HELP (sulcata has runny nose)

lismar79

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Did anything happen that would have caused a ri? Temp drop, lights blow out? If not, I would not worry. Do increase temp for a day or two and keep an eye on him. Keep us posted :)
 

leigti

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How far away from the tortoise well the light me? 160 W might be a little too much if it's 12 inches away from the top of your tortoise. but if it's higher than that that's okay. You don't want to cook your tortoise but you also don't want the lamp so high that the UV rays won't get to them.
 

Tom

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What size is your tortoise now? THis and the size of the enclosure should dictate whether you use the 100 or the 160. Start with it at 18" and then adjust the height to get the right basking temperature.

You can also use florescent HO bulbs for UV and to brighten up the enclosure over winter. I get mine here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com


Cold temps are the most likely cause of the runny nose. Keep your tortoise extra hot for a couple weeks to combat the effects. I would not let the temp drop below 85 day or night and ambient day time temps in the low 90's would be good.
 

Tom

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my sulcata is 8 inches big and its getting to cold for him to live outside. I'm thinking the inside enclosure will be 8 by 4ft

A 4x8' closed chamber will get you at least through winter, but probably not much longer than that.

The cold clammy weather in the Bay area is just not good for sulcatas. You have got some challenges to figure out ahead.
 

lismar79

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My enclosure is 6x3. I use a 160 w and a 75 w che. Both about 15-16 inches from my tort who is also 8"
 

Tom

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so is the light from the link ok for a 4 by 8 cage?

He sells many types and sizes of lights. You'll want it bright in there, you'll need a heat bulb for basking, you'll need UV, and you'll need something to maintain ambient temps for you. My usual strategy is:
1. 65 watt incandescent flood lamp for basking set on a timer for 12-13 hours.
2. A regular 48" florescent tube (5000-6500K color range) for light. I set this one on its own timer for around 10-11 hours a day.
3. Two 60 or 100 watt CHEs set on a thermostat to 80. The thermostat keeps my ambient up day or night all the time.
4. A 34 or 46" Arcadia 12% HO bulb and fixture set on a timer for 4-5 hours mid day. I set this one's height with my UV meter to give me strong UV output. Strong like the real sun. Real sun doesn't make strong UV for 12 hours, so I don't run this one for that long.

Using all of the above has worked well for me and somewhat simulates the cycles that happen outside.
 

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