Question regarding our Greek. We live in the central valley of california. I built Tommie a pen in our yard that is approx. 6' x 4' with three small bushes and a small rosemary plant. On the suggestion of the guy at the pet store (who said he has had sulcatas all of his life) I set Tommie up with a 100w Exo Tera Infrared heat lamp. Right now it is positioned above a makeshift hut made from a few 2x4's and some plywood. The roof is open only enough for the heat lamp to shine through but the rest is covered by a folded towel. The guy said the tortoises can't see the red light so it won't mess with their sleep cycle. A guy at our Zoo said that's bologna and that a heat pad is what we need. Any thoughts or improvements on our setup?
Red Light?
- Thread starter DeAuna
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For an adult greek I wouldnt worry about heat. I would let nature take its course and when it gets cold enough it will hibernate. I know others here in Fresno who leave their Greeks outside all year long with no heat at all. Provide a shelter for it and if it has no known health issues it should be fine. If you plan on not hibernating then the setup you described should be good. One way to be sure is to get a reading of how hot it is under the light. Put your hand about where the tortoise would be and see if its warm. You dont want it to be to hot but comfortably warm.
What are the benefits of hibernating or not hibernating?
Does your tortoise live outside or indoor?
It is a personal choice to let your tortoise hibernate or not, Personally, I do not mine let hibernate. His lights are closed one hours more during the summer but that is the only difference. What is your temps during the nights? I have Hermanns I do not have Greeks but I am sure someone will come here and help you
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I know a lot of people here have ceramic heat emiter. When Hermy was younger, There was a red light in his enclosure and I found that weird since when going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I would find him all awake under the redlight, so maybe you should get the CHE.
It is a personal choice to let your tortoise hibernate or not, Personally, I do not mine let hibernate. His lights are closed one hours more during the summer but that is the only difference. What is your temps during the nights? I have Hermanns I do not have Greeks but I am sure someone will come here and help you
.I know a lot of people here have ceramic heat emiter. When Hermy was younger, There was a red light in his enclosure and I found that weird since when going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I would find him all awake under the redlight, so maybe you should get the CHE.
Ok so my greek lives outside, I think I will replace the red light with a UVB light for basking and get a small dogloo with a heating pad for sleeping during the night. where I live it is in the 100's during the summer but can get below freezing during the winter. Does this sound adequate? and for any of you that use outdoor heating pads, what kind do you use?
Hi DeAuna: I don't use a UVB light for any of my tortoises that live outside. Even during the winter, they get enough UV from the sun. Give me a call sometime and you can come over and "take the tour." It helps when you can see first hand what we're talking about.
You didn't say what type of greek you have. Some do hibernate and some don't. None of mine do at all. In fact my Ibera have mated in January, and I have had eggs from my Golden/Antakyan cross in November. I am in AZ and have similar temps to your area.
The Ibera tolerate the cold a bit better than the rest but anything below 60 degrees and you need added heat for them.
Any kind of dogloo or a plywood dog house style box will work by adding a light as you have done. The smaller the box the less area you have to keep warm. To keep the heat in you can make door flaps out of the clear carpet runner (I get it at Ace hardware, they sell it on a roll by the foot). I do like using the lights because it makes it easier to tell if they are on. I use the basic "black light" bulbs from Wal-Mart. A 2 pack is $4, way cheaper than the pet store night lights.
Hope some of that helps.
The Ibera tolerate the cold a bit better than the rest but anything below 60 degrees and you need added heat for them.
Any kind of dogloo or a plywood dog house style box will work by adding a light as you have done. The smaller the box the less area you have to keep warm. To keep the heat in you can make door flaps out of the clear carpet runner (I get it at Ace hardware, they sell it on a roll by the foot). I do like using the lights because it makes it easier to tell if they are on. I use the basic "black light" bulbs from Wal-Mart. A 2 pack is $4, way cheaper than the pet store night lights.
Hope some of that helps.
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