temps

[THEADEMARCO]

I have officially arranged to collect a 1 and a bit yo Hermanns tortoise on Oct 7
I still need to do a couple things about the enclosure it is in (I need to get glass fitted to put over the top, and need to actually put in the decorations and what not).
Despite not having the proper glass for a closed top ive just put some random materials over the top and been checking temperatures today. The basking spot is around 37degrees celcius, and the rest of the enclosure is all about 20degrees celcius.
I'm pretty sure the basking area is good, but is the rest of the enclosure good too? If not maybe I will have to invest in some more heat lamps.

 

[wellington]

The rest of the area needs to be 75F cool end and 80F on the warmer end, and then your basking spot.
You have to have a big enough enclosure to accommodate these temps. Too small and it will be hard to get a range. Humidity should be 50-80%.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thank you. My basking spot is on one side, and I could get a heat lamp to ensure that the other side stays at 80F. Is it okay to have the middle be the cooler area?

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Also a bit off topic but do you think I should get a humid hide

 

[wellington]

It will be hard to have the middle the cooler side when you have higher temps on both sides of it.
Hot side would be basking side. Then it will naturally from the basking heat get a little cooler the further away from the basking the tort gets. He should then be moving into the 80F area and then the far end the cool area.
The whole enclosure will do best being humid but you can do a humid hide also
Also night temps should be 70-75.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

When you put it like that it does make more sense for the cooler area to be at the end and for thereto be a sort of gradient. Night is typically about 70degrees in my house so I think this will be good.
What I've realized is that after having the lights on for more than an hour the whole enclosure temp has increased (silly me i should have waited to check). Basking area is a couple degrees too warm imo (40-42) so i will move the basking bulb further away. the middle of the table is now 26C and the end is still 20C. Maybe I wont need a CHE to make the middle a little warmer?
I will continue monitoring the temperatures.

 

[wellington]

Yes, leave everything on for at least an hour before reading temps.
A infrared point and shoot temp gun works great for temping all areas. Easier then having to move a gauge all around.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

I have bought a temp gun and im finding it very useful. Had a lot of fun with it the day it came, measured everything in sight!

 

[Tom]

When you put it like that it does make more sense for the cooler area to be at the end and for thereto be a sort of gradient. Night is typically about 70degrees in my house so I think this will be good.
What I've realized is that after having the lights on for more than an hour the whole enclosure temp has increased (silly me i should have waited to check). Basking area is a couple degrees too warm imo (40-42) so i will move the basking bulb further away. the middle of the table is now 26C and the end is still 20C. Maybe I wont need a CHE to make the middle a little warmer?
I will continue monitoring the temperatures.

Use a CHE or a radiant heat panel set on a thermostat to maintain ambient. 70 at night is fine, so the thermostat can also run through a timer, or you can get the kind that allows for a different temp setting for day and night. Run either of these over the middle of the enclosure.

Yes on the humid hide.

40-42 is too hot. Check the basking temp by laying a digital thermometer on its back at tortoise shell height and letting it bake there for an hour or more. A temp gun on the surface under your heat lamop will not tell you the basking temp on the back of the torts shell.

Be prepared for the person you are getting the tortoise from and the local pet shop to give you all the wrong care info. It will sound very convincing. Don't be fooled.