New horsefield tortoise

[Chrisjc]

Hi I have just bought a bay horse field tortoise 5 months old

Just want some advice to make sure I’m doing things right

He’s not really been eating since I got him and he only ate a small amount yesterday most of what I hand fed him

I did then put in some Komodo dry food which he seemed to eat a little bit

I have bathed him each morning but he seems to spend his whole day at the rear of the viv under the basking lamp

Not sure if he’s warm enough

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello and welcome!

Tortoises don't like big changes much and for a week or more can be stressed because of that (hiding a lot, eating less).

You are right, that low temperatures can make them more passive and reduce appetite. If you've got your tortoise from a net pet store, chances high he is a wild-caught adult tortoise (no matter what age has been told to you by a salesman) and he might try to hibernate (brumate) for a winter.

Can you post some pictures of your vivarium and tortoise, and tell what light and heat sources do you use? If you know temperatures (day/night, ambient and under basking lamp) this would help greatly.

In the meanwhile you can read this post on basics of tortoise care: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/i...se-read-this-first.202363/page-5#post-2090817
and temperate species care sheet (at the bottom of that post). Amount of the information can be overwhelming at first, but don't be scared and ask any questions, we'll try to help.

 

[Chrisjc]

Hello and welcome!

Tortoises don't like big changes much and for a week or more can be stressed because of that (hiding a lot, eating less).

You are right, that low temperatures can make them more passive and reduce appetite. If you've got your tortoise from a net pet store, chances high he is a wild-caught adult tortoise (no matter what age has been told to you by a salesman) and he might try to hibernate (brumate) for a winter.

Can you post some pictures of your vivarium and tortoise, and tell what light and heat sources do you use? If you know temperatures (day/night, ambient and under basking lamp) this would help greatly.

In the meanwhile you can read this post on basics of tortoise care: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/i...se-read-this-first.202363/page-5#post-2090817
and temperate species care sheet (at the bottom of that post). Amount of the information can be overwhelming at first, but don't be scared and ask any questions, we'll try to help.

 

[Chrisjc]

Thanks for reply I’ve posted some photos above

Basking temp is always around 30 and cool side sits about 22

He is very small around the size of a Jaffa cake so I’m assuming he is the age they say he is

Hopefully the images show the equipment I was sold this as a starter kit

A lot of information online contradicts itself. Seems that you get told one thing on one site then the complete opposite on the other . I just want to make sure I’m getting things right

 

[wellington]

Basking is too low. Needs to be 95-100 around 38c I believe. Over all temp should be 75-80F and night temps no lower than 70F. Make the enclosure bright during the day to keep him up from brumating and dark at night, no lights.
The water dish is wrong and dangerous. Switch it out for a clay saucer, the kind that goes under plants.
The puck like gauge for temp is no go, they are not accurate and it's too high, needs to be tort level, so don't count on that one.
Do not use red lights, it can make them eat things they shouldn't. You need a tube florescent for uvb, incandescent flood bulb for basking and ceramic heat emitter for added day heat if needed and night heat.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thanks for reply I’ve posted some photos above

Basking temp is always around 30 and cool side sits about 22

He is very small around the size of a Jaffa cake so I’m assuming he is the age they say he is

Hopefully the images show the equipment I was sold this as a starter kit

A lot of information online contradicts itself. Seems that you get told one thing on one site then the complete opposite on the other . I just want to make sure I’m getting things right

Yes, photos are fine and your little guy is very cute (he's definitely not an adult )

Yes, I understand your confusion with conflicting information on different sites. For the peace of mind stick with care sheets and advice, I've linked above.

Your enclosure looks good enough, but some tweaks should be made (some of them - ASAP): see Wellington's post above, I was just too slow at typing

 

[Chrisjc]

Basking is too low. Needs to be 95-100 around 38c I believe. Over all temp should be 75-80F and night temps no lower than 70F. Make the enclosure bright during the day to keep him up from brumating and dark at night, no lights.
The water dish is wrong and dangerous. Switch it out for a clay saucer, the kind that goes under plants.
The puck like gauge for temp is no go, they are not accurate and it's too high, needs to be tort level, so don't count on that one.
Do not use red lights, it can make them eat things they shouldn't. You need a tube florescent for uvb, incandescent flood bulb for basking and ceramic heat emitter for added day heat if needed and night heat.

Thanks for your reply can I ask what makes the water dish dangerous as this is what is for sale on most sites as a tortoise drinking/bathing dish. I was also told by breeder to have hot side between 27-34 and the Cool side between 17-22 which I’m currently achieving.

Why is advice so different it’s very confusing?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thanks for your reply can I ask what makes the water dish dangerous as this is what is for sale on most sites as a tortoise drinking/bathing dish. I was also told by breeder to have hot side between 27-34 and the Cool side between 17-22 which I’m currently achieving.

Why is advice so different it’s very confusing?

These ramped dishes are flipping and drowning hazard. Especially for baby tortoises. Even if 1 of 100 drowns - it doesn't worth the risk, with safer and cheaper options available.

Temperatures told by the breeder or more or less correct: you need a temperature gradient in the enclosure and night time temperature drops. However, they are fine for an adult tortoise and lower than needed if we try to keep tortoise out of brumation.

Another thing here, is that you need higher humidity for a baby tortoise to prevent forming a bumpy shell (pyramiding) and cold damp environment make tortoise prone to respiratory infections (warm and humid is fine).

Conflicting advice is what happens sometimes: some rely on outdated information, some have developed their "own path" of raising tortoises, some tend to do things "natural way", some do the opposite. And science about tortoises is lagging behind too and many things are not yet known for sure.

 

[TammyJ]

Hi and welcome. You can make it really confusing and frustrating for yourself by jumping around to different sites, or you do the absolutely right thing now, by staying here and following all the good and vitally important advice that people who care and are very experienced, will offer you! You will soon be glad you did, and so will your adorable little tortoise.

 

[wellington]

Thanks for your reply can I ask what makes the water dish dangerous as this is what is for sale on most sites as a tortoise drinking/bathing dish. I was also told by breeder to have hot side between 27-34 and the Cool side between 17-22 which I’m currently achieving.

Why is advice so different it’s very confusing?

Pet shops sell what they think will be appealing to the human, not what's right for the animal. So many products sold for animals is wrong or dangerous.
First, not likely your tort will struggle up the ramp as often as it should. Second, they are a flipping and drowning hazard. In the wild, not too many torts are climbing up embankments to get to a water source.

 

[Chrisjc]

Thankyou for all your help… is this a better dish it’s a food safe terracotta saucer similar to what’s under a plant pot… had this one at home

 

[Chrisjc]

Thankyou for all your help… is this a better dish it’s a good safe terracotta saucer similar to what’s under a plant pot… had this one at home

 

[Tom]

Why is advice so different it’s very confusing?

Hello and welcome. Take the time to read the thread that was linked, and this will be explained.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thankyou for all your help… is this a better dish it’s a good safe terracotta saucer similar to what’s under a plant pot… had this one at home

Shallow non-glazed terracota saucer is good (raw clay provides enough traction).

This one looks deep and slippery (but may be it's just a photo). You can put your tortoise inside and he should get out without struggle and the same with getting in: he should not "dive" into the bowl.

 

[wellington]

Plastic can be slippery. I would put some larger stones in it so he can get more leverage for getting in and out. If you can get a clay one it would be better and it's lower sides.
Sorry, you did say terracotta it looks plastic to me. If it is glazed, I would still put rocks in.

 

[Tom]

Thankyou for all your help… is this a better dish it’s a food safe terracotta saucer similar to what’s under a plant pot… had this one at home

That bowl is not as bad as the ramped bowl, but its not what you need. That one has sides that are too steep and its too slick. Your need a terra cotta type. They are shallow, with gently sloped sides, and the rough surface provides traction for wet tortoise feet.


Like this:

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Chrisjc]

Plastic can be slippery. I would put some larger stones in it so he can get more leverage for getting in and out. If you can get a clay one it would be better and it's lower sides.
Sorry, you did say terracotta it looks plastic to me. If it is glazed, I would still put rocks in.

Hi Thanks for your help yesterday,
I’m looking to change this basking bulb to an appropriate mercury vapour bulb that’s not red and omits UV … do you have a recommendation on what to choose… I also have a UV tube on the Vivarium so not sure if that would be too much

 

[Chrisjc]

Hi Thanks for your help yesterday,
I’m looking to change this basking bulb to an appropriate mercury vapour bulb that’s not red and omits UV … do you have a recommendation on what to choose… I also have a UV tube on the Vivarium so not sure if that would be too much

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi Thanks for your help yesterday,
I’m looking to change this basking bulb to an appropriate mercury vapour bulb that’s not red and omits UV … do you have a recommendation on what to choose… I also have a UV tube on the Vivarium so not sure if that would be too much

Hello!

There is definitely some confusion )
1. Mercury vapour bulb should *not* be used for tortoise basking spots.

2. Your T5 tube lamp is a fine source of UVB, you don't need another one. It should be on for 3-4 hours a day.

3. You need a basking spot lamp: simple incandescent bulb, preferably flood type. *Not* halogen, MVB, metal hallide, intense, spotlight, red, blue and so. Since incandescent lamp were mostly wiped out from the shops, you have to look in the pet stores. Look for something like Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight. Basking lamp is on for 14 hours a day.

4. You need a ceramic heat emitter (CHE, looks like a snail with a lamp screw on the side) for night heating. It doesn't emit light and provide ambient heat in the enclosure. It must be put on a thermostat.

5. You need ambient light in the enclosure ("under cabinet LED strip" is a nice fit, look for them on Amazon or hardware stores, you need "cold daylight", 6000-6500K). It should be run 14 hours a day.

You can check your shopping basket with us before buying anything.