Hi guys, im a little worried about sissy. we've had sissy for about 3 weeks now and im woundering if its normal for her to spend most of her time in her cave ? Iv been trying to watch and see how she acts and iv noticed she spends most of her time when shes not eating in her cave....she comes out to eat and she will spend a little time under the heat lamp now and then and of course she moves around a bit when shes soaking. Is there something wrong do you think? something im not doing that i should be doing or something im doing that i shouldnt be?
Im a little concerned about sissy
- Thread starter Dragon
- Start date
Little more info please.
Species, age and temps.
Babies sleep a lot. They wake, wonder a bit, eat, maybe bask and sleep. Then they repeat a few times a day.
Species, age and temps.
Babies sleep a lot. They wake, wonder a bit, eat, maybe bask and sleep. Then they repeat a few times a day.
Sissy is a russion tortoise....they didnt tell us how old she is but im pretty sure shes an adult shes 7 inches long and 6 inches wide. I dont know what the temp is as we have to wait for our next ss checks to come in to get a thermoter for in there. I keep both lamps all the way on except at night.....I also sprinkly her water dish into her bedding every day when i change her water.... we turn the lamps off at night....I thought I read that maybe i should leave the uv? light on at night and just turn the heat light lamp off.... I was thinking if her lamps were all the way on she wouldnt get cold as there made for tort inclousers.... but what you describe is basicaly what she does.... sleeps a lot wakes up 2 or 3 times a day and wanders around and basks.... and of course shes active when im soaking her.... I have a tendcy to be a worryer..... but i figure better safe then sorry...... is it possable that its to warm in her inclouser? with both lights on all the way?
ok right now its 80 in her box, and we were turning off all the lights at n
ight, i'll keep the heat lamp on for nights nowv I took several pictures of her house so you get a good idea of what we have set up. The last picture is before we got her. I have 3 bags of bedding in the box and as you cansee from the pictures sissy is in her cave.... just to be sure how often should i feed her? Iv been feeding her twice a day once in the morning and then again in the evening after her soaking. spike is concerned that we might have to buy a lot more things for her...I told him once we have everything she needs we should be all right....but will sissy be ok if it takes me awhile to get anything she needs that we might not have I get paid once a month.....so can pick up like the spical thamonter for her house....with this check and what ever else with my next check and if the water i sprinkle in her house every day when i change her wateris enough to make it humide enough for her.... now her house is a little smaller then it should be because we made it according to the size they said it had to be on a tort websight we found before we got her. We were going to wait until summer to make it bigger so shed have her outside house to go in while were making her inside house bigger..... could that perhaps be why shes hiding so much in her cave? humm maybe we can make the sides and floor first and then take the plexia glass end off and attatch the new length to the box and then put the end back on..... just sort of thinking outloud here.
ight, i'll keep the heat lamp on for nights nowv I took several pictures of her house so you get a good idea of what we have set up. The last picture is before we got her. I have 3 bags of bedding in the box and as you cansee from the pictures sissy is in her cave.... just to be sure how often should i feed her? Iv been feeding her twice a day once in the morning and then again in the evening after her soaking. spike is concerned that we might have to buy a lot more things for her...I told him once we have everything she needs we should be all right....but will sissy be ok if it takes me awhile to get anything she needs that we might not have I get paid once a month.....so can pick up like the spical thamonter for her house....with this check and what ever else with my next check and if the water i sprinkle in her house every day when i change her wateris enough to make it humide enough for her.... now her house is a little smaller then it should be because we made it according to the size they said it had to be on a tort websight we found before we got her. We were going to wait until summer to make it bigger so shed have her outside house to go in while were making her inside house bigger..... could that perhaps be why shes hiding so much in her cave? humm maybe we can make the sides and floor first and then take the plexia glass end off and attatch the new length to the box and then put the end back on..... just sort of thinking outloud here.
You found and followed the wrong care advice. This is not intended to make you feel bad, but to help you, so you know how to fix what is wrong.
1. The enclosure is much too small. They need at least 4x8 feet.
2. Wrong substrate. They need something that can be kept lightly damp for humidity. That looks like it might be a cedar mix. If yes, cedar is toxic. If not, it is still not the right substrate.
3. Those water bowls are dangerous for tortoises. They can flip and drown in them.
4. The type of UV bulb you are using can sometimes burn their eyes. Those should not be used over tortoises. This is a likely reason why she's hiding in the shade.
5. Are you soaking the tortoise in warm water a couple of times per week?
Here is all the correct care info:
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
tortoiseforum.org
Questions welcome.
That's a full grown Russian tortoise. It doesn't need to live in a covered enclosure, and it doesn't need to have an 80°F overall temperature in the enclosure. It can live in room temperature with access to a light to sit under where it can warm up to over 80°
It's much easier to set up a full grown Russian tortoise outside rather than inside.
It's much easier to set up a full grown Russian tortoise outside rather than inside.
humm ok not sure what im going to do now.... move the uv light.... i can do that right away... I may have to give up sissy. Im going to have to see if i can find someplace to put a 4X8 inclouser.....spike dosnt think theres anywhere around here where we can put a 4x8 box.... i'll see what i can try to figure outs..... yes i soak her at least every other day sighYou found and followed the wrong care advice. This is not intended to make you feel bad, but to help you, so you know how to fix what is wrong.
1. The enclosure is much too small. They need at least 4x8 feet.
2. Wrong substrate. They need something that can be kept lightly damp for humidity. That looks like it might be a cedar mix. If yes, cedar is toxic. If not, it is still not the right substrate.
3. Those water bowls are dangerous for tortoises. They can flip and drown in them.
4. The type of UV bulb you are using can sometimes burn their eyes. Those should not be used over tortoises. This is a likely reason why she's hiding in the shade.
5. Are you soaking the tortoise in warm water a couple of times per week?
Here is all the correct care info:
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
Questions welcome.
Can you set her up outside? You are in MI I see so no she cant go outside yet. In the summer though she should be outside.
Replace the uvb bulb with a tube fluorescent uvb. Use a basking bulb for the basking which should reach a temp of around 95
She should have 75-80 for the day and down to 60's at night.
Replace the uvb bulb with a tube fluorescent uvb. Use a basking bulb for the basking which should reach a temp of around 95
She should have 75-80 for the day and down to 60's at night.
They are in MI. Room temp likely will be too cold for day time. Unless someone has changed things, 75-80 during the day. 60's at night. Their room temp is likely 68-72.
we are old people the house temp is always between 75 and 80 degrees day and night even in the summer.. my siblings and kids think we should have it cooler with air in the summer but we find 75 to 80 to be just right for us.
Yikes, I'd be one wet noodle lol
ok I can change the basking light...spikes looking to see if the long light they sold us is a fluorescent uvb for basking. I turned the basking light we have on its side so its not shinning right into her box....but im not sure if she'll get any uvb that way . Ok the other light the store sold us is a Reptisunt t5 ho high output terrarium hood....and the hood includes lamp its 14" size and holds one 15 watt 12" reptisun t50 ho lamp. could that be layed across the top of her house IF it is hopefuly the right kind of light....darned thing cost 75 dollars. That would slove that problem...Im going to buy a terracotta plant bottom as soon as there in the stores....The ones iv got here for my plants are either to small or are plastic.... I'll have spike check dollar general to see if they have there flowerpot supplys out yet. Those are easy things to fix......the size of her house however is another thing... trying to find a place to put that big of a box ..... I hate to put her in a different room,,,, but im going to see if i can figure out a way to make room in my craft room, Maybe put some of my craft supply boxes in the front inclosed pourch...maybe fold down my craft table and put it in the woodshop IF i can find a place in there to put it....I wounder.....if we were to build a second story in her box with a ramp going up to it....but then there would be the problem of heating both levels and getting the basking light where she can get to it....
lol yes well I do have a fan that usuly blows on me....but thats because of hot flashes and night sweats lol I turn it off the fan on those rair occisions when my body decides to act normal lol
Yes the tube florescent will work.
You can try to add a second level to the enclosure you have now. Many do this when they don't have the floor space for a 4x8.
You can try to add a second level to the enclosure you have now. Many do this when they don't have the floor space for a 4x8.
ok her bedding is forest floor 100% natural cypress mulch,,,,,the bag says its for snakes some kind of reptial with legs and tortoises.... now i do have a circler babytype wood gate....perhaps if i were to put it in maybe the bedroom on a peice of wood so shes not on the carpet....for a few hours a day....for excerese.... ?????? along with her basking ....You found and followed the wrong care advice. This is not intended to make you feel bad, but to help you, so you know how to fix what is wrong.
1. The enclosure is much too small. They need at least 4x8 feet.
2. Wrong substrate. They need something that can be kept lightly damp for humidity. That looks like it might be a cedar mix. If yes, cedar is toxic. If not, it is still not the right substrate.
3. Those water bowls are dangerous for tortoises. They can flip and drown in them.
4. The type of UV bulb you are using can sometimes burn their eyes. Those should not be used over tortoises. This is a likely reason why she's hiding in the shade.
5. Are you soaking the tortoise in warm water a couple of times per week?
Here is all the correct care info:
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
Questions welcome.
Ok what a relief....and i think spike will go for it as he see how upset iv been thinking i would have to give her up....and hes espically glad to hear the floescent we have will work to....I saved for months to get everything i needed for sissy and the things she needs....and he really didnt want me to have to go into my savings ( if he dies before i do we are hoping it help out with expensives until I can rent out the bedroom) .... things are looking up now thank God. Im always so happy when God answers my prayers with a yes! lol now will the one florescent lamp work for both light heat and basking?
I'm a bit south of you 😊 O H I O 😁 but I, like you, like around 80°. My little Russian is being lazy right now too even though he's in temperatures that are ok for him. The weather out side is not and I think he can feel it. He's been eating and active until the past couple of days. This is normal for him to go through inactive periods of days in the winter. I just do his regular care anyway wether he likes it or not. I wind up throwing away his salad then but that's ok. At least it was there and available 🐢
