Improvements??

laymanh

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Joined
Jul 26, 2021
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14
Location (City and/or State)
PHOENIX
Hello! I just recently got more things to improve my Russian tortoises enclosure and I wanted to get the opinion of more experienced owners. A few notes to start: the ramp up to the cage platform has been moved for now I plan on putting barriers on both the ramp and the platform because my little one likes to launch herself off of things. What I would like your guy’s advice on is does she need more heat? I recently got the lamp stand because clipped to the enclosure the lamps heat was making her basking spot 105 degrees, but that end of her enclosure is really the only place she spends time in. I have another lamp set up ready to use and thought about putting it over the end of the hutch that leads to the play pen, making the hutch the part warm and her playpen the room temperature part. Will this be too hot? I don’t plan on putting the lamp as close as the other is. My logic is if the hutch is one microclimate then the pen can be the other and she’ll be more active with the new space I gave her. She spends a few hours up top in the basking area in the morning and then she goes into her hide and stays there for the rest of the day and all of the night. Is this because she’s too cold? I don’t believe she spends that whole amount of time sleeping. If there is anything else that you see wrong with my set up let me know your advice, thanks!
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wellington

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Chicago, Illinois, USA
I would remove the extra hide in the lower part and maybe the log and add some plants. Being so exposed makes them want to hide more.
The temps should be 75/80 with 95-100 basking during the day and then heat off at night as long as temps don't drop below 60. Humidity should be 30-50% for an adult and 80% for a hatchling. Substrate should be added to the upper level.
I would put the uvb light wherever she spends most of her time, lower/upper level. Then put the basking almost center over the lower end but little closer to the end without the hide and ramps.
 

Cherryshell

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Jan 26, 2021
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208
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Manassas Virginia
How old is your Russian? From the other posts I have come to understand that they are something of master escape artists so I'm wondering if the walls on the lower section would be climbable for a Russian. The other side of that being if it did manage to climb over the wall, could it injury itself falling over the side?
 

laymanh

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Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
PHOENIX
How old is your Russian? From the other posts I have come to understand that they are something of master escape artists so I'm wondering if the walls on the lower section would be climbable for a Russian. The other side of that being if it did manage to climb over the wall, could it injury itself falling over the side?
I’m pretty sure she’s a sub adult but I’m sure exactly how old and yeah I did think of that. The play pen I bought only have vertical bars so there is nothing for her to grab onto. She’s tried
 

laymanh

New Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
PHOENIX
I would remove the extra hide in the lower part and maybe the log and add some plants. Being so exposed makes them want to hide more.
The temps should be 75/80 with 95-100 basking during the day and then heat off at night as long as temps don't drop below 60. Humidity should be 30-50% for an adult and 80% for a hatchling. Substrate should be added to the upper level.
I would put the uvb light wherever she spends most of her time, lower/upper level. Then put the basking almost center over the lower end but little closer to the end without the hide and ramps.
Covering the playpen worked so well! Thank you! I tried plants and that didn’t really work bc I couldn’t find any tortoise safe ones but I used the lid of her hutch and laid it on top on the play pen area and covered it with paper and she spends way more time roaming around down there.
 
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