Temp Enclosure.

[Naminne]

Hello! I've had my tortoise for just a week now. This is her current enclosure.

I plan on getting a larger tub (this one is 35x19x12) OR finding a cheap bookcase from a thrift store and removing the shelves, which would probably be ideal. This was the biggest tub when I went to target. I visited home depot but the cement mixing tub was hardly bigger.

The big grey thing you see is a hide, like a half log.

The lit lamp is UVB, and the unlit one is just a heat lamp... which is all they gave me when I got her at petco. They're both crap, I know. I want to get the best lights possible and replace both of these, so please suggest your favorite lights and I'm going to pick them up tomorrow. I'd rather not use strips.

Her food dish has raddicio, endive, romaine, a bit of kale and collard greens. She wasn't eating for the first few days, but after giving her a warm bath every other day it has seemed to give her an appetite. She's pretty shy and won't eat from my hand yet. So far she has only eaten romaine, I just picked up the other items today.

The substrate is coconut fiber bedding. It's pretty wet still since they suggested too much water to mix with it, and I hope that doesn't bother her. I spent a half an hour squeezing it out from the substrate. I was going to pick up play sand to mix with since I heard that it's a good substrate, but I had to rush home, and am also grabbing that tomorrow.. Unless you guys think timothy hay would be better? Suggestions appreciated =)



I love this forum!

 

[ascott]

I personally think that you will need to know what size your enclosure will be in order to get the right lights....so that you will know what strength lights you will need (watt and distance needs, etc) but I would plan on a heat bulb and uvb long tube light...but the strength is what you will likely need to know for the enclosure you select....IMHO.

"I" personally do not like using sand (some folks do) as it increases the chance of impaction if ingested....sand settles differently in the gut than does regular soil....and can build up enough to start impaction....a good organic soil mixed with a coco coir is good and will hold some humidity but not so much to cause any health issues....

It may take some time before you find your tort is relaxed and secure enough in her surroundings before she will eat from your hand....sometimes they just don't eat from the hand....I have one guy that will stare at the piece of food in your hand and like just patiently wait....and so i set the food down on the ground and he gobbles it up...and I have had him for years....all the others will eat from my hand if I offer....they are just different.... have fun with your new tort...

Oh yeah, hey what are the rocks piled up for?????

 

[Naminne]

Thanks.

They're piled cause I read that they like to climb. Think it would be better to place them more flat?

 

[ascott]

Yes, I think that "if it were me" i would maybe circle the water dish with them....kinda push them into the substrate a bit so they are like a welcome mat vs a climbing obstacle...and if this is done around the water dish you will also avoid as much substrate being drawn into the water.... IMHO

 

[GBtortoises]

Smaller water dish, bigger hide area. I also agree that sand is not a good choice. Cypress or aspen mulch are used by many keepers with very good sucess. Unlike rapidly growing babies, young adult Russian tortoises like yours don't need as much moisture in their substrate so you might want to consider doing away with the coconut coir or mixing with another substrate material such as one of the above or organic potting or topsoil. In order for the MVB lamp to be effective it should be facing straight down.