sunshineuk
New Member
Hello,
I have recently started looking after a male tortoise, he is 10yo and had not been kept properly - I’ve discovered now that I’ve done a lot of research. This site has been very helpful!
This is his set up now - substrate is top soil and coco coir and I am aiming to soak him every other day. He has a bit of outside time but it’s been quite a cold wet summer here in Somerset UK. I’m getting to grips with all the weeds in my garden to work out what he can have!
My main question is around light/heating - how often should the lamp be on (it’s on all day atm), where and when should I put heater on? I don’t have a thermometer - what sort should I get? I’m spraying substrate regularly to keep it moist. How often should he poo? It seems very irregular to me - once a week if that? How often should I change his substrate?
Finally any observations on his general health? I understand why how he has pyramiding. If we keep him possibly we could build an outside enclosure, that’s TBC at the moment
![IMG_3489.jpeg IMG_3489.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/364/364926-14e2e8f548d92bf418fc7d6bc4a0a2d6.jpg)
I have recently started looking after a male tortoise, he is 10yo and had not been kept properly - I’ve discovered now that I’ve done a lot of research. This site has been very helpful!
This is his set up now - substrate is top soil and coco coir and I am aiming to soak him every other day. He has a bit of outside time but it’s been quite a cold wet summer here in Somerset UK. I’m getting to grips with all the weeds in my garden to work out what he can have!
My main question is around light/heating - how often should the lamp be on (it’s on all day atm), where and when should I put heater on? I don’t have a thermometer - what sort should I get? I’m spraying substrate regularly to keep it moist. How often should he poo? It seems very irregular to me - once a week if that? How often should I change his substrate?
Finally any observations on his general health? I understand why how he has pyramiding. If we keep him possibly we could build an outside enclosure, that’s TBC at the moment
![IMG_3489.jpeg IMG_3489.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/364/364926-14e2e8f548d92bf418fc7d6bc4a0a2d6.jpg)