what they're called. To hold wires n light. I also cut top to fit better to hold in humidity. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED BEFORE DRILLING, but did I add to many breathing holes ? I think I drilled to many holes or I'm good ? Here's old pics and new pics of mount. I have 50 gallon tub I think I used half inch drill bid

 

[Tank & Scooter]

I don't know what coil light is ? Like Florissant? I use ceramic for heat and this for uvb & uvaView attachment 237003

I should have mentioned I keep that uvb bulb on 12 hour timer. I use it as it's day light.

 

[teresaf]

Did i mess up? Thanks for everyone's input, I read all links you guys post. I think I just messed up? I made new light mount because old mount was unsafe, wire was tied in a knot and that's what was holding my lights. I now made safer mount with matel braces. Don't know what they're called. To hold wires n light. I also cut top to fit better to hold in humidity. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED BEFORE DRILLING, but did I add to many breathing holes ? I think I drilled to many holes or I'm good ? Here's old pics and new pics of mount. I have 50 gallon tub I think I used half inch drill bidView attachment 237004View attachment 237005View attachment 237006View attachment 237007View attachment 237008

I wouldn't have put any holes at the top. What you've just accomplished is letting all heat (which rises) escape out of your enclosure along with most of your humidity. Opening it once or twice a day to feed and bathe him is plenty of air Exchange... I would plug those holes up. Duct tape would work. Don't forget a digital thermometer/hygrometer with probe.,. Oh you can use one of those holes for that... The dial ones don't work for high humidity applications. they're very unreliable intermittently. A lot of people don't like even that kind of coil light bulb.... But I was talking about the coil light bulbs that are looped circularly. If you can get your tortoise outside two or three times a week for sun you shouldn't need a UVB or uva and a regular household incandescent would work. Watch your temperatures carefully after every change in his enclosure...

 

[Tom]

I don't know what coil light is ? Like Florissant? I use ceramic for heat and this for uvb & uva

I recommend against these bulbs and any of the cfl types. They are potentially dangerous and not very effective. If you want indoor UV use the long tube type florescent.

 

[Tank & Scooter]

I wouldn't have put any holes at the top. What you've just accomplished is letting all heat (which rises) escape out of your enclosure along with most of your humidity. Opening it once or twice a day to feed and bathe him is plenty of air Exchange... I would plug those holes up. Duct tape would work. Don't forget a digital thermometer/hygrometer with probe.,. Oh you can use one of those holes for that... The dial ones don't work for high humidity applications. they're very unreliable intermittently. A lot of people don't like even that kind of coil light bulb.... But I was talking about the coil light bulbs that are looped circularly. If you can get your tortoise outside two or three times a week for sun you shouldn't need a UVB or uva and a regular household incandescent would work. Watch your temperatures carefully after every change in his enclosure...

So mission failed lol. I got new idea. I want plexi glass roof but I don't have money for it. I think I'll just drill a crap load of more holes and line the inside with cellophane. I think that's what it's called. So I can see in.

 

[Hugo's Home]

So mission failed lol. I got new idea. I want plexi glass roof but I don't have money for it. I think I'll just drill a crap load of more holes and line the inside with cellophane. I think that's what it's called. So I can see in.View attachment 237017

I don't understand why you would line the inside of the tub and drill more holes. You wanna cover the top to keep the heat and humidity in especially humidity. Make his home as sealed as you can from the outside environment. And like others have said, opening his chamber every day will give him plenty of air.

This person made a little tent frame with a shower Curtin. Super cheap and easy. And home depot will help you cut and pick out all the fittings if you give them your idea.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/finished-a-few-projects.123876/#post-1144044

 

[TechnoCheese]

So mission failed lol. I got new idea. I want plexi glass roof but I don't have money for it. I think I'll just drill a crap load of more holes and line the inside with cellophane. I think that's what it's called. So I can see in.View attachment 237017

You doing need holes. All you’re doing is letting all of the heat and humidity out, and the tub probably won’t be airtight anyway. Tortoises don’t use that much oxygen, so even just opening it once a day to feed or spray or soak is enough.

 

[daniellenc]

Yeah mine has no holes I like the duct tape idea posted here to cover them. If you're worried about seeing in than get a clear plastic tub instead!! That 50 gallon is much too small anyway and target has 3-4ft clear tubs for around $20.

 

[teresaf]

So mission failed lol. I got new idea. I want plexi glass roof but I don't have money for it. I think I'll just drill a crap load of more holes and line the inside with cellophane. I think that's what it's called. So I can see in.View attachment 237017

I think the "crapload of new holes" is for viewing? Then cellophane to cover them to hold in heat and humidity...

 

[Tank & Scooter]

I think the "crapload of new holes" is for viewing? Then cellophane to cover them to hold in heat and humidity...

Corrrecto mundo[emoji106]

 

[Hugo's Home]

Corrrecto mundo[emoji106]

Misunderstood lol

 

[Tank & Scooter]

Misunderstood lol

I wanted clear tub but I think clear barriers will have my torts running into walls. I feel bad because one tort has basic house, other has mansion lol

 

[Tank & Scooter]

I wanted clear tub but I think clear barriers will have my torts running into walls. I feel bad because one tort has basic house, other has mansion lol

I kept the small one in its original house, and put new bully in new small house. I heard new home causes tension in torts. Thats why I put the bully in new home. Waiting for my sister to adopt her

 

[Shortytorty]

TechnoCheese is so right. I am applying maximal effort, but only achieving minimal humidity in my table. If you're going to spend the money, might as well do it right the first time. I really wish I would have.

I don't know what others will think of this but my shorty came with a table that has a screen lid he was already pyramiding when I got him. He only had indoor out door carpet and a plant in there. He was also being kept on a porch with only on bulb. I do not know his age but he was very little when I got him the table is huge, and it was hard to keep warm and humid. So, I put plastic over the wood and filled with substrate and peat moss. Then I covered the lid in plastic making holes for the heat lamp and basking lamp. Doing this enabled me to keep the heat and the humidity where it needs to be. I don't know if its an ideal situation and it certainly isn't pretty but it's working. He is warm and has constant humidity. And seems to be thriving. Good luck.

 

[Nancy Coffelt]

All this wood came from home depot and lowes...lol. View attachment 236972

Very nice job. It loos as good as a store baught one. No, I think it is better.

 

[Sambuka143]

Fruit should not be fed at all. The rest of the diet isn't bad but more variety should be offered.
The pyramiding has to do with humidity. They should be in a closed chamber for two to three years with a humidity of 80%.
Also how many do you have? They should not be kept in pairs. If you have two and they are not in their own enclosure they need to be if not now real soon.

Why?

 

[wellington]

Why?

Most species should not be fed any fruit. Too high in sugars and messes with good bacteria in their gut. Can make them sick.