Introducing my tortoise, and his enclosure *Requested*

[Lauren13705]

Hello all, again my name is Lauren, and I'm fairly new here! I got a request to see more about my tortoise, and his enclosure!

I have had my Russian tortoise for about 6 months now. I adopted him from petco.. I had to save him. The poor little guy was so weak when I got him.. Which broke my heart. I worked my hardest and continue to make sure he has the best of the best. When I first got him, he couldn't even lift himself off the ground now he is very strong, climbing into his food bowl, into his water bowl, climbs on top of his log, and walks around very alert and up on his claws. Which makes me so very happy. His enclosure is an under the bed storage container! Which contains top soil and play sand as a substrate, along with Timothy hay. He has a lot to hide in/shelter. He has a water bowl available to him all day long until night time, then I take it away. He had a dual lamp, with a heat bulb/UVA, and another bulb that is UVB. He is a lively, healthy, and energetic tortoise. He's growing and eating like a savage everyday. I make sure to spend a lot of time with him so that he remembers/recognizes me. I love my tortoise with everything I have. He has taught me responsibility. And as crazy as this sounds he has a personality of his own.

 

[Yvonne G]

What a face!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm worried about that log and the height of your little enclosure. It seems that if he climbed on top of the log...And he will. he could easily fall out and down to the floor.

 

[Angel Carrion]

The UVB bulb you are using in your dual lamp, what kind is it?

 

[wellington]

I would remove the hay, it's very drying. The soil is good enough for a substrate. Also, an enclosure with taller sides and larger would be the best. They should have no less then a 4x6 foot enclosure. Some humidity about 50% will help he too, even a humid hide will work. Unless you have an enclosure for him outside, then the smaller one would be fine for the nights. The log and low side should be a concern too. These guys can climb straight up trees. He will figure out a way out of there. My russian was in what I thought was an escape proof outside large enclosure for over a year and just a month ago found a way out. Also coil type bulbs can cause eye problems. If you are using one, it may not be affecting your tort, some don't have problems with them, but keep an eye out for this.
Glad you helped this guy. They do have great little personalities.

 

[Lauren13705]

I'm worried about that log and the height of your little enclosure. It seems that if he climbed on top of the log...And he will. he could easily fall out and down to the floor.

The log comes out during the day, I only let him use it at night to burrow.

 

[Lauren13705]

The UVB bulb you are using in your dual lamp, what kind is it?

Zoomed!

 

[Lauren13705]

I would remove the hay, it's very drying. The soil is good enough for a substrate. Also, an enclosure with taller sides and larger would be the best. They should have no less then a 4x6 foot enclosure. Some humidity about 50% will help he too, even a humid hide will work. Unless you have an enclosure for him outside, then the smaller one would be fine for the nights. The log and low side should be a concern too. These guys can climb straight up trees. He will figure out a way out of there. My russian was in what I thought was an escape proof outside large enclosure for over a year and just a month ago found a way out. Also coil type bulbs can cause eye problems. If you are using one, it may not be affecting your tort, some don't have problems with them, but keep an eye out for this.
Glad you helped this guy. They do have great little personalities.

Thank you so much for your tips!

 

[Lauren13705]

What a face!

He's a cutie!

 

[Lauren13705]

I would remove the hay, it's very drying. The soil is good enough for a substrate. Also, an enclosure with taller sides and larger would be the best. They should have no less then a 4x6 foot enclosure. Some humidity about 50% will help he too, even a humid hide will work. Unless you have an enclosure for him outside, then the smaller one would be fine for the nights. The log and low side should be a concern too. These guys can climb straight up trees. He will figure out a way out of there. My russian was in what I thought was an escape proof outside large enclosure for over a year and just a month ago found a way out. Also coil type bulbs can cause eye problems. If you are using one, it may not be affecting your tort, some don't have problems with them, but keep an eye out for this.
Glad you helped this guy. They do have great little personalities.

I've read mUltiple times that humidity is supposed to be 0%, and the man who sold me my tortoise has five of his own and also said no humidity.

 

[Careym13]

I've read mUltiple times that humidity is supposed to be 0%, and the man who sold me my tortoise has five of his own and also said no humidity.

Thanks for posting the photos; you're tort is cute! Was that man a petco employee?

 

[Angel Carrion]

I've read mUltiple times that humidity is supposed to be 0%, and the man who sold me my tortoise has five of his own and also said no humidity.

Yeah, that's bad info. There is no tort or turtle on the planet that needs and would remain healthy at 0% humidity. Even the species that live in arid deserts burrow down into the ground and create a high humid micro-climate for themselves because they need humidity and moisture.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Zoomed!

That's not a coil bulb, right?

 

[Lauren13705]

Thanks for posting the photos; you're tort is cute! Was that man a petco employee?

Yes he was a petco employee

 

[Lauren13705]

Yeah, that's bad info. There is no tort or turtle on the planet that needs and would remain healthy at 0% humidity. Even the species that live in arid deserts burrow down into the ground and create a high humid micro-climate for themselves because they need humidity and moisture.

So what should I do to to create humidity?

 

[Lauren13705]

That's not a coil bulb, right?

http://www.petmountain.com/product/...n-10-0-uvb-mini-compact-fluorescent-bulb.html
That's what it looks like

 

[Lauren13705]

So what should I do to to create humidity?

I soak my tort everyday, so wouldn't that take care of no humidity?

 

[Angel Carrion]

Yes he was a petco employee

Petco employees should almost never be listened to when they talking about tort/turtle care. Most of what they sell for turtles and torts is actually harmful, deadly at worst, completely useless at best.

So what should I do to to create humidity?

Place a cover over most of your enclosure (plexiglass or a wooden board are common covers) with an opening big enough to allow the lamps to shine in still without hindrance. Mist mist mist mist the enclosure at least daily and completely hydrate the substrate. However much the substrate weighs, add that much water in weight and allow the substrate to soak it up. Keeping the heat up while having the substrate moist and misting at least daily is how to create humidity. The cover is to trap the heat and humidity inside the enclosure instead of allowing it to release into the entire room, where it would be useless.

http://www.petmountain.com/product/...n-10-0-uvb-mini-compact-fluorescent-bulb.html
That's what it looks like

Take this bulb out now. It is harmful and can cause blindness in your shelled friend, along with other eye problems.

I soak my tort everyday, so wouldn't that take care of no humidity?

No he needs humidity inside the enclosure. Soaking daily, while helpful and a good idea as long as water is kept warm (around 85F) and he can soak for 20 or more minutes, is not enough.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Creating a closed chamber to keep humidity and heat levels up and in the proper range is the best way to go about having an indoor enclosure that is good and useful. There's a thread concerning closed chambers, I shall see if I can locate it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Actually, I hate to disagree with all the above info, because it is all good stuff, and very true and important, however...

Your Russian tortoise is almost full grown. They can get by without a whole lot of humidity. What has been said up above was good info if your Russian were a younger tortoise. You can remove the straw, and moisten the substrate. Adding a waterer in the habitat so he can get drinks as needed would be a good idea too. An almost full grown Russian, like your tortoise, can get by with every other or every third day soaks. It was said above, and it is very true - tortoises need humidity. Russian tortoises dig down into the earth, usually under the roots of plants, and it is humid down there. This helps them to grow and is very good for them. So a totally dry habitat is not the way to go.

The spiral-shaped compact fluorescent bulbs are known to cause eye problems in young tortoises. It would probably be ok for you to keep using it, however, because I know for a fact it has caused problems with baby tortoise's eyes, I would never use one for any tortoise, large or small. I much prefer the Mercury Vapor Bulb, but you can't use your dual fixture with the MVB because it gets too hot and needs to be in a fixture with a wider bell shape.

I hope you don't think we're picking on you. We sometimes go overboard trying to help new tortoise-keepers. We only have your tortoise's best interest in mind.