help (Asian box turtle)

newbietort

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Hiya I'm very new to the world of tortoises but seem to have been given one today and could not refuse it I'm in the uk and its a Asian box turtle the Viv it's in is wooden 4ft long with a water tray about 3 inch deep at one end with a heat mat under wood chippens and red basking light at the other end can anyone shed some light on a good care sheet or any info please about temp diet etc etc thanks any help would be brilliant thanks
 

newbietort

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Thanks for the care sheet can I ask do you have a heat pad in the viv under the subtrate and is this kept on 24/7 and also I couldn't find night time temps anywhere is it ok to turn the red basking light off and heat pad off at night if I run a 12 on 12 off routine thanks
 

newbietort

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I have been given a 1year old turtle maybe a bit older and want to make sure evertything in the viv is setup right it's an Asian box turtle in a 4 ft viv with heat pad under wood chip substrate red heat basking bulb one end and a tray with water the other end a couple of inches deep is there any need for this heat pad to be on 24/7 I thought it was a bit dangerous for the turtle
 

dmmj

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4 turtles and tortoises keep pads are not the best way to go the way they're designed a overhead heat source is best
 

newbietort

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Thanks will buy this bulb today for it and what about night time is it safe to have a night time drop in temp like in the wild
 

ZEROPILOT

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Thanks will buy this bulb today for it and what about night time is it safe to have a night time drop in temp like in the wild
How big is the temp drop?
A lot of us use a ceramic heat emitter CME to give off heat with no light.
I don't, since my temps never fall far below 77(ish)
 

newbietort

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It would be around 75f without anyheat for 12 hours I was asked to look after him yesterday so I agreed a couple of hours later I was told I can have it they don't want it back never had a turtle before but I keep chameleons so just trying to get things sorted today
 

ZEROPILOT

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75 wouldn't be too low every now and then, but it would seriously slow down digestion and could, over time be an issue. Just tweaking it up to 80 would be a much better idea.
Hopefully someone else will soon chime in. I'd just hate to tell you it's fine and read later on that you had issues.........
 

newbietort

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Yeah thanks I just want to get it all setup for him he has been in this tank with the heat pad red light etc for the last 12months+ with no uvb light is that right??
 

ZEROPILOT

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Yeah thanks I just want to get it all setup for him he has been in this tank with the heat pad red light etc for the last 12months+ with no uvb light is that right??
I failed to see that part. Unless he gets to spend time outside every day, He DESPERATELY NEEDS UVB light. A MVB bulb should do the trick.
 

dmmj

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12 months without UBB That's far too long try to get this guy some real sunshine if you can
 
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