Question for Tom the master

[Thessle]

I see some shell damage there and I can't remember your tortoise's history. Did she have a run-in with a dog? It will take months of growth to see a noticeable reduction in pyramiding once a tortoise is moved into a large closed chamber with the correct temperatures and humidity.

Just some helpful tips: Heat mats should not be used under small tortoises in indoor set ups, though large "pig blanket" style ones are fine for larger tortoises in outdoor type housing situations.

Also, the color in your pics seems purple-ish. Colored bulbs shouldn't be used over tortoises day or night.

I'll leave this here for review in case anyone reading would like to see it:
Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Yes she had a run in with my dog Molly in the beginning that’s the chew marks you’re noticing…that will never happen again I keep them separated always now…..the weird colored lights you noticed are led grow lights for my plants ….I was just holding Milly near them for lighting for the pictures.
I have tried basking bulbs but she won’t go near them she seems to just like to go into her hide box most the day. She will come out to eat and comes out when she wants her bath….she has actually developed a routine actually…I’m pretty impressed with her about that. As soon as she comes out of her hide box Molly my dog lets me know right away so then I give her her bath. ill post a pic of her set up for you maybe you can help me figure something out heating wise. I live in Maine …I know I never should have gotten a Sulcata living up here but I didn’t know all this at the time I got her…. If I had it to do over I would have gotten a small breed tort…oh well live and learn and I always learn the hard way. Thanks for helping Tom

 

[Thessle]

Yes she had a run in with my dog Molly in the beginning that’s the chew marks you’re noticing…that will never happen again I keep them separated always now…..the weird colored lights you noticed are led grow lights for my plants ….I was just holding Milly near them for lighting for the pictures.
I have tried basking bulbs but she won’t go near them she seems to just like to go into her hide box most the day. She will come out to eat and comes out when she wants her bath….she has actually developed a routine actually…I’m pretty impressed with her about that. As soon as she comes out of her hide box Molly my dog lets me know right away so then I give her her bath. ill post a pic of her set up for you maybe you can help me figure something out heating wise. I live in Maine …I know I never should have gotten a Sulcata living up here but I didn’t know all this at the time I got her…. If I had it to do over I would have gotten a small breed tort…oh well live and learn and I always learn the hard way. Thanks for helping TomView attachment 354225View attachment 354226View attachment 354227

I’ve had one of the heating pads I use short on me and luckily I’m always home because of my mom I caught it before too much damage but Milly had to run from the burning embers and the house was pretty smoky.
that’s why I wish they made a smaller version of the Kane mats…I can’t get Milly to use any type of heating bulb.
She prefers her hide box. I have one of those ceramic heaters but they use a lot of electricity compared to the heating pads. It gets expensive ….I’ll do what ever I have to though. I haven’t figured out a way to use that ceramic heater and still allow her her hide box…it’s a conundrum I haven’t figured out yet.

 

[Tom]

I’ve had one of the heating pads I use short on me and luckily I’m always home because of my mom I caught it before too much damage but Milly had to run from the burning embers and the house was pretty smoky.
that’s why I wish they made a smaller version of the Kane mats…I can’t get Milly to use any type of heating bulb.
She prefers her hide box. I have one of those ceramic heaters but they use a lot of electricity compared to the heating pads. It gets expensive ….I’ll do what ever I have to though. I haven’t figured out a way to use that ceramic heater and still allow her her hide box…it’s a conundrum I haven’t figured out yet.

You've got to figure out a way to buy or build a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures simply do not work for species that need warm humid conditions. Your ceramic heating element set on a thermostat will be MUCH more efficient that way. Your heat will be contained, and the heat sources won't need to be "on" all that much.

What type of basking bulb are you using? Is it a standard incandescent flood bulb?

Another issue that I see is that the whole enclosure needs to be lit up. You need LEDs all over to make it look like daylight indoors.

I don't see a UV source. Is there one that is not in the picture?

I don't want you to feel brow beaten, but I do want to help your tortoise thrive.

 

[Thessle]

You've got to figure out a way to buy or build a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures simply do not work for species that need warm humid conditions. Your ceramic heating element set on a thermostat will be MUCH more efficient that way. Your heat will be contained, and the heat sources won't need to be "on" all that much.

What type of basking bulb are you using? Is it a standard incandescent flood bulb?

Another issue that I see is that the whole enclosure needs to be lit up. You need LEDs all over to make it look like daylight indoors.

I don't see a UV source. Is there one that is not in the picture?

I don't want you to feel brow beaten, but I do want to help your tortoise thrive.

I honestly don’t have enough room …or even the know how to built Milly a closed enclosure that would be big enough for her…..and as for lighting I’ve tried everything including the flood lights but she refuses to go near them.
Ive left them on for days at different heights and in different spots trying to get her to use them but she refuses. She likes to just burrow in her moist cococoir in her hide box…she is a very stubborn tortoise. It’s really frustrating because I’m trying so hard but she won’t leave her box willingly except for when she comes out to eat and wants her soaks….she is very finicky…..that’s why I figure she has to be female even though she is too young to sex properly yet 😋

 

[Thessle]

I honestly don’t have enough room …or even the know how to built Milly a closed enclosure that would be big enough for her…..and as for lighting I’ve tried everything including the flood lights but she refuses to go near them.
Ive left them on for days at different heights and in different spots trying to get her to use them but she refuses. She likes to just burrow in her moist cococoir in her hide box…she is a very stubborn tortoise. It’s really frustrating because I’m trying so hard but she won’t leave her box willingly except for when she comes out to eat and wants her soaks….she is very finicky…..that’s why I figure she has to be female even though she is too young to sex properly yet 😋

What would be ideal is if I could give her to someone that lives in Florida or California and then I’d get a much smaller type of tort to replace her but that’s just wishful thinking….I don’t know what to do.

 

[Thessle]

So 2 things I wish were on the market but I haven’t seen yet. 1.-smallKane mats for smaller torts…and 2.- smaller Mazuri pellets for smaller torts…..come on people. I guarantee there would be a market for this stuff. I’d be the first one buying both. Why hasn’t anyone thought of or done this already??? oh well just my thoughts for today.
I hope all you beautiful people out there are all having a terrific day…bless you all 😇

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Warning I'm far from experienced.

Here is a way you can get a closed enclosure. It's not my idea I saw it posted on here from someone else. So far for me I have it up and temps and humidity have been perfect. Instead of making them into two sections keep out the middle part and use silicone to attach the ends together. Then you have a 4X8 closed enclosure. I still have to figure out where I'm putting in the fans to help circulate the air for better air flow. I have also added clay pots with some seeds to grow yummy plants in there too.