Horsfield Temp
- Thread starter davidm123
- Start date
Hi David:
Welcome to the Forum!
Is your new Russian tortoise an adult? Then all you have to do is raise (height) or lower the light/heat source to gain the appropriate temperature at the floor of the habitat. Russians like a bit of a drop in temp at night, and during the day can be cooler than what we recommend for babies...around 100F directly under the light, then fading to about 70F at the cooler end and around 80F at the warmer end. Russians also need a bigger indoor habitat than other types of tortoise. Don't be fooled into thinking you can get away with a small enclosure because its a small tortoise. He'll drive you crazy if you don't provide him with plenty of roaming space.
Welcome to the Forum!
Is your new Russian tortoise an adult? Then all you have to do is raise (height) or lower the light/heat source to gain the appropriate temperature at the floor of the habitat. Russians like a bit of a drop in temp at night, and during the day can be cooler than what we recommend for babies...around 100F directly under the light, then fading to about 70F at the cooler end and around 80F at the warmer end. Russians also need a bigger indoor habitat than other types of tortoise. Don't be fooled into thinking you can get away with a small enclosure because its a small tortoise. He'll drive you crazy if you don't provide him with plenty of roaming space.
Hello and welcome. What you need to do first is determine what your temperatures are. Then we can suggested ways for improvement if needed. You should know warm side, cool side, basking spot and night.
Here is a care sheet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html
Here is a care sheet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html
lordlottie01
New Member
Hi! Let me explain to you.
I have a horsefield tortoise called Marty and I just got him a month ago. The average temperature in my vivarium is around about 26-27 C, although it does drop to 25 a lot. He seems happy at about 26-27 c. My bulb is around 30 watt, and as I say mine seems content with this amount of heat. I've discovered that Horsefield's are tough torts, so I wouldn't worry to much. Hope I've helped!
I have a horsefield tortoise called Marty and I just got him a month ago. The average temperature in my vivarium is around about 26-27 C, although it does drop to 25 a lot. He seems happy at about 26-27 c. My bulb is around 30 watt, and as I say mine seems content with this amount of heat. I've discovered that Horsefield's are tough torts, so I wouldn't worry to much. Hope I've helped!
A few things:
"Starter kits" are usually not a good idea. They typically have the wrong lights, wrong water bowl, wrong substrate and are usually too small. All the stuff you really need is described in that care sheet and the stuff you need will actually cost a lot LESS than the pet tore stuff.
The big chain pet stores seem to like to tell people that their 4-5" wild caught russian tortoise is "about a year old". Its not. Probably more like 4-40 years old. There is no way to tell for sure if you don't know the hatch date.
There are some links in my signature that will really help you. I hope you will take the time to click and read. Your tortoise will thank you. Pet stores are notorious for giving out terrible advice. Not all of them are bad. There are some very good ones. But most of them have no clue about what tortoises need.
"Starter kits" are usually not a good idea. They typically have the wrong lights, wrong water bowl, wrong substrate and are usually too small. All the stuff you really need is described in that care sheet and the stuff you need will actually cost a lot LESS than the pet tore stuff.
The big chain pet stores seem to like to tell people that their 4-5" wild caught russian tortoise is "about a year old". Its not. Probably more like 4-40 years old. There is no way to tell for sure if you don't know the hatch date.
There are some links in my signature that will really help you. I hope you will take the time to click and read. Your tortoise will thank you. Pet stores are notorious for giving out terrible advice. Not all of them are bad. There are some very good ones. But most of them have no clue about what tortoises need.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2013
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Hello David welcome to the TFO from AZ , USA
