I have setup a nesting site in my females enclosure is this ok or have you got any ideas to make it work better?
Nesting site
- Thread starter danieledwards2006
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I have setup a nesting site in my females enclosure is this ok or have you got any ideas to make it work better?
What are you getting for temperatures under the lamp on the nest box?
Danny
Danny
around 30c is this the right kind of temp? I have changed the nest box so its bigger and its also on a slope I read that they like to pick a site on a slope facing the sun dont know whether this will make a difference .
I will move the light over so its more in the middle.
I will move the light over so its more in the middle.
You want the light straight down and the temperature between 36 and 40C.
Danny
Danny
What bulb watt do you use to reach that temp? Thanks for your advice.
Seeing as your not using it for basking, you don't need a UV light. I can get those temperature with a 100watt incandescent bulb.
Danny
Danny
ok great I shall try that. what high is safe to have the bulb hanging from?
As long as the tortoise can't touch the bulb, your fine with any height.
Danny
Danny
thanks
6 inches deep.
One of my females started mounting my other one when she was on the soil to get her off is this just a hierarcy or does this happen when they want to make a nest? they have never done this before its normally just the males which mount?
One of my females started mounting my other one when she was on the soil to get her off is this just a hierarcy or does this happen when they want to make a nest? they have never done this before its normally just the males which mount?
How big was the female doing the mounting? It can be that she is gravid or just a dominance display, telling the other female to move as she likes this nice warm spot and doesn't want to share. 
Danny
Danny
Yeah, though usually if the female is serious about nesting she will ward off her tank mates. I have seen this in my group, because they are in a relatively small enclosure (it's a 150 gallon stock tank with 8" of dirt in it). The other tortoises will come up to see what the female is doing (because they always nest right under the main basking site) and she will usually ram them or bite them if they start to bother her too much. Once they get really into it though they will just go into a trance, and it seems like at this point the other tortoises just try to keep their distance anyway.
I am building a new enclosure in a couple of months and plan on using a similar design with a 36"x24"x8" cement mixing bin full of dirt under the basking site and a ramp leading down to cypress mulch. My main hope is just that the change will not throw them off nesting. I have had such good luck with these guys so far (they are russians) and am worried about jinxing it!
Keep us posted on how the animals are acting and if you're getting eggs. I just dug up a clutch 10 minutes ago. It's like they never stop.
I am building a new enclosure in a couple of months and plan on using a similar design with a 36"x24"x8" cement mixing bin full of dirt under the basking site and a ramp leading down to cypress mulch. My main hope is just that the change will not throw them off nesting. I have had such good luck with these guys so far (they are russians) and am worried about jinxing it!
Keep us posted on how the animals are acting and if you're getting eggs. I just dug up a clutch 10 minutes ago. It's like they never stop.
I have 3 females the one doing it her plastron is 5 1/2 inches she is 9yrs. I shall keep an eye on them I will let you know if there is any progress.
Thanks
Thanks
I have setup a further lamp with 100 watt incadesant bulb i am now reaching temps of around 40c. humidity is also between 50 and 70.soil is about 7 inches so should have enough depth.
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