- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 45
Ok, I'm two weeks in, which makes Deasil three weeks hatched.
There are three, primary issues, and all available research for them conflict somehow. Conflicts vary, but various sources all have information that their manner of presentation suggests their way is good, others are bad, leading to my few weeks of settling for a kind of mix of the various guides. Since I'm a concerned pet parent, I might as well ask and see if I'm doing it right.
I'll provide current situation, what I've done, what I intend to do, and then my questions for each issue.
Issue One: Substrate/Habitat
Current information and background:
So far, the substrate in the temporary aquarium is approaching a third replacement.
At first, I tried straight Eco Earth (ground coconut shell). It was too dry.
A bit of water went too far with it (says it can make a good 'earth', but went from dry to mush, with no stop in between).
I experiemented with a few things, and ended up with eco earth, a nip of water, and slightly-cut-up coastal hay as substrate.
I'm considering replacing the lot of it with a 50/50 mix of sand and top soil, which I heard mentioned elsewhere by a few people.
There is a LOT of conflicting information regarding substrate, and everyone says don't use 'this one specific item' and swears by 'this one, which the last guy swore was bad'.
Right now, what I have seems to be working for the happiness factor, the bit of hay I left in as substrate has become the furrow, and the tort made their own little hidy hole in it. If they try to climb on it, it squishes down, so I don't have to worry about it flipping them over. I never see them trying to eat the hay furrow either.
I've seen nothing against using the eco earth (ground coconut shell) in regards to oils, and wet it doesn't leave any sheen on water, so -presently- its staying the right humidity, I'm keeping a stable hot and cool zone, and the tort has a 'happy' furrow (6th attempt, tried various cartons and containers, but it really seems to like sleeping in the hay).
Questions:
Since this habitat is going to be the basis for its first year or two's habitat (it will be getting a larger version when I get a 'handmedown' from a friend), is there anything wrong with it so far? Was one of the first steps a better setup? Should I take the next step to a sand/topsoil mix? Is the present selection of furrow material ok? Should I try to find a sturdy alternative (bear in mind, I've tried several, and all resulted in flipping)?
Issue Two: Food
Current information and background:
The smallest amount of hay I could buy at the feed store was a bale, for $7. It seems the best thing, according to what I've read, that I could feed my youngin' would be the hay by itself, with a few treats for variety. Its coastal hay, aka bermuda grass.
Sadly, the tort barely touches the hay by itself. I've tried fresh bermuda grass mixed in, which it eats and is the primary diet for the meantime. Fresh is in short supply (until the back lawn greens up again, Tampa's unusual cold spell put our lawn in hibernation).
The only way it'll touch supplements (I'm using calcium+d3 without phosphorus) is on ground fresh bermuda grass. None of the local feed stores have much of a selection, and it looks like I'll be ordering seed for a mix of stuff.
So far, its treats have consisted of fresh rose leaf, a bit of hibiscus leaf, romaine, a bit of wild lettuce, collard greens, and bit of despined thistle leaf. I'd have tried offering a bit more of a selection, but edible weeds are in short supply, for the same reason as fresh bermuda grass.
Questions:
Is there any trick to getting it to eat the dry hay? Is there any problem with the list of things I've offered? Is it fine to keep feeding a fresh and dry mix? What if it prefers only green bermuda grass, is that fine for a while? If it only eats green, should I lower the habitat humidity? Will there be any issues with the wild items offered, since they are the main weeds in the yard?
Issue Three: Temperature
Current information and background:
Ok, this has about as many answers as issues one and two, with the same dissent. For the remainder of this section, all degrees are in Farenheit.
Right now, I've got the cool side sitting at room temp, which has been varying between 65 and 72. The room's heat is put on in the room when it gets below 68, but the surface temp of the habitat on the farthest side from the hot zone was reading 65. The surface temp in the furrow was reading about 68. The room's air comes on at 72 and surface temp in furrow and on the surface at the far end were staying right with it.
The hot zone I've got at a surface temp of 80ish during lights out, 85ish during lights on. The hot zone has 'subzones' (the overall hot zone is provided by an under-tank warmer), by varying the depth of substrate. With lights on, the surface temp -directly- under the light reaches about 90, though a few readings did hit 93. Outside of the direct light, it keeps the surrounding area at 85ish for most of it. I do have a layer of pad below the substrate, since Deasil has already shown they are a digger, to prevent hitting the glass directly above the heater. Measuring the pad in the tank, without substrate, comes in at 90, but doesn't get touched often (and then only briefly).
The light is a true UVB bulb, which does provide some heat. Its obviously not a strong heat source, since its only bringing up the temp by 5-10 degrees (yet was still the single most expensive item in the entire setup, I believe its made by T-Rex). Three of my closest friends are herp owners, and have been quite helpful. The mix of them consists of an iguana, several ball pythons, and an ex-turtle owner who bought a hatchling sulcata from the same batch as mine. According to them, based on what I have found, I should be fine.
I also have a water dish always available, which I am keeping on the edge of the hot zone (water stays right about 75), and rather than paying heaps of money for a big bulky item that could pose a flipping hazard, since it provides the right depth, I'm using the lid from a Betty Crocker icing container. I am fully aware its not a permanent solution, but since young grow quickly, I don't want to be in the same boat as the friend who bought a few sizes of cages and accessories for his iguana. I want to keep the price down, for stuff that will be quickly outgrown. When topped off, it provides enough depth the little one can be touching water across its whole base when it climbs in (it drinks, but seems it always wants to be knee deep before it does).
Questions:
Is the temp range available acceptable? Should I make the hot zone and basking temps higher? Do I need a colder hot zone during lights out? Is it better to put food and/or water in the hot and/or cold zone? Is providing water at all times ok? Do I need to lessen the available water?
Extra stuff:
I'd show a picture of my setup, but I feel bad since what I have right now is too small. I've taken care (part of the reason I know temps of everything, with excessive redundancy) to check many angles, placings, depths, and et cetera until I found the right placings and settings for a true hot and cool zone. The present setup is a wide base 5.5 gal aquarium. In a week or two, I'll be getting a wide base 29 gal aquarium, which will provide a LOT of romping area indoors for quite some time. Once THAT is set up, I'll do a picture.
I live in Florida, and when weather permits, Deasil will be playing outside. I constructed a playpen for yesterday using some old boards that made a 'frame' of 3'x5' using 2x4's. I sat next to it, reading for a few hours. I'm thinking adding a few posts to the design, and some chicken wire to surround and cover it, and it should suffice as a playpen for quite some time (chicken wire would mean I don't have to be hovering around it quite so much, we have vultures around here, and Deasil would probably become a meal.. yet its also quite open to allow direct sunlight). Of course, it is entirely a temporary thing, until the tort is big enough I don't have to worry about it being considered quick prey by local predators.
Future plans... yes, I know how big sulcatas can get. Based on available information, which seems to be in a consensus on this, my yard should suffice for either two 5 or 6 year olds, or a single big 7 or 8 year old. The yard will change before that becomes an issue. (Insert grumbling about new laws and loan policies requiring 4x the previously expected down payments on homes.)
Suggestions? Thoughts? Anything I need to change?
There are three, primary issues, and all available research for them conflict somehow. Conflicts vary, but various sources all have information that their manner of presentation suggests their way is good, others are bad, leading to my few weeks of settling for a kind of mix of the various guides. Since I'm a concerned pet parent, I might as well ask and see if I'm doing it right.
I'll provide current situation, what I've done, what I intend to do, and then my questions for each issue.
Issue One: Substrate/Habitat
Current information and background:
So far, the substrate in the temporary aquarium is approaching a third replacement.
At first, I tried straight Eco Earth (ground coconut shell). It was too dry.
A bit of water went too far with it (says it can make a good 'earth', but went from dry to mush, with no stop in between).
I experiemented with a few things, and ended up with eco earth, a nip of water, and slightly-cut-up coastal hay as substrate.
I'm considering replacing the lot of it with a 50/50 mix of sand and top soil, which I heard mentioned elsewhere by a few people.
There is a LOT of conflicting information regarding substrate, and everyone says don't use 'this one specific item' and swears by 'this one, which the last guy swore was bad'.
Right now, what I have seems to be working for the happiness factor, the bit of hay I left in as substrate has become the furrow, and the tort made their own little hidy hole in it. If they try to climb on it, it squishes down, so I don't have to worry about it flipping them over. I never see them trying to eat the hay furrow either.
I've seen nothing against using the eco earth (ground coconut shell) in regards to oils, and wet it doesn't leave any sheen on water, so -presently- its staying the right humidity, I'm keeping a stable hot and cool zone, and the tort has a 'happy' furrow (6th attempt, tried various cartons and containers, but it really seems to like sleeping in the hay).
Questions:
Since this habitat is going to be the basis for its first year or two's habitat (it will be getting a larger version when I get a 'handmedown' from a friend), is there anything wrong with it so far? Was one of the first steps a better setup? Should I take the next step to a sand/topsoil mix? Is the present selection of furrow material ok? Should I try to find a sturdy alternative (bear in mind, I've tried several, and all resulted in flipping)?
Issue Two: Food
Current information and background:
The smallest amount of hay I could buy at the feed store was a bale, for $7. It seems the best thing, according to what I've read, that I could feed my youngin' would be the hay by itself, with a few treats for variety. Its coastal hay, aka bermuda grass.
Sadly, the tort barely touches the hay by itself. I've tried fresh bermuda grass mixed in, which it eats and is the primary diet for the meantime. Fresh is in short supply (until the back lawn greens up again, Tampa's unusual cold spell put our lawn in hibernation).
The only way it'll touch supplements (I'm using calcium+d3 without phosphorus) is on ground fresh bermuda grass. None of the local feed stores have much of a selection, and it looks like I'll be ordering seed for a mix of stuff.
So far, its treats have consisted of fresh rose leaf, a bit of hibiscus leaf, romaine, a bit of wild lettuce, collard greens, and bit of despined thistle leaf. I'd have tried offering a bit more of a selection, but edible weeds are in short supply, for the same reason as fresh bermuda grass.
Questions:
Is there any trick to getting it to eat the dry hay? Is there any problem with the list of things I've offered? Is it fine to keep feeding a fresh and dry mix? What if it prefers only green bermuda grass, is that fine for a while? If it only eats green, should I lower the habitat humidity? Will there be any issues with the wild items offered, since they are the main weeds in the yard?
Issue Three: Temperature
Current information and background:
Ok, this has about as many answers as issues one and two, with the same dissent. For the remainder of this section, all degrees are in Farenheit.
Right now, I've got the cool side sitting at room temp, which has been varying between 65 and 72. The room's heat is put on in the room when it gets below 68, but the surface temp of the habitat on the farthest side from the hot zone was reading 65. The surface temp in the furrow was reading about 68. The room's air comes on at 72 and surface temp in furrow and on the surface at the far end were staying right with it.
The hot zone I've got at a surface temp of 80ish during lights out, 85ish during lights on. The hot zone has 'subzones' (the overall hot zone is provided by an under-tank warmer), by varying the depth of substrate. With lights on, the surface temp -directly- under the light reaches about 90, though a few readings did hit 93. Outside of the direct light, it keeps the surrounding area at 85ish for most of it. I do have a layer of pad below the substrate, since Deasil has already shown they are a digger, to prevent hitting the glass directly above the heater. Measuring the pad in the tank, without substrate, comes in at 90, but doesn't get touched often (and then only briefly).
The light is a true UVB bulb, which does provide some heat. Its obviously not a strong heat source, since its only bringing up the temp by 5-10 degrees (yet was still the single most expensive item in the entire setup, I believe its made by T-Rex). Three of my closest friends are herp owners, and have been quite helpful. The mix of them consists of an iguana, several ball pythons, and an ex-turtle owner who bought a hatchling sulcata from the same batch as mine. According to them, based on what I have found, I should be fine.
I also have a water dish always available, which I am keeping on the edge of the hot zone (water stays right about 75), and rather than paying heaps of money for a big bulky item that could pose a flipping hazard, since it provides the right depth, I'm using the lid from a Betty Crocker icing container. I am fully aware its not a permanent solution, but since young grow quickly, I don't want to be in the same boat as the friend who bought a few sizes of cages and accessories for his iguana. I want to keep the price down, for stuff that will be quickly outgrown. When topped off, it provides enough depth the little one can be touching water across its whole base when it climbs in (it drinks, but seems it always wants to be knee deep before it does).
Questions:
Is the temp range available acceptable? Should I make the hot zone and basking temps higher? Do I need a colder hot zone during lights out? Is it better to put food and/or water in the hot and/or cold zone? Is providing water at all times ok? Do I need to lessen the available water?
Extra stuff:
I'd show a picture of my setup, but I feel bad since what I have right now is too small. I've taken care (part of the reason I know temps of everything, with excessive redundancy) to check many angles, placings, depths, and et cetera until I found the right placings and settings for a true hot and cool zone. The present setup is a wide base 5.5 gal aquarium. In a week or two, I'll be getting a wide base 29 gal aquarium, which will provide a LOT of romping area indoors for quite some time. Once THAT is set up, I'll do a picture.
I live in Florida, and when weather permits, Deasil will be playing outside. I constructed a playpen for yesterday using some old boards that made a 'frame' of 3'x5' using 2x4's. I sat next to it, reading for a few hours. I'm thinking adding a few posts to the design, and some chicken wire to surround and cover it, and it should suffice as a playpen for quite some time (chicken wire would mean I don't have to be hovering around it quite so much, we have vultures around here, and Deasil would probably become a meal.. yet its also quite open to allow direct sunlight). Of course, it is entirely a temporary thing, until the tort is big enough I don't have to worry about it being considered quick prey by local predators.
Future plans... yes, I know how big sulcatas can get. Based on available information, which seems to be in a consensus on this, my yard should suffice for either two 5 or 6 year olds, or a single big 7 or 8 year old. The yard will change before that becomes an issue. (Insert grumbling about new laws and loan policies requiring 4x the previously expected down payments on homes.)
Suggestions? Thoughts? Anything I need to change?
you went from regular household incandescent UV light to an incandescent UV healt lamp?
