Kevin’s Crib

[Nicolew20]

Hi everyone!

I have a horse field tort called Kevin. I’ve had him for over a year now.
I’ve tried different substrates for him, reading different forums and just general googling I am still none the wiser. He’s currently living on beach chips and Mediterranean calcium free soil blend with added cocofibre. Is this correct or can someone suggest something else?
I also have a question about a heat matt in his cool end. I have a standard tortoise table, unfortunately it’s the one without the glass separation bit for the heat matt. So it’s currently stuck on the side of his bed bit. Kevin isn’t the easiest tort, he always scrabbles the heat mats, I’m on number 3 now and even though this one is stuck to the side it’s still not stopping him destroying it. Can someone suggest something? I thought about getting a new one and sticking it to the roof of the bed bit but I wasn’t sure if it would work because heat rises?
If someone could help me that would be amazing! Thank you!

 

[zolasmum]

Hi everyone!

I have a horse field tort called Kevin. I’ve had him for over a year now.
I’ve tried different substrates for him, reading different forums and just general googling I am still none the wiser. He’s currently living on beach chips and Mediterranean calcium free soil blend with added cocofibre. Is this correct or can someone suggest something else?
I also have a question about a heat matt in his cool end. I have a standard tortoise table, unfortunately it’s the one without the glass separation bit for the heat matt. So it’s currently stuck on the side of his bed bit. Kevin isn’t the easiest tort, he always scrabbles the heat mats, I’m on number 3 now and even though this one is stuck to the side it’s still not stopping him destroying it. Can someone suggest something? I thought about getting a new one and sticking it to the roof of the bed bit but I wasn’t sure if it would work because heat rises?
If someone could help me that would be amazing! Thank you!

Hello Nicole and welcome from Devon. I don't know enough to answer your questions, but I'm sure someone here will be along soon who can help, and they are very kind and knowledgeable people.
Kevin looks very cute.
Best wishes from Angie

 

[wellington]

Ditch the heat mat. They should not be under a tort if there is no heat above them. Tortoises warm up from above. Mats can burn them and really bad for a tort that burrows.
You need a uvb tube florescent light for uvb and a ceramic heat emitter for heat if needed along with a spot or flood light for basking. Basking should be 95-100 and over all day temps 75-80 and nights can drop into 60's.
Your tort needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure. They cover a lot of ground in the wild.
Coconut coir or orchid bark for substrate of if you can dig dirt from your yard that you know has no chemicals or garbage mixed in.

 

[Nicolew20]

Hello Nicole and welcome from Devon. I don't know enough to answer your questions, but I'm sure someone here will be along soon who can help, and they are very kind and knowledgeable people.
Kevin looks very cute.
Best wishes from Angie

Thankyou!!

 

[Nicolew20]

Ditch the heat mat. They should not be under a tort if there is no heat above them. Tortoises warm up from above. Mats can burn them and really bad for a tort that burrows.
You need a uvb tube florescent light for uvb and a ceramic heat emitter for heat if needed along with a spot or flood light for basking. Basking should be 95-100 and over all day temps 75-80 and nights can drop into 60's.
Your tort needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure. They cover a lot of ground in the wild.
Coconut coir or orchid bark for substrate of if you can dig dirt from your yard that you know has no chemicals or garbage mixed in.

Thank you,
So you suggest not having a heat mat at all?
What if the heat mat is above him where he can’t reach?
He has a basking end and it’s a bulb that provides UV and heat, im not 100% sure what it’s called but it was recommended to me by my local reptile shop. Since he lives in my bedroom I turn the lamp off at night, but I cover him to try and keep as much heat in as possible. The heat matt used to be under slate but he kept pushing it and exposing the mat. So I opted for the adhesive mat to stick to the side. I don’t trust the soil from my garden because I have dogs, cats and have had ducks and chickens. So I’d say that the soil isn’t chemical free.

 

[wellington]

The mat above him is fine. It would even be fine on the side wall but not if he can destroy it. Under him no.
The uvb you may he using probably a mercury vapor bulb? They are very harsh on a torts shell. Your tort is very pyramided for a Russian. They are not easily pyramided except when not raised in the correct conditions. No humidity and the mercury bulb would both cause pyramiding. To help stop it and get him growing smoother ditch the mercury bulb if that's what it is and add 50% humidity.
Pet stores do not know proper care, they just want to sell their junk.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
There's a lot of old information still circulating on social media and other websites and even from pet shops and some vets, but this is the most up to date care sheet you'll find anywhere so forget the rest. If you follow this as closely as possible it will help Kevin thrive.

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

Many of us use T5 HO tubes for uvb, with a separate flood basking bulb and a che run through a thermostat for night heat and extra heat when needed.