Temperature problem In NEW HOME

[Jc918]

I just built Mr.Turtle a new home. I had a 100 watt heat bulb and that worked fine for his old home a 40 gallon aquarium . I could not get the temperature past 80 in his NEW home so I got a NEW bulb it's 150 watt bulb I can not get the temperature to go past 85 and it's a struggle to keep it at 85. I have been told my Russian needs a temperature of 90 or close to it. Any suggestions also whats the finial word I googled and called about 10 people today and got mixed answers about turning the heat light of at night they say if I do the food in him will rot some told me I need too?

 

[ehopkins12]

85 is fine. The only thing that needs to be hotter is the basking spot. I've noticed my tort is most active when the basking spot is around 95-100 degrees. Turn the lights off for sure. A temp drop at night helps with digestion and is what it would naturally experience in the wild. I'm not sure what your basking spot temp is but 85 is fine for an ambient. I could actually drop a good 10 degrees and you would be fine. Russians are hardy little guys that can be ok in a wide temp range. Nice enclosure by the way! I was actually thinking about switching to a wooden box myself, for humidity reasons

 

[DeanS]

I thought I commented on this earlier...GUESS NOT! I think your terrarium is nice but I would have liked to see some holes drilled into the sides and back panel for ventilation...

 

[khanvict]

you could try positioning the heat/uv lamp closer. is there a way you could string the lamp tightly to the netting/wire just on the inside of the lid without having it hang too low as opposed to being on top and on the outside? that should make it a little warmer and not to mention it will give the tortoise more uv exposure (a few inches makes a big difference as to how much uv is actually transmitted). i think you have the same lamp enclosure with the dimmer that i do so if it gets too hot being a little closer you can always dim it down to adjust. don't do it if there's a risk of the lamp falling inside the enclosure.

 

[Jc918]

Ok I went a head and moved the lamp to the top level in his house the upstairs part and my temperature is about 89 almost 90 he is able to go down the ramp and get away if it get's too hot. The other end of the tank is about 75. Is there any reason why he lays under the light ALL DAY long and doesn't move at ALL ??? He also twitches a lot I was told this is from lack of calcium.

He did eat but it was a GREEN PEPPER I can't get him to eat anything else but green peppers.

 

[Tom]

I would use a small bulb, like a 50 spot or flood, and hang that fixture by the cord INSIDE the enclosure. You'll have to clip a little bit of the hardware cloth to fit the plug end through. Then, you can tie a knot in the cord when the fixture is at the right height AND zip tie it off. Between the knot and the zip ties, it will not be able to go any further. I like to use a flat basking rock or piece of slate directly below the lamp. When he's not on it it, it will absorb all that heat from the bulb and radiate it out to warm the enclosure. Plus he can get safe belly heat when he does want to bask. That rock will keep warming the enclosure long into the night. I like a basking SPOT temp of around 100 for Russians. The combo of the lower wattage bulb and big flat rock will save you a ton on your electric bill. As long as your tortoise is getting regular sunshine you can just use a regular incandescent bulb.

Your russian SHOULD have a night time temp drop. As long as your house is 65 or above at night you should have no problem. A healthy, normal, adult russian should be able to tolerate night temps in the 50's, as long as they can get good and warm during the day.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Realistically speaking he can only eat what you feed. If he's only eating peppers that's because you give in and feed him peppers. Is he getting up in the night and getting into the refrigerator? No? So then how is he getting the peppers? Don't give in to him. His health is YOUR responsibility. He can only eat what you offer and if you are tougher than he, his health will be better off for it. He can go a long time without eating.
Russians like broadleaf weeds, so that's what you should offer and dandelions are one of the best for him. Go thru the produce section at your local store and see what they have to offer. Broadl eaf weeds is what you are looking for as you prowl your neighborhood. That's what I do, I walk around with a bag and collect them up. Feeding for free.

 

[khanvict]

mix the peppers with his regular meal. also, try to feed him a single grape. i read you're not supposed to offer fruits to russians often cause of the sugar so maybe once a week you try and soften him up with a little grape and that'll get his tastebuds going and maybe wanting to try new things. you could even try getting him a cuttlebone and see if he nibbles on that.

plus, since he's new and he's already been through 2 new habitats in a short period of time he's probably still in an adjusting phase so i wouldn't worry too much about him not wanting to eat all that often right now.

 

[ehopkins12]

have you tried dandelions? they love those!

 

[tortoisenerd]

What kind of bulb is that? You need a UVB bulb, and you also need to sprinkle a pure calcium powder over the food every other day. A tort should not twitch. It is normal to see them bob their head and/or have their neck move in and out, this is them breathing, and is more noticeable when they are scared (when you are around). Is the shell soft at all? You need to find a way to safely get the bulb lower to the substrate to get the basking spot up to 95. Also check that you have spots in the enclosure in the 70s and 80s. Temps in the 60s are fine for night. You should not need any bulbs in summer, and in winter, only if your house is cooler than 60, should you use a heat bulb (no light). I would use a flat surface for him to eat on like half a slate tile. It is difficult for them to eat out of a bowl and tear the food. Does that water dish have stairs or a ramp? Agreed to drill some air holes in the sides as that thing will almost act like an aquarium the way you have it set up. If he is laying under the light all day, and your basking temp isn't 95, he might be too cold. Are you sure you thermometer is accurate? What kind is it? You need to offer a varied healthy diet. What are you offering besides the pepper? Yes, collecting weeds is a good thing to do, but make sure you can identify them online that they are edible for torts, and that they have not been sprayed with chemicals. Public parks and housing complexes use chemicals, so you'd have to live in a rural area to be able to safely collect weeds from the neighborhood. Have you tried organic spring mix (mix of baby lettuces), taking out the spinach if it has it? You need hides in different temperature zones or else Mr. Turtle might stay in an area that isn't appropriate just due to how it looks and what he is comfortable with. I wish the enclosure size was larger, but I guess its better than what you had before. Good job!