More or less uvb

[Tortellinimommy]

Hi everyone! I just got my hermann hatchling and researched info prior until I could no longer read, there is so much info that it's hard to know what's good from bad. Lighting and heat and supplementing with the right vitamin/calcium seem to be where I'm confused. In his temporary home I currently have a reptisun 10.0 26 watt cfl and a 50 watt basking bulb. The basking rock is heating to 95-115 degrees depending on spot but the overall temp in area is reading 80 from the thermostat, not sure if I should use a higher wattage to obtain more heat. The uvb bulb is in its burn in period so I have it set 15" from tortoises shell but I'm not sure if there is enough shady area? Not sure if I should go with the 13 watt uvb bulb or what? If any one has any suggestions that would be great, I just want to give my little guy the best home I can.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

There is a lot of old, outdated, incorrect and contradicting care info out there. Everyone seems to have an opinion and everyone seems to think their way is the best way. I'm no exception. I've been doing it since I was 7 years old in the 70's and I made a lot of mistakes and followed a lot of incorrect advice along the way. I even gave out lots of incorrect advice, because that is what I was taught, and at the time, I din't know better. Well, I've learned along the way and now I know better. All I can do is share what I've learned and try to prevent people like you from making the same mistakes I've made. You'll have to decide who to listen to.

- NO cfl UV bulbs. Some of those cause eye damage. THere is no way to tell which ones do and which ones don't. They are also not very effective UV sources. Use a long tube type or a mercury vapor bulb.

- No spot bulbs. They concentrate too much heat in to too small of and area, and this will lead to carapace desiccation and pyramiding. Use a flood type bulb instead. This will spread the basking heat and light out over a greater area. Basking area should be around 95-100. Hot spots of 115 are too high.

- Low sided sweater boxes are the worst way to house them because you cannot maintain adequate humidity in an open topped enclosure like that unless the whole room is kept humid. I'm glad you mentioned that the is only temporary. Moderate humidity is essential for hatchlings and babies all species of tortoises. 50-70% and they need a humid hide too. Your hides are nice, but neither can hold in humidity. Use a plastic tub of some sort. Flip it upside down and cu out a door hole just big enough for the tortoise. Keep the substrate more damp under the humid hide box.

-Those stick-on dial type thermometers are inaccurate and unreliable. Get a remote probed digital unit for about $10 at the hardware store.

- Where are the water and food bowl? I see a depression in the substrate in the first pic. What that where it was? Terra cotta plant saucers from the hardware or garden store work best. Sink them into the substrate. I use the 4" ones for babies.

- Supplements: Use a tiny pinch of calcium twice a week, and a tiny pinch of vitamins once a week.

-Soak your baby daily.

-Avoid grocery store produce and try to feed mostly weeds, leaves and flowers of the right types.

The care sheet is labeled for russians, but care is similar for all Testudo. I'd go more damp with a hermanni. These should help.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Please question any or all of this. I don't make these assertions lightly and have the experience to back up all of this. Feel free to ask for more explanation on any of these points and ask me to explain any contradictions with other things you've read. Once you hear the explanations, the right things to do will become more obvious.

 

[Yvonne G]

I know Tom meant well, but I'd like to direct you to a better care sheet especially written for your little Hermanni, and written by a very knowledgeable tortoise person:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

Welcome to the Forum! We're here to help you, so after you've read Chris's care sheet come back and ask any questions you may have.

 

[Tortellinimommy]

Tom thanks for your advice, if I use the mercury bulb will that take care of both heat and uvb or will I need additional? I do have sphagnum moss that I moistened under the log hide(tortoise is currently burrowed under log hide) and in pot hide, I took out the terra-cotta water and food dish last night to clean. I will remove the pot hide and put in a plastic hide to make sure he's getting enough moisture, should I add my humidefier to the room for added moisture? Also I'm in Northern California and the current outside afternoon temp is mid 70s but sunny, would it be ok to bring hatchling outside for natural sun for 15 minutes or better to wait until next spring/summer?

 

[Tom]

I know Tom meant well, but I'd like to direct you to a better care sheet especially written for your little Hermanni, and written by a very knowledgeable tortoise person:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

Welcome to the Forum! We're here to help you, so after you've read Chris's care sheet come back and ask any questions you may have.

I meant well?

Do you think there are big differences in hermanni care vs. russians? You don't think a hermanni would do well following my casresheet?

 

[Yvonne G]

I just thought the OP would be better served reading a care sheet written especially for her type of tortoise.

 

[Tom]

Tom thanks for your advice, if I use the mercury bulb will that take care of both heat and uvb or will I need additional? I do have sphagnum moss that I moistened under the log hide(tortoise is currently burrowed under log hide) and in pot hide, I took out the terra-cotta water and food dish last night to clean. I will remove the pot hide and put in a plastic hide to make sure he's getting enough moisture, should I add my humidefier to the room for added moisture? Also I'm in Northern California and the current outside afternoon temp is mid 70s but sunny, would it be ok to bring hatchling outside for natural sun for 15 minutes or better to wait until next spring/summer?

-If room temps stays above 65ish all year, then a single MVB could meet all of your needs. Just be aware that they don't keep producing UV for a long time even when the bulb is still working. Best to have a UV meter so you can check it.

-My tortoises al try to eat sphagnum moss, and I can't use it. Keep and eye out for that.

-Humidifying the whole room can certainly help, but using a more closed in enclosure will help more and also be more efficient.

-I would give him and hour or two of outside time in a safe enclosure anytime the temps are in the high 60s or higher, sunny and not damp or too windy. Real sunshine and outside time is great for them. Of course, make sure there is always shade available, so he doesn't overheat.

 

[Tortellinimommy]

The care sheets had good info, thanks. Now I need to figure out how if I can build something for a uvb tube light to go over the temporary plastic tub or just do a mvb for now until I build a larger wooden enclosure for when the hatchling gets bigger. As far as a heat bulb I read I can use a 100 watt flood bulb from local hardware store is that right?

 

[Tom]

I just thought the OP would be better served reading a care sheet written especially for her type of tortoise.

I respect and even admire Chris tremendously, but there are a couple of points in his otherwise great care sheet that I don't agree with and that is the reason I tend to not link it for people asking for care advice. Here are the two quotes from Chris's care sheet that I disagree with, and I think you might too:

"Never use glass aquariums for tortoises. They create a constant “greenhouse” effect inside causing them to rapidly dehydrate. They also drive the tortoises crazy because they cannot comprehend what glass is and why they can see through it but not move forward. This sends stress levels through the roof."

"A suitable substrate is clean top soil mixed with coconut coir or peat moss. I prefer to add sand into this mix to help generate a substrate that replicates what they experience in nature more closely."

If it wasn't for these two things, I would recommend it more often.

 

[Tom]

As far as a heat bulb I read I can use a 100 watt flood bulb from local hardware store is that right?

Yes. I typically use a 65 watt, but some enclosures will require a lager wattage bulb, while others require a lower wattage bulb. Try a 100 and see what you get for temperatures under it.

You can build a simple wooden frame from 2x4s to go over the enclosure to hang lights from. Or PVC pipe. Or you can buy those ZooMed lamp stands.

 

[Tortellinimommy]

Thanks for the replies, I think I will try an mvb for now and keep the hide humid as well as regular soaks and I like the idea of using the plastic lid at night to help with humidity since he's a hatchling. One other question and I know this may sound strange but is it normal for the hatchling to want to stay burrowed and sleep during the morning? He only arrived yesterday and I'm not sure if he's just overwhelmed and needs to rest or if this is normal for a young hatchling or if I should be concerned?

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

 

[keepergale]

It's not uncommon for new arrivals to be "overwhelmed". If you don't see a change after a day or two then you may need to review your set up.

 

[Tortellinimommy]

It's not uncommon for new arrivals to be "overwhelmed". If you don't see a change after a day or two then you may need to review your set up.

Thanks, once I checked on him in the early afternoon he woke up and after his soak he was up and about all day until his lights were turned off for bed