Lights and temps

[Coconikki]

Hello! I have a 48x24x24 enclosure for my 3 month old Leopard tortoise.
I currently have a 65 Incandescent flood and a 14% Arcadia UV bulb. (14% because the height one my enclosure)
My temps are 84 on cool side and 94 on warm side with 105 directly under the flood, on the rocks.
I also have a Radiant heat panel that runs at 80 at night when the lights come off.
My humidity is at a steady 80 but jumps up when I mist, comes back down to 75/80
My questions are… is it too hot ?
My tortoise paces on the cool side and rarely goes to the other side. Why?
He is eating and pooping fine.
Could I swap the 65 incandescent for a 45 and let my Radiant panel pick up the rest?
Please help.

 

[wellington]

The basking should be 95-100.
What are you using to read temps? If it's not digital, but one of those disc type then it's probably reading it wrong. Get a digital.
I personally would lower the cooler side to 80 but not lower.
you don't need to mist is you dampen the substrate.

 

[wellington]

Sorry about the bold print. I must hit the button without knowing I am.

 

[wellington]

Also, get a point and shoot temp gun. The gun and digital temp) humidity gauge are two things that should be a must. They are both inexpensive and can be found at hardware stores or home depots, etc.

 

[Coconikki]

Also, get a point and shoot temp gun. The gun and digital temp) humidity gauge are two things that should be a must. They are both inexpensive and can be found at hardware stores or home depots, etc.

Yes, I have the yellow point shoot temp him.

 

[Tom]

Hello! I have a 48x24x24 enclosure for my 3 month old Leopard tortoise.
I currently have a 65 Incandescent flood and a 14% Arcadia UV bulb. (14% because the height one my enclosure)
My temps are 84 on cool side and 94 on warm side with 105 directly under the flood, on the rocks.
I also have a Radiant heat panel that runs at 80 at night when the lights come off.
My humidity is at a steady 80 but jumps up when I mist, comes back down to 75/80
My questions are… is it too hot ?
My tortoise paces on the cool side and rarely goes to the other side. Why?
He is eating and pooping fine.
Could I swap the 65 incandescent for a 45 and let my Radiant panel pick up the rest?
Please help.
View attachment 357019View attachment 357020

Baby tortoises don't like to be exposed. Being out in the open in the wild in Africa would quickly result in their death. You need to add more cover and hiding places. I like to clip branches from mulberry trees, grapes vines, hibiscus or lavatera bushes, etc... Give the baby some cover and hiding places. Potted plants can also be hung from the ceiling. Spider plants, Boston Fern and pothos all work.

Also, how many hours a day are you running the UV tube. 14% is VERY strong, and tortoises in outdoor pens generally avoid mid day sun with strong UV. Do you have a Solarmeter 6.5? I would have recommended a 12% tube for your enclosure.

 

[Coconikki]

Baby tortoises don't like to be exposed. Being out in the open in the wild in Africa would quickly result in their death. You need to add more cover and hiding places. I like to clip branches from mulberry trees, grapes vines, hibiscus or lavatera bushes, etc... Give the baby some cover and hiding places. Potted plants can also be hung from the ceiling. Spider plants, Boston Fern and pothos all work.

Also, how many hours a day are you running the UV tube. 14% is VERY strong, and tortoises in outdoor pens generally avoid mid day sun with strong UV. Do you have a Solarmeter 6.5? I would have recommended a 12% tube for your enclosure.

Hello Tom!
I am running the UV tube for about 10/12 hours.
Everywhere that I have read suggested the 14% due to the height of my enclosure. Should I swap it out to a 12%??
Also, I would love to add a live potted fern or pothos but I have read to not purchase from a nursery due to pesticides…. What do you suggest??
Thank you! I appreciate your help.

 

[Tom]

Hello Tom!
I am running the UV tube for about 10/12 hours.
Everywhere that I have read suggested the 14% due to the height of my enclosure. Should I swap it out to a 12%??
Also, I would love to add a live potted fern or pothos but I have read to not purchase from a nursery due to pesticides…. What do you suggest??
Thank you! I appreciate your help.

The UV tubę should only run for a couple few hours mid day. There is nowhere in the world with mid day summer levels of UV for 12 hours. There is no UV in the morning sun, it builds and then peaks mid day, and then zero UV in the late afternoon/evening again.

Be sure to have ample LED lighting to make it look like day time in there. There should be enough LED light so that you can't even tell if the UV tube is on without bending down and looking up at the tube.

You need to put a meter under the bulb to know if it is making too much UV. Only a meter can tell you if you need to change it, or if it is okay.

I get my indoor plants from cuttings off of long established other plants.

 

[wellington]

If you can put the plants in from a nursery for cover but not where the tort can eat them they should be fine. When you water them, either take them out so the pesticide water doesn't run into the enclosure or don't water them so much at one time that it runs out.

 

[Coconikki]

The UV tubę should only run for a couple few hours mid day. There is nowhere in the world with mid day summer levels of UV for 12 hours. There is no UV in the morning sun, it builds and then peaks mid day, and then zero UV in the late afternoon/evening again.

Be sure to have ample LED lighting to make it look like day time in there. There should be enough LED light so that you can't even tell if the UV tube is on without bending down and looking up at the tube.

You need to put a meter under the bulb to know if it is making too much UV. Only a meter can tell you if you need to change it, or if it is okay.

I get my indoor plants from cuttings off of long established other plants.

The UV tubę should only run for a couple few hours mid day. There is nowhere in the world with mid day summer levels of UV for 12 hours. There is no UV in the morning sun, it builds and then peaks mid day, and then zero UV in the late afternoon/evening again.

Be sure to have ample LED lighting to make it look like day time in there. There should be enough LED light so that you can't even tell if the UV tube is on without bending down and looking up at the tube.

You need to put a meter under the bulb to know if it is making too much UV. Only a meter can tell you if you need to change it, or if it is okay.

I get my indoor plants from cuttings off of long established other plants.

Tom, If I do a Pothos can I have the vine on the ground.. I am assuming these are safe for my Leopard Tortoise to eat right?
I actually have a few pothos I’ve had for years I can cut from.
Also are all pothos safe?
Thank you!

 

[Tom]

Tom, If I do a Pothos can I have the vine on the ground.. I am assuming these are safe for my Leopard Tortoise to eat right?
I actually have a few pothos I’ve had for years I can cut from.
Also are all pothos safe?
Thank you!

As far as I know, all of them are safe, if they are over a year old and have cleared the systemic pesticides.