Definitely not suffering!@Tom @Alex and the Redfoot
Like a worried mother with first born. Only had tortoise a few days from Tyler at Tortoise Supply.
Trying to figure out if I do not have the setup or if this is normal. This is a typical day of temp/humidity readings. Sensors 2" off substrate. All of these spots are the outside temp range of the four evenly spaced heating. Under the heating is mid 70's.
View attachment 369470
- Left Front is actually in Humid Hide.
- Right Back is near Basking light.
Tortoise ( Eight to Nine month Russian ) when soaked at 6am is alert, poops, pees and after done I place tortoise by food dish and it eats. When I check in again I place be food and eats again. At 6am, 12pm and 6pm.
But when I come back the tortoise always ends up under the basking lamp. Now has stated to dig in under lamp. Shell reads 95 on temp gun.
Also never seen explore the left side of enclosure. Always the front where I feed tortoise and than when I look again get back to the right side. Sleeps there also at night.
Am I doing something wrong or is this normal? Look at previous posts for more details in setup if needed.
Thoughts? I just have a feeling something is off and I figured I would get ahead of any issues. Hate to think I am making the tortoise suffer.
- To bright? Tried to introduce plant pots, logs, ect for shady areas.
- Not bright enough?
- Temperatures wrong?
- Humidity wrong?
Your tortoise is answering your question for you. When they hang out under the basking lamp "too much", it is a sign that the ambient temp in the enclosure is too cool. Your thermometers verify this. I try to keep ambient for a baby Testudo up around 75-80 during the day, and let it drop to 68-70 at night. Your enclosure is over all too cool. Basking temp should be around 100 directly under the light, but you really don't want them sitting under the bulb all day every day. That will cause pyramiding.
Conversely, if your tortoise never went under the basking lamp and stayed over in the cool corners, that would be an indication that temps are too hot over all.