Hello, my name is Tracy I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. That is actually why I am on this forum. A serious lack of information. All we have up here in the way of a pet store is Petco. The kids Petco hires for sales personell are absolutely no help.
My wife and I would like to start raising a couple baby Greek Tortoises. We have the room, my wife has raised a box turtle when she was younger. I chose the greek because they will remain small, under 8". They also are a hardy tortoise and can eat foods that are readily availavle up here. But my problem is I don't know some of the set up We need. We found a glass reptile enclosure (Zilla size 40 critter cage). I chose that enclosure because it will keep the tortoises warmer during our winters (sometimes the floor of the house is a little chilly in the mornings). I plan on putting a heat mat in it as well as temp and humidity guages, turtle food and water dishes. I am thinking of Sphagnum moss (peat moss) and sand mixed 50/50 for the substrate. I have no idea of what lights to use. I am having some difficulty finding them here, or at least anyone at petco that knows much about them. I am only able to find light fixtures that are rated for for incandescent bulbs. And no uva bulbs are available except for mercury vapor bulbs. But the uvb bulbs are available at 50-75 watts. but I don't know enough about them to make an informed judgement. I just much perfer not to have a mercury vapor bulb in the house incase it breaks.
Can anyone out there help me out on lighting information and food supplements. I plan on putting a cuddlebone in with them too.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Tracy
My wife and I would like to start raising a couple baby Greek Tortoises. We have the room, my wife has raised a box turtle when she was younger. I chose the greek because they will remain small, under 8". They also are a hardy tortoise and can eat foods that are readily availavle up here. But my problem is I don't know some of the set up We need. We found a glass reptile enclosure (Zilla size 40 critter cage). I chose that enclosure because it will keep the tortoises warmer during our winters (sometimes the floor of the house is a little chilly in the mornings). I plan on putting a heat mat in it as well as temp and humidity guages, turtle food and water dishes. I am thinking of Sphagnum moss (peat moss) and sand mixed 50/50 for the substrate. I have no idea of what lights to use. I am having some difficulty finding them here, or at least anyone at petco that knows much about them. I am only able to find light fixtures that are rated for for incandescent bulbs. And no uva bulbs are available except for mercury vapor bulbs. But the uvb bulbs are available at 50-75 watts. but I don't know enough about them to make an informed judgement. I just much perfer not to have a mercury vapor bulb in the house incase it breaks.
Can anyone out there help me out on lighting information and food supplements. I plan on putting a cuddlebone in with them too.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Tracy