Heating and lighting for a Russian tortoise

[Tort1419]

Over my large indoor enclosure I will have a I've strip light that will provide uvb where ever the tortoise goes, I will also provide a basking spot. I am confused on how to keep the rest of the cage warm. Do I have more heating lamps that heat at lower temperatures, also at night, there will be no lights on, no uvb, or heat of course I will need heat if my temperature of the room drops below 65 is. Is this all correct. Also what is the best substrate I should use. I'm think mostly topsoil with some coco fiber 50/50 ratio and also in some places Timothy hay. A question about humidity as well. Should the humidity be around 70 percent is all throughout the cage or should there be different levels of humidity

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

See your other thread re a possible CHE for night time temps.
But also your substrate choice seems fine as long as you have good, chemical free topsoil with little or no sand.
Humidity should be all around, though sometimes it will be higher in the hide,I think 70% is OK, though check as i don't have this species.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Your night temps can easily drop to 60 without needing extra heat.

 

[Tom]

Over my large indoor enclosure I will have a I've strip light that will provide uvb where ever the tortoise goes, I will also provide a basking spot. I am confused on how to keep the rest of the cage warm. Do I have more heating lamps that heat at lower temperatures, also at night, there will be no lights on, no uvb, or heat of course I will need heat if my temperature of the room drops below 65 is. Is this all correct. Also what is the best substrate I should use. I'm think mostly topsoil with some coco fiber 50/50 ratio and also in some places Timothy hay. A question about humidity as well. Should the humidity be around 70 percent is all throughout the cage or should there be different levels of humidity

You don't need the rest of the cage warm, but you can add more light bulbs or CHE's if needed because your tortoise's behavior indicates there is a problem.

I would not use any hay for substrate for two reasons: 1. It will mold if it gets wet. 2. Russians aren't grass eaters. I prefer orchid bark. Its cheap, its easy and you can buy it in bulk. I don't like topsoil because there is no way to know what its made of. Coco coir (fiber) is good for babies, but I find it too messy for adults.

 

[Tort1419]

Ok Tom then what do you suggest as a substrate, please I need to know, also don't some people say using bark is bad becuase it creates toxic fumes

 

[Tort1419]

Also Tom could you check out my double layer enclosure and see if this idea is good

 

[Tort1419]

Can't it give them splinters

 

[Tort1419]

And also can plants grow in it

 

[Tort1419]

What do you think about topsoil and play sand mixture/ and a one inch layer of cypress mulch

 

[JoesMum]

There is no place for playsand in an enclosure in my opinion. Even covered with mulch. Torts dig. There is always a risk of the sand sticking to food and impacting in the gut.

 

[Tom]

Ok Tom then what do you suggest as a substrate, please I need to know, also don't some people say using bark is bad becuase it creates toxic fumes

Orchid bark.

I've never heard anyone say bark create toxic fumes. I think you might be confusing bark with cedar chips. Cedar emits "toxic" fumes. That's why it repels moths. I've been using orchid bark in closed chambers for years with tiny new hatchlings. Never a problem.

 

[Tom]

Also Tom could you check out my double layer enclosure and see if this idea is good

Send me a link, or tag me in the thread.

 

[Tom]

Can't it give them splinters

No. I run my fingers and hands through and my tender human skin gets no splinters. Armored tortoise skin will have no issues with it. I've been using orchid bark for reptiles for almost 30 years now. Not one splinter in all that time.

 

[Tom]

And also can plants grow in it

Plants don't really grow in anything but soil, and I don't like soil as a substrate. Grow your plants in pots or in trays that you can switch in and out as they get eaten, like Zeno suggested.

 

[Tom]

What do you think about topsoil and play sand mixture/ and a one inch layer of cypress mulch

Sand in any amount is dangerous. It can cause impaction or skin and eye irritation. I've seen both ailments many times with sand.

I don't care for cypress because: 1. Its dirty and stinky and I have to spend a lot of time, effort and water cleaning it before use. 2. The mulch is never uniform and often has some large chunks in it that I don't like. 3. It depletes the swamps in the Southern US of their trees.

One more time: Orchid bark is the most trouble free, safest, and best substrate in my experience. I can't for the life of me figure out why so many people want to make this so complicated by choosing so many other things and mixtures. By a 2.0 cubic bag of orchid bark for $5, pour it into the substrate, wet it to feel, and BOOM! You are done.

 

[Tort1419]

Sand in any amount is dangerous. It can cause impaction or skin and eye irritation. I've seen both ailments many times with sand.

I don't care for cypress because: 1. Its dirty and stinky and I have to spend a lot of time, effort and water cleaning it before use. 2. The mulch is never uniform and often has some large chunks in it that I don't like. 3. It depletes the swamps in the Southern US of their trees.

One more time: Orchid bark is the most trouble free, safest, and best substrate in my experience. I can't for the life of me figure out why so many people want to make this so complicated by choosing so many other things and mixtures. By a 2.0 cubic bag of orchid bark for $5, pour it into the substrate, wet it to feel, and BOOM! You are done.

Alright if I find a topsoil that I can read the ingridients in I will post it online and people can check if it is safe. Then I will mix it with orchid bark so o can grow plants, if I find out what is in the topsoil. Also here is the link
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-layer-enclosure.123161/

 

[Tom]

Alright if I find a topsoil that I can read the ingridients in I will post it online and people can check if it is safe. Then I will mix it with orchid bark so o can grow plants, if I find out what is in the topsoil. Also here is the link
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-layer-enclosure.123161/

You can't know what is in the topsoil because the seller doesn't know. Its just a bunch of composted material. It could be composted yard clippings and rose bushes, or it could be composted oleander and azaleas. No way to know.

 

[Tort1419]

You can't know what is in the topsoil because the seller doesn't know. Its just a bunch of composted material. It could be composted yard clippings and rose bushes, or it could be composted oleander and azaleas. No way to know.

Ok good point but I just wish there was a way I could grow plants in the enclosure, what about topsoil from my dads garden, no pesticides are sprayed on it

 

[JoesMum]

The problem with growing in plants in an enclosure is that they either get eaten to the ground in 24 hours or stomped flat because your tort can't be bothered to walk round them.

If you grow them in pots or trays, you can swap them out to recover or replant easily and replace with a fresh pot/tray you have waiting.

 

[Tom]

...but I just wish there was a way I could grow plants in the enclosure,

There is. Grow your plants in pots with potting soil that the tortoises do not have access to. Move the substrate out of the way, put the pot base on the bottom of the enclosure and push the substrate back around it. This way you can cycle several of the same size pots through as they get eaten. Grow 10 pots of a variety of stuff and have one or two pots in the enclosure at a time. 8 pots can be growing and recovering, while two pots are getting grazed on. Trays will serve the same function but offer a larger surface area. Chemical free soil from Dad's garden sounds like a good idea.