New Tort owner & a question

[linus1493]

Hey all!

I'm Nina, and I'm the proud new owner of a Russian tortoise (I adopted him last week). His name is Titus and he's about 4 years old (though not certain because he's adopted, of course). He and I live in Cambridge, MA, and though I'm a huge worry-wart of a new tortoise mom, he's been calming me down with his slow and steady pace to life.

I've gotten a lot of different information from pet store owners, the place I adopted from, and a couple of friends who own tortoises about setting up his habitat. Here's what I've got, but I don't know if he likes all of it...
- glass aquarium - which he's gotten used to, even though I found out after purchasing that it's not a recommended enclosure
- mulch substrate - which he loves
- log for him to hide under - which he loves
- halogen basking lamp for warm end of the tank (keeps it at about 80F) - he spends most of his time under that
- UVB lamp at the other end of the tank - which I don't think he likes, I never see him on the cool side of the tank
- cuttle bone for calcium and beak care - I don't think he uses it though

The lights are on a 12hr on/12hr off setting.
I feed him every other day - a mixture of romaine lettuce and warmed up frozen mixed veggies (carrots, green beans, peas, corn).

My questions:
1. I'm not satisfied with the heating and lighting set up, and I don't think Titus is either. What's a good set up to make sure that he gets his UVB rays and the proper heating?
(advice I've gotten: combined basking/UVB light and ceramic heater for extra warmth at night, since our ambient temp in the house can get down to the low 60s if it's really chilly outside; the set up I have now; UVB light and heating pad) -- Am I over-thinking this and worrying too much?

2. If he's not chomping on the cuttle bone, should I just use a calcium/Vit D3 supplement instead? The adoption place did that, and told me that the mixed veggies will supply the other vitamins he needs.

Thanks all!
--Nina

PS: picture of his set-up: Light on the left is the basking lamp, light on the right is the UVB

 

[Jacqui]

Hi and welcome! Is he having any trouble eating? Looks like his beak may be getting too long, which is pretty common on Russians. Feed him tougher foods like weeds, the stems of his greens, whole leaves rather then cut up, a carrot once a month (also whole) and feed on something like a unglazed terra cotta dish, a flat rock, or a tile. If he is having eating problems (if it is long) then I would have a Vet show you how to trim it down the first time.

Which light is which? How cool is the cool side, since your saying he stays under the warm side all the time.

Cuttlebones will often sit there for what seems like forever, before a tortoise may use on. I would suggest still putting the calcium on the food a couple of times a week. Also I would tweak the diet to a larger variety of greens (including things like collard greens, turnip greens, for two examples), weeds like dandelions for example (but only from an untreated with chemicals and fertilizer area), grape leaves, various safe flowers, and cactus. You will find several lists in different parts of the forum, as you look around.

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Nina and welcome...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Nina:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I'm guessing that your UVB bulb is one of those CFL (compact fluorescent bulbs). Those are harmful and hard on tortoises' eyes. When you can afford it, buy a MVB (mercury vapor bulb). This bulb combines UVB in the same bulb with heat, so you only need the one fixture. And it needs to be mounted or hung straight down, not at an angle.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Tyrtle]

What kind of mulch are you using? I'm having trouble finding cypress mulch and looking for an alternative.

We use a red heat lamp (Exoterra Heat Glow) on one side of the habitat at night just to keep the temp up a bit.

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

 

[nicoleandrocky]

welcome to tfo !

 

[slowpoke]

Welcome to the forum ... i think Jacqui and emysemys pretty much covered my questions and answers i had ... the temps need to be 90 to 100 in the basking area and the cool side in the 70's with night temps around 60 .... i would also say go bigger on his enclosure 4'x2' at the smallest ... spring mix also works good for a bass with the greens i swich out my greens by the week from mustards, kale, collards, and the Korean shop down the street sales dandelions ... just make sure you read , read and read some more , you will learn alot here on this forum ...

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

RE: New Tort owner & a question

Welcome!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. I agree with Jacque, Yvonne and slowpoke. Glass tanks are fine, but yours is too small for long term. Those clamps always fail, so I'd get another lamp stand. You'll also need proper thermometers so you can assess, monitor and adjust your temps. Temps are everything to a reptile. You'll need to know four temps. Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night. I like thermometers with wireless remote probes, AND an infrared temp gun. Veggies are fine once in a while, but the main diet should be weeds from safe areas outside. There is a weed ID guide in the diet section. A variety of leafy greens from the grocery store is second best. I'm just learning to grow a lot of my own stuff. Good luck.

 

[yarok]

welcome

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[linus1493]

I've got just a plain dark mulch in there now. But I found some bags of cypress mulch at a PetSmart in my area (Boston).

What kind of mulch are you using? I'm having trouble finding cypress mulch and looking for an alternative.

We use a red heat lamp (Exoterra Heat Glow) on one side of the habitat at night just to keep the temp up a bit.

 

[ada caro]

welcome.