I really need help please!

[Sig]

First off thanks so much. I bought the biggest closed chamber they sold which was 48x24x24. I have 2 thermastats of that kind. Which wattage radiant heat panel should i buy and do i bury it? I made the substrate damp yest and my humidity has been 80. I let them outside everyday for 1-3 hours. Do i still need the flood light if I get the radiant heat panels

 

[TammyJ]

Can we see some close ups of your tortoises, I especially am curious about the Giant South African one?
All the best!

 

[Sig]

Can we see some close ups of your tortoises, I especially am curious about the Giant South African one?
All the best!

 

[Sig]

The little sulcatta was 1 in june. Someone had it in a kiddie pool with no lights or heat inside their house. They couldnt care for it and gave it to me. The giant ive had since june and it was supposed to be a 6mnth old. I have a huge adult sulcatta, an adult redfoot, 2 juvenile yellow foots and juvenile marginated that all live in big outdoor enclosures. Those are easy. I already lost one baby giant south african. It never was quite right. Unfortunately this giant came from the same place.

 

[Sig]

Hey tom! Will an 80 watt radiant heat panel work? Do i still need the floid light for the basking area?

 

[Bass.Isles]

How much of the vents in the pic i just posted shud I cover and with what? They are on both sides

You could use a piece of cardboard cut out and seal the edges with duct tape, to seal some of the vents

 

[Bass.Isles]

Thanks! I have the t8 long fluorescence in there too. I have clear 100 watt reptisun uvb and heat in one I can use. Is that too much uvb? The cages said i cant use a ceramic heat emitter in cage because it can start a fire. What shud I use at night?

What kind of cages are these? Like, where did you get them? I made my semi-closed chamber out of a 7ft x 2.5ft deck box and the humidity never really falls below 70%. Granted, i do live in Florida haha.

 

[Bass.Isles]

The little sulcatta was 1 in june. Someone had it in a kiddie pool with no lights or heat inside their house. They couldnt care for it and gave it to me. The giant ive had since june and it was supposed to be a 6mnth old. I have a huge adult sulcatta, an adult redfoot, 2 juvenile yellow foots and juvenile marginated that all live in big outdoor enclosures. Those are easy. I already lost one baby giant south african. It never was quite right. Unfortunately this giant came from the same place.

Beautiful torts!

 

[Sig]

What kind of cages are these? Like, where did you get them? I made my semi-closed chamber out of a 7ft x 2.5ft deck box and the humidity never really falls below 70%. Granted, i do live in Florida haha.

I got them from DIY Cages.com. i got the biggest they sold. I live in florida too

 

[Sig]

Beautiful torts!

Thanks!

 

[Sig]

Can we see some close ups of your tortoises, I especially am curious about the Giant South African one?
All the best!

I posted pics. What do you think

 

[Bass.Isles]

I got them from DIY Cages.com. i got the biggest they sold. I live in florida too

you may want to consider a deck box, then. Mine was like $200 but works super well. The only downside is that theyre obviously not see through. And i just drilled into the lid and put in screws to hang my big long ballast style fixture for the UVB. Then I just affixed her CHE's for nighttime right over the side.

 

[Sig]

you may want to consider a deck box, then. Mine was like $200 but works super well. The only downside is that theyre obviously not see through. And i just drilled into the lid and put in screws to hang my big long ballast style fixture for the UVB. Then I just affixed her CHE's for nighttime right over the side.

I just finally got the humidity up. Ordered radiant heat panels so should be good now. The cages alone were $600 for both so im going to make them work

 

[Bass.Isles]

Dang. I would too! Lol

 

[Sig]

Dang. I would too! Lol

Almost 1000 betweenthe 2 cages ive spent in the last month

 

[Bass.Isles]

Almost 1000 betweenthe 2 cages ive spent in the last month

Ugh, i'm sorry. That sucks. How big did you say the enclosures are? I hope they're at least like 4ft x 1.5ft or something so that you can get some good use out of them before needing to upgrade in size.

 

[Sig]

Ugh, i'm sorry. That sucks. How big did you say the enclosures are? I hope they're at least like 4ft x 1.5ft or something so that you can get some good use out of them before needing to upgrade in size.

48x24x24

 

[TammyJ]

I posted pics. What do you think

I love them all. Best of luck with their progress!

 

[Sig]

All of this is explained here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

I'll hit the high points from your pics:

1. That bulb is no good. Replace it with a 65 watt flood and set it on a timer for 12-14 hours a day. Put a piece of slate or sandstone under it and measure temps after a couple of hours. It its 95-100, then you are done. Just have extra bulbs on hand for when that one burns out, because it will burn out on Christmas eve when all the stores are closed. If its too cool try a 100 watt flood. This is your basking area. A MVB will not work in your enclosure as they run too hot and will over heat the whole thing.
2. Your UV bulb is okay, but the 5.0 bulbs don't put out much UV. If you are relying on that bulb to meet your tortoises UV needs, then you need to put a meter under it to make sure your UV levels are high enough, but not too high. That bulb can be on the same timer as your basking bulb. Here is the meter to buy: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
3. What you are lacking is a source of heat to maintain ambient above 80 day and night. You can use a CHE or a radiant heat panel. A RHP will work perfectly in that enclosure, and will not start a fire. Get one here: http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels
4. You'll need to run your heat source on a thermostat for it to do what it needs to do. I like this one: http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller
5. Get rid of the ramped bowl. Those aren't safe for tortoises. They are a serious flipping hazard. Get get a couple of terra cotta saucers for each cage. Sink them into the substrate and use one for food and one for water in each cage.
6. Your substrate looks too dry. It should be damp, not wet. How much water and how often varies with each enclosure and the seasons too. You'll have to do some trial and error. Misting the surface does very little, as you've seen.
7. Those cages are not huge. They are likely only going to last your tortoises a year at most. 6 months, if your tortoises were started well.
8. Both species are likely going to eat that moss. I'd take it out before it becomes a problem.
9. Get the substrate properly dampened and then try covering half of the vents on each side and see what your humidity level does. It will probably be about right. If not, cover all of the vents and see what happens. Adjust as needed. With less ventilation, you can keep your substrate drier and still maintain good humidity.
10. You should not need humidifiers or sprayers in those enclosures.

To recap: You need three or four things when it comes to heating and lighting:

1. Basking lamp on a timer. Should be 95-100 under the bulb and on for 12-14 hours a day.
2. UV tube on a timer. How long you leave it on depends on what your UV meter says.
3. RHP on a thermostat. Set it to 80 degrees.
4. Additional florescent tube for light, if needed or desired. I run my UV tubes for only 3-4 hours mid day, so I need more light on for the rest of the day.

Ask questions if any of this is not clear.

 

[Sig]

All of this is explained here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

I'll hit the high points from your pics:

1. That bulb is no good. Replace it with a 65 watt flood and set it on a timer for 12-14 hours a day. Put a piece of slate or sandstone under it and measure temps after a couple of hours. It its 95-100, then you are done. Just have extra bulbs on hand for when that one burns out, because it will burn out on Christmas eve when all the stores are closed. If its too cool try a 100 watt flood. This is your basking area. A MVB will not work in your enclosure as they run too hot and will over heat the whole thing.
2. Your UV bulb is okay, but the 5.0 bulbs don't put out much UV. If you are relying on that bulb to meet your tortoises UV needs, then you need to put a meter under it to make sure your UV levels are high enough, but not too high. That bulb can be on the same timer as your basking bulb. Here is the meter to buy: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
3. What you are lacking is a source of heat to maintain ambient above 80 day and night. You can use a CHE or a radiant heat panel. A RHP will work perfectly in that enclosure, and will not start a fire. Get one here: http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels
4. You'll need to run your heat source on a thermostat for it to do what it needs to do. I like this one: http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller
5. Get rid of the ramped bowl. Those aren't safe for tortoises. They are a serious flipping hazard. Get get a couple of terra cotta saucers for each cage. Sink them into the substrate and use one for food and one for water in each cage.
6. Your substrate looks too dry. It should be damp, not wet. How much water and how often varies with each enclosure and the seasons too. You'll have to do some trial and error. Misting the surface does very little, as you've seen.
7. Those cages are not huge. They are likely only going to last your tortoises a year at most. 6 months, if your tortoises were started well.
8. Both species are likely going to eat that moss. I'd take it out before it becomes a problem.
9. Get the substrate properly dampened and then try covering half of the vents on each side and see what your humidity level does. It will probably be about right. If not, cover all of the vents and see what happens. Adjust as needed. With less ventilation, you can keep your substrate drier and still maintain good humidity.
10. You should not need humidifiers or sprayers in those enclosures.

To recap: You need three or four things when it comes to heating and lighting:

1. Basking lamp on a timer. Should be 95-100 under the bulb and on for 12-14 hours a day.
2. UV tube on a timer. How long you leave it on depends on what your UV meter says.
3. RHP on a thermostat. Set it to 80 degrees.
4. Additional florescent tube for light, if needed or desired. I run my UV tubes for only 3-4 hours mid day, so I need more light on for the rest of the day.

Ask questions if any of this is not clear.

Ok thanks so much for the info! I got the 80 watt radiant heat panels. I had to mount them to the back butted up to the ceiling. I couldnt get them on ceiling with other lights.i put the on a thermostat to 80. Still comfused on basking area. It came pre made with a socket. Im using a 100 watt clear light. Do i still need that? Is the radiant panel ok mounted to top back?