Need help! (enclosure too hot)

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I need help I bought a horse field tortoise yesterday and did lots of research before buying he’s 9 months old and in a 3ft vivarium (while he’s a baby) with heat lamp on one side and long UV bulb. Yesterday evening I noticed the temperature was too high it was on about 40 degrees on the hot side and I was really struggling to get it down , I have a 60 watt bulb, even at night when switching the lights off it was 20 degrees all night, is this because my house is hot? I’m thinking of switching the bulb this morning to a 40 watt one because it just seems way too hot in there. tortoise seems fine he’s basking, walking around, eating, hasn’t drank much but will give him a soak. Any advice please? Will post pic of viv if needed.
 

Bee62

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I need help I bought a horse field tortoise yesterday and did lots of research before buying he’s 9 months old and in a 3ft vivarium (while he’s a baby) with heat lamp on one side and long UV bulb. Yesterday evening I noticed the temperature was too high it was on about 40 degrees on the hot side and I was really struggling to get it down , I have a 60 watt bulb, even at night when switching the lights off it was 20 degrees all night, is this because my house is hot? I’m thinking of switching the bulb this morning to a 40 watt one because it just seems way too hot in there. tortoise seems fine he’s basking, walking around, eating, hasn’t drank much but will give him a soak. Any advice please? Will post pic of viv if needed.

Hello and welcome to the forum. Congrats to your new shelled friend.
40 degrees is too hot for the whole enclosure. I would change the heat bulb asap into a lower one too. You can set the heating on a thermostate. That is the easiest way to keep the temp steady. Something like that:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tortoise-Vivarium-Electronic-Thermostat-Temperature/dp/B002CA7QGC
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019IHK9Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I would soak the tort for one hour in warm water ( the water must stay warm during the soak ) because he could be dehydrated in the heat. Please post some pics of your viv and your tortoise. Looking at a pic makes it easier to say if you can make some things better or not.
 
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I got a new 40 watt bulb today and the temp is a lot better on hot side it’s 35 and on cool side it’s 25 , I will post a pic of the viv in a bit. Thank you [emoji5]
 
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Someone please tell me as well why he doesn’t like baths... the pet shop said they didn’t bathe them often so maybe he isn’t used to it.. but he was trying to escape from his bath so I didn’t leave him in for long and when he went back in his viv he went off under his cave he seemed upset! What can I do to make him like baths?
 

Tom

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I got a new 40 watt bulb today and the temp is a lot better on hot side it’s 35 and on cool side it’s 25 , I will post a pic of the viv in a bit. Thank you [emoji5]

You've discovered one of the benefits of a viv over an open topped enclosure. They hold in heat very well, so you use a lot less wattage to get good temps, and they make much better living conditions for your tortoise. You aren't heating the whole room. You are just heating the tortoises enclosure.

Now we have to make sure you didn't buy the "Pets at Home" substrate with the limestone bits in it or the beech wood chips for substrate. :)

Give these a read through:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
 

Bee62

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Ok thank you, we got sold the bedding at the pet shop but we was thinking of changing to coconut husk/fibre is that ok? I love him so much already lol I just want the best for him! Thanks for the help
 

Bee62

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Someone please tell me as well why he doesn’t like baths... the pet shop said they didn’t bathe them often so maybe he isn’t used to it.. but he was trying to escape from his bath so I didn’t leave him in for long and when he went back in his viv he went off under his cave he seemed upset! What can I do to make him like baths?
Most tortoises hate baths but that doesen`t matter. Use a tub where he can`t see trough, with high walls. Place him in the warm water and soak him under his heat lamp in the viv where the water stays warm. Moving around in the warm water is good for his digestion. Don`t worry that he is upset.
My torts like to bath in their water dish because every morning I put fresh, warm water into it and plug the torts in the water. After a while they learn that is nice for them to sit in the warm water. But soaks or baths are not the same and they don`t like them.
 

Bee62

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Ok thank you, we got sold the bedding at the pet shop but we was thinking of changing to coconut husk/fibre is that ok? I love him so much already lol I just want the best for him! Thanks for the help
Pet shops often sell not suitable things. coconut fibre is okay. Use enough because torts like yours like to digg in the substrate.
 
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Ok thanks for all the advice I’ll be coming back to ask more question if needed [emoji5] what do you feed your torts on a daily basis?
 

Bee62

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Ok thanks for all the advice I’ll be coming back to ask more question if needed [emoji5] what do you feed your torts on a daily basis?
Come back with every question you have.:)
Because I live in Germany where weeds and gras is not available at present I feed my torts lambs lettuce, belgium endive and a little bit romain lettuce. The lambs lettuce and the belgium endive are both very good food for tortoises. In spring and summer I feed my torts blossoms, leaves and gras and weeds and dandelion from my garden.
Here you can find many things more you can feed or should not feed:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/
 
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Thank you for the info on food, I have another question, this morning at around 9am I checked on my tortoise when I switched his lights back on and waited for him to wake up as he’s usually woken by his lights, he was quite deeply burrowed but he wasn’t waking at all and his shell felt cold so I put him under the hot lamp and now he seems a bit more active but still inactive. The temp at night where he was sleeping was 20° with his lights off. Right now at the hot end it’s about 31° as it’s warming up. Is this normal?
 

Bee62

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Thank you for the info on food, I have another question, this morning at around 9am I checked on my tortoise when I switched his lights back on and waited for him to wake up as he’s usually woken by his lights, he was quite deeply burrowed but he wasn’t waking at all and his shell felt cold so I put him under the hot lamp and now he seems a bit more active but still inactive. The temp at night where he was sleeping was 20° with his lights off. Right now at the hot end it’s about 31° as it’s warming up. Is this normal?
20 C is a little bit too cold for a baby. I would buy a CHE ( ceramic heat emitter ) for the night. A CHE produces heat but no light.
The enclosure should be at 24 - 25 C at night for your baby tort.
 
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Okay great thank you very much because I read at night it should be 16 I couldn’t find a proper answer but even 20 seemed too cold. Thank you very much
 

Bee62

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Okay great thank you very much because I read at night it should be 16 I couldn’t find a proper answer but even 20 seemed too cold. Thank you very much
When russian tortoises are bigger they accept lower night temps but yours is a baby and needs more warmth.
 
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Thanks, he also seems a bit bored is there anything I can do to make his enclosure more stimulating? He walks and climbs a lot
 

CarolM

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Also any idea why he hates baths ?
Most babies hate baths. Mine is over 8months now and is only beginning to like her bath. Your little one won't come to any harm. Just carry on doing it everyday. Try create a routine, that might help him to settle a little bit more. Besides, the exercise he will get trying to get out, will help get his system working nicely. And generally the bath helps them to pee and poop, thereby helping you to keep his enclosure that little bit cleaner.
 
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