POSSIBLE PYRAMIDING?

[Toddrickfl1]

I was alerted to this thread a couple pages back about temps for a leopard. I didn't read all the post from then to the end. If the heat question was answered, well I'm answering it too.
Temp all over day and night 80. Basking temp 85-100 and humidity not lower then 80%. Try to use a true closed chamber, and don't use a mercury vapor bulb. If the enclosure isn't sealed really well or you use a mercury vapor bulb, its likely you will still get pyramiding. Been there done it even though the humidity was always higher then 80.

Thanks Wellington, I don't keep leopards so I couldn't answer the specific questions.

 

[tinytortoise]

I was alerted to this thread a couple pages back about temps for a leopard. I didn't read all the post from then to the end. If the heat question was answered, well I'm answering it too.
Temp all over day and night 80. Basking temp 85-100 and humidity not lower then 80%. Try to use a true closed chamber, and don't use a mercury vapor bulb. If the enclosure isn't sealed really well or you use a mercury vapor bulb, its likely you will still get pyramiding. Been there done it even though the humidity was always higher then 80.

Do we mean like air tight; or how closed enough and how much is too little?

 

[wellington]

Do we mean like air tight; or how closed enough and how much is too little?

As few openings as possible specially on the top and I think it's more about not using the mvb.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Hmm so many options is the problem. If I do a closed chamber I'm worried if that'll be to much cus I have a 2 yr old I need it to all be closed in and just perfect somehow this is gonna take alot of trial and error.

Actually there are not a lot of options.

After reading this thread you can see that a closed chamber with proper temps, humidity, and lighting is not an option...it's a necessity.

You say you're worried that "it" will be "too much" because you have a 2 year old. I don't know to what you are referring, but forget about it.

At this stage in your learning process you should not require much trial and error, other than the best height for your lights and CHE to maintain correct temps.

Do what these members are telling you to do, and you and Lenard will be fine. Don't go experimenting on your own! I think Lenard is already showing signs of problems. You need to get him into a proper environment ASAP.

I don't mean to sound harsh! It just seems you are trying to come up with other ways to do what's tried and true.

Don't try to re-invent the wheel...yet. There will be opportunity to do that when your tort, and your son, are a few years older.

 

[Tseeman]

You won't need a humidity box if you use this like a closed chamber. When you set it up pour some water in your substrate and stir it up so it's damp then put a layer of dry substrate over that so your Tort isn't constantly sitting on a wet surface. With the lid on it the humidity will rise because the moisture cannot escape. I don't add water or mist at all and my humidity stays in the 80-90% range.

Okay so I went and bought a container currently setting it up. The guy named Tom said he uses a 65 watt flood light for heat in a closed chamber and a heating pad for night time I bought a zoo med heating pad get it home and it says not for use on plastic. So what do you do for night and day heat in a closed chamber

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Okay so I went and bought a container currently setting it up. The guy named Tom said he uses a 65 watt flood light for heat in a closed chamber and a heating pad for night time I bought a zoo med heating pad get it home and it says not for use on plastic. So what do you do for night and day heat in a closed chamber

I don't know about a heating pad I've not used that. A ceramic heat emitter in a dome attached to the top and set on the thermostat would only come on when the light goes off and the temperature falls below whatever you set it at. A 50 watt one would work for something that size. So say you set it at 80 degrees like Wellington said, it would maintain the temperature in the enclosure at that temp.

 

[tinytortoise]

As few openings as possible specially on the top and I think it's more about not using the mvb.

Thanks for input, I agree with others, all signs point to closed chamber! This community is the best!

 

[wellington]

Thanks for input, I agree with others, all signs point to closed chamber! This community is the best!

Oh yeah, a closed chamber for sure. But if you use a mvb there is a good chance you will still have pyramiding even with closed chamber high humidity. A tube flourescent uvb with either Che's for night/added heat or better a radiant heat panel

 

[Tseeman]

Alright guys I rushed to all the stores and this is what I've come up with on a short notice. I've never had such high humidity before so glad I found this forum. The 69% was only after 3 mins of shutting the lid so its still climbing. Thank you for all your inputs and answering all my questions!!!

 

[Tseeman]

Oh yeah, a closed chamber for sure. But if you use a mvb there is a good chance you will still have pyramiding even with closed chamber high humidity. A tube flourescent uvb with either Che's for night/added heat or better a radiant heat panel

I'm not sure what just about any of that is, what's a mvb I've changed the entire set up and now I need a new fixture and light bulb style you think? Heat lamp during the day and this at night wouldn't do the trick?

 

[tinytortoise]

I'm not sure what just about any of that is, what's a mvb I've changed the entire set up and now I need a new fixture and light bulb style you think? Heat lamp during the day and this at night wouldn't do the trick?

Mvb is the dual basking and uvb lamps (looks like you're using one). Mvb doesn't last very long and need to be replaced every 6months minimum. A better option is a florescent tube (do not use a compact, coiled, florescent), I use the 18" reptiglow 10.0.

 

[Avuwyy]

I'm not sure what just about any of that is, what's a mvb I've changed the entire set up and now I need a new fixture and light bulb style you think? Heat lamp during the day and this at night wouldn't do the trick?

Combined bulbs often fail at providing a sufficient amount of uv light for d3 production, You can keep those bulbs but as ‘tinytortoise’ recommended, a uv tube would be better, 12-14 hours on and then switched off routinely.

Also if you have any wooden ornaments you can put in the enclosure, you could attach the heat mat to that

 

[Tseeman]

Combined bulbs often fail at providing a sufficient amount of uv light for d3 production, You can keep those bulbs but as ‘tinytortoise’ recommended, a uv tube would be better, 12-14 hours on and then switched off routinely.

Also if you have any wooden ornaments you can put in the enclosure, you could attach the heat mat to that

Okay so I am to ditch both fixtures and only use a uv tube 12 hrs a day then when it's off rig up my heat mat for him to sleep on and that heat will be enough for him to sleep okay and warm enough? Also..... Very sorry to be so difficult I just wanna get this right, do you mean put wood on the bottom of the tub lay the mat then put his substrate back over the mat so it goes plastic, wood, heat Mat, then substrate

 

[Tseeman]

I wish I would've known about this fixture before I cut massive holes out of the tote idk if they'll let me purchase a lid withoit a base

 

[Tseeman]

Mvb is the dual basking and uvb lamps (looks like you're using one). Mvb doesn't last very long and need to be replaced every 6months minimum. A better option is a florescent tube (do not use a compact, coiled, florescent), I use the 18" reptiglow 10.0.

Okay so ditch both fixtures only use a uv tube fixture and heat mat for at night

 

[Avuwyy]

No you can keep the fixtures just have an additional source of uv as they will not provide enough for a desert tortoise. Heat mats typically won’t provide a sufficient amount of heat either so if possible switch out one of your combined bulbs for a heating bulb, which can also be used overnight if it isn’t a white light, or doesn’t provide light at all. Heating mats provide only a small amount of heat, definitely not enough to keep a baby tortoise happy long term. And don’t worry about it, I understand completely.

It’s not recommended to put heating mats on the floor of the enclosure (I can’t remember why but there is an actual reason), but they are more useful being on the walls of the enclosure, do you have any wooden hides? Or anything wooden you can use as decoration to put this heat mat on? Heating mats can be used on wood. For example I bought a bendy wooden structure for hamsters and rodents to climb on so that my tortoise can use this as a hide, if I were to use a heating mat it would be able to cling to something like this without the risk of melting like plastic.

 

[Tseeman]

No you can keep the fixtures just have an additional source of uv as they will not provide enough for a desert tortoise. Heat mats typically won’t provide a sufficient amount of heat either so if possible switch out one of your combined bulbs for a heating bulb, which can also be used overnight if it isn’t a white light, or doesn’t provide light at all. Heating mats provide only a small amount of heat, definitely not enough to keep a baby tortoise happy long term. And don’t worry about it, I understand completely.

It’s not recommended to put heating mats on the floor of the enclosure (I can’t remember why but there is an actual reason), but they are more useful being on the walls of the enclosure, do you have any wooden hides? Or anything wooden you can use as decoration to put this heat mat on? Heating mats can be used on wood. For example I bought a bendy wooden structure for hamsters and rodents to climb on so that my tortoise can use this as a hide, if I were to use a heating mat it would be able to cling to something like this without the risk of melting like plastic.

One fixture has a UVB 10.0 coiled bulb (right side) the other has a black heat lamp (left side of tank) I was told my Tom that is best to not have heat lamps on all dayb24/7

 

[Tseeman]

No you can keep the fixtures just have an additional source of uv as they will not provide enough for a desert tortoise. Heat mats typically won’t provide a sufficient amount of heat either so if possible switch out one of your combined bulbs for a heating bulb, which can also be used overnight if it isn’t a white light, or doesn’t provide light at all. Heating mats provide only a small amount of heat, definitely not enough to keep a baby tortoise happy long term. And don’t worry about it, I understand completely.

It’s not recommended to put heating mats on the floor of the enclosure (I can’t remember why but there is an actual reason), but they are more useful being on the walls of the enclosure, do you have any wooden hides? Or anything wooden you can use as decoration to put this heat mat on? Heating mats can be used on wood. For example I bought a bendy wooden structure for hamsters and rodents to climb on so that my tortoise can use this as a hide, if I were to use a heating mat it would be able to cling to something like this without the risk of melting like plastic.

Msg 2/2 I accidentally hit post reply so there's 2 msgs
All day 24/7 because it dries the shells out.he said to use radiant heat panels but I figured the mat would do the job. I think I'm just gonna purchase a 18inch tube fixture and keep the heat lamp as his source it heats his nalew tank to the perfect temperature and if it's to hot for him he has 2 places to hide. I have this wooden hide in the bottom right corner of this picture you think I should just drape it over that?

 

[Blackdog1714]

Just use the domed fixtures with ceramic base from hardware stores. And use tape to seal them up. Here is mine with a CHE on each end and 6000k LED for the plants in the middle. 83 on the cool end and 95 on the warm end with 83% humidity. Good luck and try not to get frustrated. There is way to much bad info being offered by people you think you should trust. That is why I love TFO honest and can back it up

 

[Avuwyy]

One fixture has a UVB 10.0 coiled bulb (right side) the other has a black heat lamp (left side of tank) I was told my Tom that is best to not have heat lamps on all dayb24/7

Well honestly it depends on the heat lamp situation, I myself live in the murky north of the UK so it’s quite chilly over here, and my tortoise is in a table so it’s a lot more difficult to contain the heat hence why my heat lamp is on 24/7. It won’t cause no harm to the tortoise if you do have it on all day, it’s just a matter of whether it radiates colour or whether the temperatures stay too high for long periods of time. For a young tortoise it is easier to maintain the correct temperature with a heat light, but again I guess it applies mostly to your conditions and whether your heating is appropriate for maintaining a baby tortoise of a desert species. Monitor typical room temperature, if it’s struggling to stick to 20°c then definitely use a heat lamp at least until the temps warm up a little.

I don’t habe much knowledge on coiled bulbs so I can’t give input on that. I myself have been recommended to have a 10% uv strip though instead of a bulb (for reasons unknown to me tbh). Keep it for now and every few days when soaking your tortoise, see if the shell is stiff and not soft, if it’s soft then make sure to get a uv strip instead.