homes hingeback substrate and lighting question

[jwhite]

Hi I just picked up a homes at the NARBC in Tinley Park this last weekend and I have a couple of questions about their substrate and lighting. I was going to keep it on the coconut coir, but at the show one guy told me moss and another said cypress so now I am not sure. And lighting I know they don't need it as hot as my russians so I was going to use a CHE and room light, but don't they need and kind of UV. Also I saw that some people use under tank heaters what would be the benefit of that. Thanks

Jon

 

[Kristina]

Any of those three substrates would be fine. I use coconut coir and cypress mulch mixed, covered with a layer of leaf litter. They like to burrow in it.

You are probably going to find that a CHE or under tank heater will be too hot. Saying that they do not need as much heat as a Russian is an understatement. My Home's are happiest at 72-75 degrees. I personally use an incandescent black light bulb ($1 each at Walmart now, during Halloween time) if I use anything at all, which I usually do not. If you heat the enclosure at all, center it in one spot so that they can get away from it and cool off. Home's do not need UV. If you choose to use a UV bulb, I would use a 5.0 or 2.0 florescent and place it over the feeding area only. They do not like bright light and ambient room lighting is fine for them.

 

[jwhite]

Thanks kyryah, I thought they needed temps in the low to mid 80's.

I do have some leaves in the enclosure. I forgot to ask what about supplements i was given a sampla of calcium that the seller uses but I am just making sure.

Jon

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Jon they're virtually the same as the K. erosa!

You may be able to glean info from my website - http://www.turtletary.com/hingeback.htm

Leaves.. temps in mid-70's.. mushrooms for "D".. low lights.

Let us know...

NERD
[ too slow on typing.. besides Kristina learned everything from... you can probly guess who! ]

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Thanks kyryah, I thought they needed temps in the low to mid 80's.

I do have some leaves in the enclosure. I forgot to ask what about supplements i was given a sampla of calcium that the seller uses but I am just making sure.

Jon

BEWARE .. forget and ignore anything you know or have heard about keeping tortoises.. when it comes to the "homes"! Not much/little known really.. even less about the K. erosa.

My practice when it comes to keeping "ANY" tortoise is to inquire as to the "advisors" hands-on experience FIRST! You and your new charge will be better off that way. At least research where that particular species is native to.

The above is basically the 'mid-range' for this species. They live IN the forest primarily. My .erosa come from the Benin territory reportedly.

No supplements......... feed them right first and they won't need supplements.

NERD

 

[Kristina]

[ too slow on typing.. besides Kristina learned everything from... you can probly guess who! ]

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I might be mistaken Terry, but I think I have had my Home's longer than you had your erosas

 

[Jacqui]

I use the coir (Bed-a-beast)/sand combo myself for the base. Then I have smaller areas with the cypress and some leaf areas. I keep my house with temps no lower then the 70s, so I use no extra heating usually. I do have a CHE in one enclosure that tends to get a bit cooler and have found them under it every once in a while.

Now I do dislike reading the statement that they need no UV light. I would agree to that, only if it was added that they both got the vit B in their diet (or as a supplement) AND that they do get some chance for outside time some time. They may not have the high need of say a Leopard tortoise, but they do need some. I have observed them basking both inside and outside, when offered the chance at low amounts.

That being said, I keep mine with a mixture of the ambient room lighting and then the tube kitchen lighting for those located in the darker areas. In the warmer months, they go outside for a bit (some are outside 24/7, some more limited time).

The UTH (under tank heater) is not used so much for the heating value, as for keeping the damp substrate from becoming chilled and because the warmth will increase the humidity levels off of the damp substrate.

Are they eating for you?

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[ too slow on typing.. besides Kristina learned everything from... you can probly guess who! ]

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I might be mistaken Terry, but I think I have had my Home's longer than you had your erosas

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I may be mistaken Kristina, but I believe he adds in the first time he had Erosas and thus has had them longer then you have had your Homes. Of course, I have ya both beat with having them longer then either of you.

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I almost forgot, congrats on entering the wonderful world of hingebacks!

 

[Kristina]

[ too slow on typing.. besides Kristina learned everything from... you can probly guess who! ]

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I might be mistaken Terry, but I think I have had my Home's longer than you had your erosas

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I may be mistaken Kristina, but I believe he adds in the first time he had Erosas and thus has had them longer then you have had your Homes. Of course, I have ya both beat with having them longer then either of you.

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Fair enough on both points, Jacqui

 

[jwhite]

First let me say thanks to all of you for your help

Yes It has been eating for me some mushroom,apple, and banana.

I have put in squash, greens, and mango also but it doesn't look like they have been touched yet.

I am picking up some worms tomorrow to see if it will eat them.

I have a dish for soaking in the enclosure and it has been using it. I mist the enclosure twice a day. I am not sure where my humidity levels are. When I mist the enclosure i also mist the tort and it seems to like it. it sticks it head out of its shell and kind of points its head up.

Thanks again for all the info. and please give me some more pointers if you can think of them i am a more than willing student.

Jon

 

[Jacqui]

Glad he (or she?) is eating, that is normally the big hurdle with them. Try to limit the banana, as a lot become almost addicted to it. Apples, too should be a sometimes thing. Most orange to red colored fruits are well liked. Like muskmelon, papaya, and sweet potatoes (which seem the very favorite ones by most). Most seem to like mushrooms. Not sure, if anybody is currently still giving away free samples of Mazuri, but that too (as a small part of the diet) seems to work well for many.

Is yours shy or more out going? Do you know recent captive, long term, or captive bred? How old/big is it?

 

[jwhite]

Jacqui, I think it's a female not totally sure about that. I am going to try and get some pics posted today.

She seems to be not so shy. I picked her because she seemed the most alert out of the ones that were there. She sticks her head out her shell when I pick her up and her eye look nice and clear.

She is about 5" scl and weighs 206 g which I thnk is a little light. She doesn't feel heavy for her size like my russians do.

I'll get some sweet potato and papaya today and she if she goes for that. I did read that the banana wasn't really the best for them, but I just wanted to get her eating.

Thanks for the help.

Jon

 

[Jacqui]

Sounds like you did a good job with picking one. The two major hurdles many new hingeback owners face are the not eating and shyness. Your already over those issues.