Lighting?

[TashaR]

Hello!

I am looking at purchasing a hatchling Marginated tortoise. I live in an apartment and since they are a smaller species of tortoise, I thought they might be more appropriate. The hatchlings I saw today were also absolutely adorable; I totally melted when I saw their little faces.


I talked to a guy who seemed pretty knowledgeable about tortoise needs. I am planning a 20 gallon long set up initially. He suggested a Powersun UV 100 Watt bulb for heat and the UVA/UVB needs of the hatchling. (like this one: http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=74) He also suggested a night heating bulb since I keep my apartment at 68 degrees F.

Now, I understand that tortoises and turtles have UVA and UVB needs. I have yellow belly sliders, and for them I use a Repti Sun 5.0 (this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255OSG/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20) and then a basking lamp that is on 12 hours a day. But they also have heated water.

So, my question after all that background info is for those of you who are already owners of a marginated tortoise - what system of lighting is best? Should I use a strip light like the Repti Sun during the day and then just supplement with a heating light left on all the time (I would get one of those dark ones so the tortoise still had the night/day system)? Or should I get the "all in one" bulb and supplement with the night heat bulb?


Hoping that made sense! I prefer to have all my ducks in a row and tanks all set up before the animal comes home!

 

[moswen]

how wonderful for you to plan ahead, we like to hear that here! i think your post got lost in the masses, sorry no one has answered yet!

i believe you'll need the powersun or trex uva/uvb bulb, they're way better in my own personal op. you can get a 20gallon long if you want, some people use clear tanks and osme don't. it is arguable that clear tanks can cause some tortoises stress, as they can see out and they constantly dig at the corner trying to get out. but i believe this is just the tort's personality, as 1 of my sulcatas will go crazy in his clear soaking tub but the other 2 will just kick back and relax in it. it is also arguable that the tanks hold humidity better for hatchlings since they have such high walls and hatchlings really need the humidity to keep from pyramiding. so use that info and make the best decision for you and your situation! i use plastic tubs from walmart and i also built one of my tort's enclosures out of wood.

and also you can use a red light for the night time heat, or you can get a ceramic heat emitter, either one will work great. i've read that the red heat bulbs cost less in the electricity bill department.

glad to have you on, we will of corse want to see pictures of you precious baby when you get him!

 

[TashaR]

Thanks Rebekah!

I am so jealous you have a sulcata...I want one desperately. As soon as I buy a house, a pair of them are coming home with me LOL.

Thanks for your help! It seems like the more I read the more confused I got, but I think I have it sorted out a little more now. I think I will got with the powersun and then a ceramic bulb for heating at night. I have a knockdown stand and my tortoise would go on the bottom shelf, so they will have the wall on the back, and then covered sides, leaving just the front part open.


I found an aquarium on Craigslist and ordered my bulb from amazon! (for HALF the price the pet store wanted!) so once I get those things, I can start picking out substrate and decorations, and then bring my baby home

 

[moswen]

oh i do love them dearly! they have big personalities, just like everyone says they do. i think a glass home is fine, lots of people have vivariums for their tortoises, which sounds like what you'll be turning yours into. yes, i rarely visit the pet store anymore, unless it's for cuttlebone. they're way overpriced and you can find almost anything you need for raising a tortoise at any location besides a pet store. they're there to grab the newbies before we become experienced and realize that we don't need to pay $15 for a plastic water dish when a $3 terra cotta plant plate from wal-mart works just fine!

i'm very excited for you to get your little guy!

i know you didn't ask any questions about substrate but here are some things i've learned-- coco coir stained my ivory's feet and the cuttle bone, and i didn't like that. but other than that it was a great substrate, and it was easier to bury in. right now i have to "fluff" my cypress mulch at the end of every week so that my babies can easily dig. cypress mulch at a hardware store is the exact same as the pet store, excepts for pet stores are way more expensive for a way smaller bag. if you have a place you can get clean dirt (what an oxy moron-- i mean pesticide free dirt) and some dead leaves, lots of people are using that as substrate right now bc it's fall. and sand and rabbit pellets are NOT good substrate for ANY tortoise!

 

[TashaR]

A local pet store has a sulcata and I visit him every once in awhile. I'm sad he's still there though. I used to work at a family owned pet store and we had a large sulcata who would roam the store...she was so much fun.

I've read about coco coir but I think I was leaning towards that eco earth...but I might go check out the cypress mulch as well. There are so many options! I don't really want to use dirt and leaves right now, LOL, it just sounds...dirty...


I'm going to try to do some safe to eat plants around the aquarium and add some other things for him to play around with...and then as he gets bigger, I'll build him a table or a better enclousure. But I have my baby yellow belly sliders in a 20 gallon long right now too, and they'll look so cute sharing the stand LOL.

 

[moswen]

lol, dirty.

plants are a great way to keep up the humidity and they provide great nutrition for your tort. 3 days after produce has been picked it has lost 50% of it's nutrients. so the greens at the store have way less nutrients in them than the bite that your baby just took from a plant still firmly connected to it's roots.

right now you can get seeds for lots of greens at hardware stores, i just got a bunch of california poppies and mustard and turnip green seeds. i also kept a lot of my pumpkin seeds and stick those in their pots every few days. i keep 2 shallow dishes in my enclosures that are flush with their substrate and throw seeds in there every few days. when they get their first little seedling leaves they mysteriously disappear... so i throw some more seeds on there. it's a good source of nutrients for them. i also break off a piece of cuttlebone and bury that in the dirt to keep up the calcium content in the plants.

 

[TashaR]

Thank you so much for all your help Rebekah! I am ready to go for my tortoise and am picking him up on Sunday! Can't wait to share pictures

 

[KQ6AR]

Hi,
I like the t-rex 100w active uv bulb. As far as an enclosure, I don't like using any type of aquarium, they shouldn't be able to see out, & the humidity can get to high. In a short length aquarium you will have a hard time keeping the basking area 95F, & the cool end in the 60's.
For diet I'm lucky enough to be able to grow collard greens turnip greens dandelions, mallow, & many succulents year round where I live. There is a lot of info on www.russiantortoise.org for diet & care of Mediterranean tortoises.

Congratulations,