new baby tortoise. is the enclosure ok?

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

I got my first ever tortois3 after wanting a leopard for a few years. She came with the aquarium, but it came bare except for the water dish and some wood chip bedding. After much reading, i came up with this setup. For lighting, I had a double dome that has the heating lamp on the far side by the food and a uv bulb closer to the middle. I used eco earth bedding with maybe a 1/4 of reptisand, but I put a layer of just eco on top. I set up a "feeding station" that has a piece of wood to block bedding from mixing with the food. She had nibbled on some hay (I did hear not to really bother with babies, but I bought and opened it before I learned that). One side has orchard hay and the other side is timothy. Temporarily, I just have some spring mix with the spinach taken out, but am doing a shopping trip tomorrow to a store that I saw had prickly pear last time I was there and am still researching more food. On the cool side, i set up a bunch of moss and the hide. When I first put her in, she was climbing on top of the hide/moss and climbing around so I will watch to see if she falls and flips. I set up the other hide closer to the hot side and the shallow water dish in the middle. I have 2 guages for temps, 1 can be seen, but the other is hidden behind the moss so I'll have to move it.

Anyways, I just set her up today in her and made an account to get feedback so any bit is appreciated.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Congrats on the leopard. So far things look good. Just be sure the temp doesn't go below 80 the humidity is at least 80% and the basking is 95-100. Don't use the coil type bulbs and when you do a substrate change, I would eliminate the sand.

 

[wellington]

Oh and read the threads below in my post.

 

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

Oh and read the threads below in my post.

Thank you. I've been making my way down different posts. The temp ranges have been pretty close to what you mention. Just curious though, what is wrong with using the coil bulbs? She did come with a tube so I can hook up that. Then I'd probably use the other part of the dome for a night time heat bulb then.

 

[wellington]

The coil bulbs have been known to cause eye problems. The bulbs were to have been improved and the problem fixed, but we still see the problems way too much on here. It's painful to your tort. Not all torts are affected by them, but why take the chance of putting your torts through the pain.

 

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

The coil bulbs have been known to cause eye problems. The bulbs were to have been improved and the problem fixed, but we still see the problems way too much on here. It's painful to your tort. Not all torts are affected by them, but why take the chance of putting your torts through the pain.

Makes sense. I'll use the tube.

 

[Rue]

What are you calling a coil bulb? A compact?

 

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

What are you calling a coil bulb? A compact?

Yes

 

[Pearly]

Hi and welcome from Texas. I use fish tank for the tort nursery too and love it! It is so much easier to keep the temps/humidity at desired levels. I love that you are using moss! I love it when those tiny feet walk on it, and my babies like to burry themselves in the moss too. I heard that hay may cause mold. I had little area with hay at the beginning but got rid if it. The babies were not least bit interested in it and I found it too coarse and pokey for those babies. Worried about eye injury. For your tank I'd just look into putting some plants in there for sight barriers, esthetics and healthy breathing air if you use live plants. You are doing great job so far. Stick around and keep us posted

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. I'm a bit of a nit picker, so I'll give you a list of things that I would change.

1. Ditch the hay. Its a mold risk, and your baby won't eat it anyway. He's just going to spread it around.
2. I'm not a fan of coir for leopard babies. I prefer fine grade orchid bark, but if you still want to use it, keep it damp and hand pack it down so its less messy. You will need three or four times that much once you hand pack it.
3. Spring mix is okay once in a while but be sure to get going with weeds and succulents for a leopard.
4. Definitely ditch the coil bulb.
5. Those deep dome double hoods prevent you from spreading out your heat. You need a basking bulb on one end and a CHE over the middle set on a thermostat to maintain ambient and night temps. Night heat is CRITICAL for this species. I don't see any night heat in your set up.
6. Those stick on dial type thermometers are not reliable or accurate. I would trade it out for a digital one with a remote probe from the hardware store.
7. Those open fronted half logs are okay for hiding spots, but they can't hold in humidity. You need a real humid hide.
8. All of my tortoises of all species and ages eat that moss. I can't use it and I don't recommend it.
9. You won't be able to hold in enough humidity with an open top.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Skip all the text in this one and just scroll down to the food list for suggestions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

Hello and welcome. I'm a bit of a nit picker, so I'll give you a list of things that I would change.

1. Ditch the hay. Its a mold risk, and your baby won't eat it anyway. He's just going to spread it around.
2. I'm not a fan of coir for leopard babies. I prefer fine grade orchid bark, but if you still want to use it, keep it damp and hand pack it down so its less messy. You will need three or four times that much once you hand pack it.
3. Spring mix is okay once in a while but be sure to get going with weeds and succulents for a leopard.
4. Definitely ditch the coil bulb.
5. Those deep dome double hoods prevent you from spreading out your heat. You need a basking bulb on one end and a CHE over the middle set on a thermostat to maintain ambient and night temps. Night heat is CRITICAL for this species. I don't see any night heat in your set up.
6. Those stick on dial type thermometers are not reliable or accurate. I would trade it out for a digital one with a remote probe from the hardware store.
7. Those open fronted half logs are okay for hiding spots, but they can't hold in humidity. You need a real humid hide.
8. All of my tortoises of all species and ages eat that moss. I can't use it and I don't recommend it.
9. You won't be able to hold in enough humidity with an open top.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Skip all the text in this one and just scroll down to the food list for suggestions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Thank you for the feedback. I'm doing a shopping trip today to get better foods/ see what potted plants are available and some night heat & other supplies.

 

[Tortellini-the-tortoise]

A little update. I did switch the coil uv bulb so the long tube. I set up a black heat lamp for at night (after buying and then returning a red light earlier today). I've been misting a few times a day to help with humidity.

I went to a farmers market today and found danelion greens, escarole, turnip greens, and collard green and got a small zucchini. My area doesn't have much as far as buying flowers or prickly pear at this time of the year, but found where I can order plants online.

Only small changes so far, but I'm continuing to spend as much time as I can doing more research. She's been really active during the day and is eating well so she seems happy at least.