How do I...

[Brittany6]

HI everyone!!
I have more questions haha, how do I get my girl to eat her eye drops? I was told to give them to her twice a week as a preventative but she won't eat any of her treats with it on there. Also where do I grow grass in her tank? Sunny Hott area or shady cool? Last question... Those digi thermometer/humidity do I need to buy two of them or can one work for both sides? I was confused when I read some posts about them. As always, THANKS
Brittany

 

[Tom]

Eye drops as a preventative? What exactly are you trying to get her to eat?

The best idea I have heard for growing food is to grow it in little trays near a window sill or something and then rotate the trays in and out. Just dish out your substrate so the tray sits flush with it and you can rotate trays in and out as needed.

How you use your thermometer is up to you and it depends on which type you get. If you buy one with a remote probe, you can just put the probe wherever you want to know the temp, and then set the base unit wherever you want.

 

[Brittany6]

Yes I thought I was supposed to do that. No? I was putting it on her cactus or pumpkin (or what looks to be pumpkin) she loves it without the drops and loves it with the calcium twice a week but won't touch it with the drops on it. Perhaps I don't need to do this?

Okay so I don't need two thermometers for one tank? As of now she is in a 50 gallon tank, with a 160 whatt uv light on one side and she's 2 inches long (I have a 150 to move her into shortly and then plan on making a table.) where would you place your probe?

Thanks again!!
Britt

 

[Tom]

I still don't understand what it is you are trying to get her to eat.

There are four temps to be concerned with. Cool side, warm side, basking site and night. I use an assortment of thermometers and temp guns to assess and maintain all of these. If you put one probe in one location, it will simply tell you the temp in that one location. I find it easier to use a wireless probe and move it around the enclosure. The temp gun is great for instantly knowing the temp anywhere in your enclosure.

 

[Kristina]

Please tell us exactly what the drops are, the brand name, etc, where you got them, and who told you to give them to her.

 

[Brittany6]

There called Nature Zone turtle eye vitamins, the exotic pet store said to give them to her on her treats twice a week to prevent eye issues. I put it on her health herp all natural Tortise treat cactus but she won't touch it. After reading that the alfalfa bedding can cause allergy symptomsin Torts I was thinking maybe they gave this to us because there torts have issues from there bedding? Im changing her home all over tomarrow. She has had no issues yet except that missing scale that I think she did when she flipped herself over a couple times. She's eating really well and moving a lot. Loves her dips and being sprayed. She's never tucked into her shell. She even sleeps like a dog all sprawled out. She cracks me up!

Britt

 

[Kristina]

She doesn't need them. For one, she is a tortoise, not a turtle. The drops are essentially Vitamin A. Turtles quite often suffer from a Vit. A deficiency that causes eye issues, due to pelleted diets being lacking in Vit. A (not as much of a problem as it was years ago.) Tortoises rarely have the same issue. You can simply feed her foods that are rich in Vitamin A.

The store just wants to sell you stuff to make money.

What are you feeding her other than the treats?

The problem with the bedding is not only allergy issues, but also that they will not hold humidity without molding and becoming nasty. They are also very hard to walk on and can cause deformities in babies. You really need to switch to something more suitable, like coconut coir, cypress mulch, orchid bark, or organic soil.

 

[Brittany6]

I'm changing everything over tomarrow. Coco coir, getting a Che lamp for the night, a digi therm to make sure the heat sources and humidity are correct. She already has a water bowl and a hide out as Tom out lined. She is eating Timothy hay for the most part and she loves it. Then she has a little cactus and pumpkin. Tomarrow I plan on picking up some spring mix and romaine from the store and going to plant grass Sence I am in NY it is winter here. I am keeping her 50 gallon tank and 160 whatt uv heat lamp for now but will make adjustments if needed after I check the therm, I also have a basking rock she can sit on under the light. (FYI) I don't know the exact temp but I check on it and it doesn't get too hot where it would hurt her.. I have a 150 gallon tank for her to move into shortly and then will build a tort table. I have been soaking her twice a day and spraying her encloser (it is often foggy on one aide of the tank) and I also have foil covering most of the lid except where the uv light bulbs placed. I will stop the eye drops, thanks for info. I knew it sounded weird! Any other advice is greatly appreciated thanks so much! Oh and incase I didn't mention it in this thread, she is 2 inches long.

Britt

 

[lynnedit]

Have you seen this thread by Tom?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1iupBmwwq

Here is an example of a digital thermometer with a probe (on a long wire, so you can move it around; put it in one area for several hours, then move it. Test the four temps that Tom outlined.)
http://www.acurite.com/weather/ther...eter-with-temperature-sensor-probe-00888.html

Your future sets ups sound roomy!

 

[Brittany6]

Yes I have read that thread and that's the plan I'm going with

I was a little concerned with the big tank holding the humidity and heat correctly so I thought as soon as I get this littler tank down it will be time to move her out and I'll have better experience with what I want/need to do.

 

[Kristina]

The big tank should do just fine, as long as you have a cover on it I have a 220 that I use, with plexiglass covers and it hold humidity and heat just great.

 

[Brittany6]

Excellent!! What whatt/kind of bulbs do you use? And how many times do you spray it down?