ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Actually, I am veiny and stupid (thank my pale complexion!) but what I meant to say was 'being.'
Me again... worried about hatchling's health
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A CHE doesn't put off light so you don't have to worry about the coil light issue. It's the light itself that blinds the animals not the heat from the coil bulb.
It's fine, the usual design is flat and coiled.
MV Power and White Python seem to be good and have both been purchased by British members here.
MV Power and White Python seem to be good and have both been purchased by British members here.
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Do you need a cage for the CHE? Where in the table does it go? How warm should it get at night?
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Wattage?
I don't use a cage myself, though I have a ceramic fitting as the CHE gets really, really, hot.
Some people may use cages, i'm not certain, as if you touch the CHE it can really, really hurt!!!!!
I have mine near the centre of the enclosure, but it doesn't matter as long as your night time ambient temp in the area where your tort sleeps is correct.
Check the care sheet for the requisite night time temperatures for a hatchling of your species.
I forgot to ask if you have an open top enclosure. Open top enclosures are really hard to keep at 80 degrees minimum and high enough humidity for babies.
At least 80 for a baby, for pretty much all species, is the lowest temperature they should be at any time from what I've heard. they should never get less than 80 degrees therefore don't let him run around on the floor, don't walk around the house with them for hours at a time, etc.
At least 80 for a baby, for pretty much all species, is the lowest temperature they should be at any time from what I've heard. they should never get less than 80 degrees therefore don't let him run around on the floor, don't walk around the house with them for hours at a time, etc.
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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He's in a tortoise table, so yes, open top.
I'd better check what 80F is in C. I'm pretty sure 1 Fahrenheit is -17 point something degrees Celsius.
80F is 26.6666666 C !!!!
The open top is the issue. even with 3 CHEs I doubt you can keep the area where he is at 26.666666c(lol) all the time. Perhaps you can get a piece of plexiglass cut to size and lay it over most of the open top? leave an opening for where your lamp is. I think most of your problems will go away if you enclose it... making an enclosed area keeps the humidity up too so you wouldn't have to spray as often. until you get back to class you could probably use tin foil or Plastic wrap.
I just say this because if he's too dry he'll get pyramided. if he gets too cold often enough he can get a respiratory infection and die...keeping the humidity up a bit and definitely keeping the temp up to 26.6666(again lol) will help him tremendously.
'Back to class' was supposed to be 'plexiglass.'
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Can anyone tell me how to make this plexiglass lid?
Take your measurements and then go to a hardware store. I don't know how it is in your country but in US hardware stores will cut it for us. You may be able to buy it online.
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Hi, just saw your thread and totally sympathize with you. I had this same dilemma when first got the babies. We thought the very large shallow (14inch high) tote would be a good way to house them in. Got bunch of live plants, hides and all that stuff... But keeping consistent temps with air conditioner going the whole summer was a challenge, and humidity even greater one, despite of misting several times per day. We ended up getting 40 gal breeder tank with metal screen cover. The UVB and UVA for daytime plus CHE for night sit directly on top of the screen and I found a way to cover all around the lamp openings with special insulation that I found at hardware store. Also ended up reptifogger despite mixed opinions on it and I'm so happy I did because all of the above combined provide consistent desirable temps and humidity just the way it's being recommended for young babies. I hope you were able to sort it out by now.
Tortoise table is awesome and It should be fairly easy for you to cover it up. Check out the "closed chambers" threads, there are some great ideas with many pictures to learn from. Whatever you end up using for the cover first figure out what to do with the lights, meaning the proper distance of UVB from your substrate. If your enclosure is shallow like mine was you might be better off getting metal screen that will take the heat of CHE and daytime basking light without risking electrical/fire issues. I got my screen at pet store, it is designed for reptile enclosures and made to fit the size of my tank which is perfect. I can't tell you how many trips to hardware stores I had made and walked all the construction isles looking for ideas. I do not posses one single "handy bone" in my body, so no power tools, no cutting, no screws and crap like that for me, unless I'd be willing to risk creating a make shift stuff that could potentially fall apart of catch electrical spark and ignite and injure our precious babies. I have to either get the stuff that's already made and meeting safety standards or pay the professional to do this for me. Anyway, if your table walls are higher than my tank then you might be able to just cover the whole thing with plexiglass and suspend your light/heat fixtures inside under the cover. Wishing you best of luck as for me this one was THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE in getting things going for those little cuties
ILoveTorts&Gerbils
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Tortoise table is awesome and It should be fairly easy for you to cover it up. Check out the "closed chambers" threads, there are some great ideas with many pictures to learn from. Whatever you end up using for the cover first figure out what to do with the lights, meaning the proper distance of UVB from your substrate. If your enclosure is shallow like mine was you might be better off getting metal screen that will take the heat of CHE and daytime basking light without risking electrical/fire issues. I got my screen at pet store, it is designed for reptile enclosures and made to fit the size of my tank which is perfect. I can't tell you how many trips to hardware stores I had made and walked all the construction isles looking for ideas. I do not posses one single "handy bone" in my body, so no power tools, no cutting, no screws and crap like that for me, unless I'd be willing to risk creating a make shift stuff that could potentially fall apart of catch electrical spark and ignite and injure our precious babies. I have to either get the stuff that's already made and meeting safety standards or pay the professional to do this for me. Anyway, if your table walls are higher than my tank then you might be able to just cover the whole thing with plexiglass and suspend your light/heat fixtures inside under the cover. Wishing you best of luck as for me this one was THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE in getting things going for those little cuties
Thank you, Pearly! Herbie seems (touch wood) to be doing a lot better now, growing well (now I have the issue of: 'oh, God, am I overfeeding him?!') and very active.
X From Herbie and me for all your help
I don't know if there is such thing as overfeeding a hatchling, though I'll let more experienced keepers chime in on that. My babies have free access to fresh greens 24/7, and I put out big meal for them every morning. Daily feedings started just recently, they are about 7 months old now. Prior to that I gave them ground/mashed up fresh food twice a day. I never worry about overfeeding, though they have never "cleaned the slate" (their plate is a piece of slate
, there's always some food leftover which I have to remove from the habitat. If they get good diet, exercise, right temps/humidity, and are healthy overall, I think Mother Nature helps little ones self regulate their intake. They eat what they need to have building material for growth and enough fuel to keep them going. If your hatchling has a healthy appetite, I think you should be happy and congratulate yourself for doing a good job. Just make sure it has the ability to run off all the metabolized calories and you should be fine. Again, I am no tort expert, please
Darn, sorry, got interrupted by one of my boys and "sent" before sentence was finished. I was going to say, that someone more experienced would be along and give you the right advise for sure
