No on the lighting kit. Yes on the Arcadia or zoo med bulbs.
Please Help. My tortoise isn’t eating.
- Thread starter Finneyy_8
- Start date
Finneyy_8
Member
So I need one like this. And I need to cover the top of the enclosure and then have the heat lamp shining down in one spot for a basking area.
You want a incandescent flood bulb for basking and ceramic heat emitters for added day heat and night heat.
Finneyy_8
Member
Ok. So from one of the articles u sent, is the glass enclosure not the best choice?
Yes, heat lamp on one end. Tube florescent in the middle and a ceramic heat emitter or two one on each end towards middle. A hide box on the end away from the basking bulb.
Change the substrate for the orchid or fir bark or coconut coir and have it damp. Then cover it all with tent like structure or the green house making sure all lights are inside the tent/greenhouse
Glass is fine but won't last long if housed and fed right. If you were buying one I would say don't, but you already have it so it's fine to use it.
Finneyy_8
Member
This is the bulb I have. I know it’s for heat for reptiles but it’s been a while since I got it So im not sure what kind it is. U can probably tell me.
Finneyy_8
Member
I was told in about a year we could switch her to outside. And I had someone who had the tank and gave it to me. It’s 54 degrees here today, her being that small is it ok to set her up in a green house like that outside?
Finneyy_8
Member
And I apologize for all the questions, everything I am learning right now is nothing I was told when I got her. I did a little bit of research but he told supposedly mostly what I need to know but apparently…..it’s much much more than what he told me and did not provide me with the right information. I normally wouldn’t ask this but under the circumstances, do u ever talk to anyone on here personally when they need help? Like exchange numbers to make it easier to communicate? If not it’s ok on here is fine. I feel like I’m gonna have more questions.
That greenhouse I posted a picture of is for inside to use as a closed chamber if you can't find a good way to close off the enclosure you have.
She can live outside 24/7 once she is around 10-12 inches straight length bottom shell. That should be around 2 or 3 years old. But she will need a heated shed or heated night box.
Looks like a spot bulb used for basking. Unfortunately they are not good for tortoises. They are to intense in one spot and will cause pyramiding. The incandescent flood bulb is what's needed as it floods out into a bigger area and not just in one spot.
You can use that bulb for added light and heat if you put it high enough that it's not getting used as anything other than added heat and light inside the whole closed area.
Finneyy_8
Member
Oh perfect! I’ll probably have to do that then. Any advice or tricks to try and get her to eat? How long can she go without eating?
Finneyy_8
Member
Finneyy_8
Member
Yes
Doesn't matter the color. But get a well known brand one. The cheap off brand don't last long and don't give off the heat they are suppose too. I like the ZooMed the best and they last a long time.
This is the kind of fixture you want for the flood and ceramic heat emitter. Ceramic socket and wide dome.
Finneyy_8
Member
I can’t get her to eat anything
I think once you get everything correct, she will eat. You should be giving daily warm water soaks for 30 minutes. You can add pureed baby food carrots or squash to the soak water along with some flavorless piedialyte. The soak water should come just pass where the lower and upper shell meet. Use a shoe box size container and a full bottle of the baby food and about a cup of the piedialyte per daily soak. Keep her and the water warm the whole time. Best time is in the morning and then put her in front of the food
If you can't get natural foods from outside, grass, clover, dandelion, hibiscus, rose of Sharon, mulberry leaf. Then use grocery greens of ridicchio, arugula, water cress, spring mix no spinach, small amounts of romaine, dandelion, cactus pads, endive. Use as big a variety as possible. Chop it up so she doesn't have to work at it. As she starts to eat better, you don't need to chop it.
Finneyy_8
Member
Thank u so much! This helps a lot! I’ll be glad to keep u updates on her. I just purchased the green house too. Unfortunately it want be here u til the 9th so I will accommodate everything all I can til it gets here.
