Help with a red footed hatchling!
- Thread starter brandikeira5
- Start date
This enclosure has a pre-installed LED light and a thermostat but UVB tube light has to be installed on your own (you may ask the the vendor if they can pre-wire/pre-drill enclosure for you).
Screw-in UVB bulbs are not recommended for use due to low and somewhat unpredictable UV output, T5 tubes are better. Given the enclosure height (21") and 3-4" of substrate, Reptisun T5 10.0 lamp can work but I would put some plants around lit area. Or you can make an elevated surface (e.g. rain gutter tunnel covered with substrate) and use a 5.0 lamp.
For heating, if possible, I would place two ceramic heaters for more even heat distribution.
What concerns me about this enclosure is that you will need to seal all seams with aquarium-grade silicone, otherwise, water and humidity will quickly destroy the enclosure.
A PVC enclosure, like this: https://dubiaroaches.com/products/5x2x2-150-gallon-reptile-enclosure (for this one, you'll need to cover the mesh top) or one from Animal Plastics/Kages/Toad Ranch is a better option.
brandikeira5
Active Member
Thank you! I messaged seller about your idea for the the uv light! I appreciate everything you recommended. This forum and everyone is so helpful and it has been a lifesaver!
brandikeira5
Active Member
Would this be good choice instead of a regular hide?
Look though this, It will show you some things to avoid and help quite a bit ~
tortoiseforum.org
Common keeping errors
Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...
tortoiseforum.org
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Haven't seen anything quite like this but one of our members DIYed something similar:
How to Make a Clay Pot Hide
The goal of a terra cotta pot hide is to create a humid hide without spraying the substrate. A standard plastic dish washing tub works great for most species, but for species that cannot handle damp substrate (Egyptians, and maybe Chacos) there is little other choice. With the terra cotta pot...
tortoiseforum.org
What I am most worried about is whether your tortoise will fit through the entrance, as most other reptiles are way more agile than tortoises.
Personally, I just use a turned over plastic box with a entrance hole cut into it as a humid hide. Also, one could argue that humid hides aren't as necessary in a closed chamber enclosure.
brandikeira5
Active Member
Ok thank you! I just ran across it and thought it was pretty cool but wasn't sure about functionality! Thanks! 
They say third time is the charm ~
Where are you getting the hatchling from? It would be good to see if someone here has dealt with them before to recommend or caution you to save you grief and money.
Where are you getting the hatchling from? It would be good to see if someone here has dealt with them before to recommend or caution you to save you grief and money.
brandikeira5
Active Member
We are getting her from a family run place where we live in WV. It called Jurassic feeders and beastly exotics.
brandikeira5
Active Member
Ok! Sorry guys I have a lot of questions! Will this work for uvb? Its the only one I can find that can be mounted in a vivarium and I can turn it on from outside the enclosure. I hope I found what I need!
Are you asking about the compact fluorescent lamp (Reptisun), you've linked above? No, unfortunately, it wouldn't work.
Compact lamps have rather weak UVB output and small lit area (and if you lower the bulb, UV will fluctuate significantly between dangerously high and insufficient). Tube UVB lamps are the way to go (and even out of these only a few are recommended: for example, Arcadia ProT5 kits and ZooMed Terrarium Hoods).
As of the enclosure, keep in mind, that even 5x2ft is not going to last for a long time (just 2-4 years). For a 6-7" tortoise you will need something closer to 25-30 sq.ft (or more if there is no outside pen).
brandikeira5
Active Member
Where can I find a uvb tube that I can mount inside a vivarium and that I can turn on from the outside?
brandikeira5
Active Member
OkayI will do that! I am going to install the uvb light inside. What size would I need for a 59" enclosure? And im gathering a t5 5.0 is okay to use. How many hours a day for a red footed hatchling?
This type of bulb can burn their retinas, make them blind.
It needs to be (scroll down for pictures) :
If you need/want to find this again, these pictures and this info is in the :
tortoiseforum.org
It needs to be (scroll down for pictures) :
If you need/want to find this again, these pictures and this info is in the :
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...
tortoiseforum.org
brandikeira5
Active Member
This type of bulb can burn their retinas, make them blind.
It needs to be (scroll down for pictures) :
If you need/want to find this again, these pictures and this info is in the :
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...
Ok great! Thank you for all of that information! How many hours does uvb need to be on a day? What size for a 59" enclosure?This type of bulb can burn their retinas, make them blind.
It needs to be (scroll down for pictures) :
If you need/want to find this again, these pictures and this info is in the :
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Young red foot/ cherryhead set up
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...
Several of the other members could give you solid specifics, I trust what they've said and just leave my Arcadia T5 tube fixture on for three or four hours. And I make sure my tortoise can get into a hide or under a plant any time she wants to.
When tortoises live in the wild a lot of those sources that we pooh-pooh will say they are in daylight twelve hours of the day - BUT - most of that time they are hiding under bushes or in burrows, so really only have any "quality" UVB for a very few of those hours.
Cliff's Notes version -
3-4 hours, mimicking mid day.
When tortoises live in the wild a lot of those sources that we pooh-pooh will say they are in daylight twelve hours of the day - BUT - most of that time they are hiding under bushes or in burrows, so really only have any "quality" UVB for a very few of those hours.
Cliff's Notes version -
3-4 hours, mimicking mid day.
22" (24W) lamp is totally fine for that enclosure size. Arcadia ProT5 kits are easier to install on the ceiling than ZooMed Terrarium Hoods.
For the 21" tall enclosure I would go with an Arcadia Forest 6% kit. Power cords supplied with these kits have an on/off switch, so you can turn the lamp on and off without opening the enclosure. A bit more expensive Arcadia LumenIZE kits can be programmed and controlled from a smarthphone app. Standard timing is 4 hours around midday but should be adjusted to your tortoise habits.
brandikeira5
Active Member
Oh wow! That's really neat. Thank you for reading my mind and answering my next question about is the forest one correct lol! I think the one you mentioned sounds perfect for us! I love that i can control it just in case so we never worry about forgetting to turn it on! Is this link for the correct item. Also this may seem silly but can you just buy replacement tubes after the initial kit? I am having trouble seeing those. Thank you so much for all of this help! There's no way I could have got this all together with out all the great feedback!
brandikeira5
Active Member
Okay great! Thank you! You guys are wonderful. I cant wait to get this up and running!
Yes, this is the correct UVB kit.
Of course, later you can just get the replacement tube, not the whole kit. And if you upgrade to larger (taller) enclosure you can put a Desert lamp in the same fixture. With a runtime of 4 hours a day, this lamp should last 2-3 years.
No problem, I'm glad I was helpful. Further questions are, of course, welcomed.
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