Help needed please. (RF tort)

[YorkshireGirl76]

Hi, i have just got a red foot and have been told it is about 1 and a half yrs old. He very rarely comes out and only seems to perk up after we give him a soak, after which he likes to have a walk and some food, then goes back off to sleep or hide in his hide. Is that normal? Also, I have read up on temps and humidity but they all contradict each other so can someone please help what temp and humidity should be and also where the best place for the hide is. Thank you.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Hello welcome, and congrats on your new baby. He doesn't look a year and half, I suspect he's much younger. They don't really like change and they will sulk a little while. That is perfectly normal behavior though. Babies spend the majority of their time hiding from predators. You'll want to keep your new baby around 84-86F. You also want to keep the humidity at 80-100% for at least the first two years or until the tort is about 5-6 inches. After that you can back off the humidity a little 50%+ for adults.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

Thank you. I have no idea how to tell the age. I read if you count the rings and divide by 2 you will roughly get their age and Flash has 3 rings so worked out about 1 and a half yrs. He is in a 4 foot vivarium and we have a temp and humidity clock in each back corner. He only comes out if i take him out and bath him, he will then go back in and eat and have a walk for awhile, should I do that everyday? The vivarium is much more humid at the cooler end of the vivarium which is where we have put his hide.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

Also, we were told we could turn the lights off at night and just put them back on in the morning, is this correct?

 

[Yvonne G]

You might be keeping him too dry.

Yes, lights off at night and use a ceramic heat emitter for night time heat without light.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

What is a ceramic heat emitter?

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

What wattage would be best for the heat emitter? Would a heat mat work better as a night time source of warmth?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

What wattage would be best for the heat emitter? Would a heat mat work better as a night time source of warmth?

Most people use either radiant heat panels or ceramic heat emitters for warmth. You can buy a thermostat that it plugs into that you can set your desired temperature too. It will turn off when it gets above that and on when it gets below that.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

If i get the ceramic heat emitter bulb, is that the only bulb I need apart from the uv 1?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

If i get the ceramic heat emitter bulb, is that the only bulb I need apart from the uv 1?

Yes, a CHE for heat and a UVB light is all you need.

 

[herpivore]

A Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) is similar to a light bulb except it has the wire inside ceramic, instead of a glass bulb. It will radiate heat but no light, so is commonly used for night-time heating.
An appropriately sized heat mat, or a heat panel, would also provide heat without light, but should be on a thermostat. Otherwise they will easily overheat the terrarium & tortoise.
A CHE should also be connected to a thermostat, but if it's small enough (60/75watt) it shouldn't need a thermostat. Of course, better safe than sorry. Compare the cost of a thermostat and/or an appropriate environment to the expense and heartbreak of losing a pet.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

Thank you so much. Much more helpful than the local pet store. I have a thermostat i can use with it. What wattage would I need? Does it not matter that the CHE doesnt show light in the viv like a basking light does?

 

[herpivore]

The tortoise also needs a basking light (though some tortoises have a combo UVB/heat bulb such as metal halide lights provide).
The preferred method is a plain incandescent bulb along with a straight tube UVB fluorescent light, both on a 12 hour on/12 hour off cycle, and a CHE in a third location over the terrarium which should be controlled by a thermostat (on/off is fine & less pricey, but proportional thermostats (like a thermostat with an automatic dimmer switch) provide a more even heat for any tortoise.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Thank you so much. Much more helpful than the local pet store. I have a thermostat i can use with it. What wattage would I need? Does it not matter that the CHE doesnt show light in the viv like a basking light does?

Your uvb light is enough light. You don't need anything else. Look around on eBay or Amazon. You will find a CHE much cheaper than the pet store. I pay about $9 for mine.

150W CERAMIC HEAT EMITTER BROODER INFRARED LAMP BULB REPTILE PET COOP GROW | eBay

Willhelp plants germinate and. Simple Deluxe ceramic heat emitter bulb is perfect for reptile and amphibian terrariums, incubating poultry, cat or dog houses, or greenhouse heater. amphibian terrariums.

www.ebay.com

150W CERAMIC HEAT EMITTER BROODER INFRARED LAMP BULB REPTILE PET COOP GROW | eBay

Willhelp plants germinate and. Simple Deluxe ceramic heat emitter bulb is perfect for reptile and amphibian terrariums, incubating poultry, cat or dog houses, or greenhouse heater. amphibian terrariums.

www.ebay.com

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

Your uvb light is enough light. You don't need anything else. Look around on eBay or Amazon. You will find a CHE much cheaper than the pet store. I pay about $9 for mine.

150W CERAMIC HEAT EMITTER BROODER INFRARED LAMP BULB REPTILE PET COOP GROW | eBay

Willhelp plants germinate and. Simple Deluxe ceramic heat emitter bulb is perfect for reptile and amphibian terrariums, incubating poultry, cat or dog houses, or greenhouse heater. amphibian terrariums.

www.ebay.com

150W CERAMIC HEAT EMITTER BROODER INFRARED LAMP BULB REPTILE PET COOP GROW | eBay

Willhelp plants germinate and. Simple Deluxe ceramic heat emitter bulb is perfect for reptile and amphibian terrariums, incubating poultry, cat or dog houses, or greenhouse heater. amphibian terrariums.

www.ebay.com

I have just been looking at these. We already have a Pro Ceramic Lamp Holder but it just has a regular basking light in it. The set up works fine in the day but at night it gets cooler here in England. I'll get 1 of these to replace the basking light and just plug it into my thermostat plug so if it gets too hot then it will just turn off.
The other problem I seem to have is being able to hold the humidity in the viv. I have sprayed the substrate with a water bottle and the humidity rises but it soon goes down again to about 40% in the basking light area and 63% in the cooler part of the tank. I dont know what im doing wrong but I just cant seem to keep the humidity at 80%

 

[herpivore]

... What wattage would I need? Does it not matter that the CHE doesnt show light in the viv like a basking light does?

The needed wattage depends greatly on the setup - how open it is to air flow & how warm the room it's in can get. That's why it's recommended to use a thermostat, and use a slightly higher wattage than recommended.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I've raised babies (usually in a 40 gallon breeder tank with a mostly covered top) with a basking bulb, a CHE on a thermostat, and a fluorescent UVB bulb. They spend time near each fixture.

 

[YorkshireGirl76]

The needed wattage depends greatly on the setup - how open it is to air flow & how warm the room it's in can get. That's why it's recommended to use a thermostat, and use a slightly higher wattage than recommended.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I've raised babies (usually in a 40 gallon breeder tank with a mostly covered top) with a basking bulb, a CHE on a thermostat, and a fluorescent UVB bulb. They spend time near each fixture.

This is the set up

 

[herpivore]

Try adding a water dish under the heat bulb. I sometimes use a tall container or jar with a large sponge (or even an aquarium air stone/air pump combo (don't put this under the heat bulb though)).
Also be sure it won't tip over, allow the tortoise to fall in, or let the tortoise eat the sponge.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I have just been looking at these. We already have a Pro Ceramic Lamp Holder but it just has a regular basking light in it. The set up works fine in the day but at night it gets cooler here in England. I'll get 1 of these to replace the basking light and just plug it into my thermostat plug so if it gets too hot then it will just turn off.
The other problem I seem to have is being able to hold the humidity in the viv. I have sprayed the substrate with a water bottle and the humidity rises but it soon goes down again to about 40% in the basking light area and 63% in the cooler part of the tank. I dont know what im doing wrong but I just cant seem to keep the humidity at 80%

Make your substrate a little deeper if possible and instead of misting take a bottle and literally pour a good bit of water in one corner. That will be easier to hold humidity than misting.