New Tortoise owner here

[TooCrunkForLinnaeus]

Hello all! Hope everyone is enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday. I recently picked up a hatchling pair of Radiated tortoises and wow do they have different personalities! They get tons of TLC and seem to be doing very well. I can’t wait to see them start packing on some size and get them outside this spring into an outdoor enclosure! Just wanted to say hello to everyone and share a couple pics. Cheers!

 

[T Smart]

Hi,

Welcome. Such beautiful tortoises!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Couple cuties. Should be in a closed chamber and high humidity if they aren't. Also because tortoises should not be kept in pairs get prepared to separate them. Bullying can be very subtle. Laying on food, hogging the hide or basking spot or one just not being active. At any of these signs or the more obvious of ramming or biting they should be separated.

 

[TooCrunkForLinnaeus]

Hello and Welcome. Couple cuties. Should be in a closed chamber and high humidity if they aren't. Also because tortoises should not be kept in pairs get prepared to separate them. Bullying can be very subtle. Laying on food, hogging the hide or basking spot or one just not being active. At any of these signs or the more obvious of ramming or biting they should be separated.

Thank you for the info Wellington! I run a humidifier in my reptile room that keeps the AH around 70-80%. I asked the breeder I got them from and he said that he doesnt keep his hatchlings in enclosed setups nor does/did his mentor Bill Zovickian. If the humidity stays pretty high and they are getting soaked daily for 20-30mins do you still think an enclosed setup is necessary? I think you are right about seperating them though. I have seen a few of the subtle signs you mentioned. Laying on food being the main one and the smaller of the two tends to not be as active as the other. They seem to share their basking area well. No ramming or biting that I have observed yet.
I have been keeping and collecting reptiles and amphibians for 26 years but this is my first time with tortoises! I am looking forward to the challenge and would like any and all opinions regarding their care. Thanks again!

 

[wellington]

Yes, I would separate them if your already seeing bullying and the smaller one already inactive. It can cause illness or even death.
I have never done a reptile room. I just know that open enclosures, even with high humidity and the use of a mercury vapor bulb still causes pyramiding.
I think as long as you don't use a mercury vapor bulb for uvb and use tube flourescents instead and a Che or better yet a regular incandescent or spot light type bulb for basking it might be good.
See what others say that might have more experience with a whole humid room.

 

[wellington]

Btw, a lot of people don't use the closed chamber. Either they don't know about it yet, are just stuck in the old wrong way or they don't want to spend the money to build one.
The old information is not only outdated, but it's wrong.
So just be cautious of the info you get. This forum has all the updated info and it gets updated as new things are found out.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Great looking torts! You've received a lot of good advice here as well.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[drew54]

Welcome

 

[surfergirl]

Welcome!

 

[TooCrunkForLinnaeus]

Btw, a lot of people don't use the closed chamber. Either they don't know about it yet, are just stuck in the old wrong way or they don't want to spend the money to build one.
The old information is not only outdated, but it's wrong.
So just be cautious of the info you get. This forum has all the updated info and it gets updated as new things are found out.

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! It’s very refreshing to be in an environment with such a great sense of community!

Wellington, again thank you so much! I bought a remote digital weather station and you were absolutely right about the humidity being low even with the humidifier!!?? I went to Home Depot and bought a piece of acrylic and some 2x4 ‘s to make a temporary top. It’s more of a band aide but the humidity is now over 80%. I started looking at enclosure designs here in the forums and think I found something that suits my needs. My Home Depot now carry’s the 1/2” X 4’ X 8’ XPVC! I will post some pics of my build when it’s done!! Many thanks again for the support and information!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! It’s very refreshing to be in an environment with such a great sense of community!

Wellington, again thank you so much! I bought a remote digital weather station and you were absolutely right about the humidity being low even with the humidifier!!?? I went to Home Depot and bought a piece of acrylic and some 2x4 ‘s to make a temporary top. It’s more of a band aide but the humidity is now over 80%. I started looking at enclosure designs here in the forums and think I found something that suits my needs. My Home Depot now carry’s the 1/2” X 4’ X 8’ XPVC! I will post some pics of my build when it’s done!! Many thanks again for the support and information!

4×8ft 1/2 in PVC ! I will be looking for that at home depot. Thanks for that info.
How big do radiants get?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and WELCOME!! Looking at the space where you filled in "Location". I wonder, where is Tyrone? When I click on it Google tells me Tyrone is a physical therapist named Julie McSorley in CAlifornia. WHAT?????

 

[SweetGreekTorts]

Hi, and WELCOME!! Looking at the space where you filled in "Location". I wonder, where is Tyrone? When I click on it Google tells me Tyrone is a physical therapist named Julie McSorley in CAlifornia. WHAT?????

My guess would be Northern Ireland. I don't know any Americans who use the greeting "Cheers!" Though I did find a city named Tyrone in New Mexico, Georgia, and Pennsylvania... [emoji16]

 

[KieranMcKeown]

Welcome fellow Norn Iron tortoise lover! I'm new here myself lovely pair of tortoises you got! ♥️