Thought

[Kristina]

I wasn't trying to be negative. You asked for opinions, and I shared mine. Even carpet fibers can prove deadly. Three and a half hours with no heat source on a cold floor is a long time. That would be like you being outside for three and a half hours in 30 degree weather with no coat. However, it is your tortoise and it is completely up to you how you care for it. But I will be honest and say I don't understand asking for help and then disagreeing with the answer.

 

[Whitmore]

I wasn't trying to be negative. You asked for opinions, and I shared mine. Even carpet fibers can prove deadly. Three and a half hours with no heat source on a cold floor is a long time. That would be like you being outside for three and a half hours in 30 degree weather with no coat. However, it is your tortoise and it is completely up to you how you care for it. But I will be honest and say I don't understand asking for help and then disagreeing with the answer.

i havnt disagreed
i was just telling you the circumstances

the advice i have recieved has been really good off different people and will be taking it on board.
I am planning on building a new enclousre for him over the next week or so now, after the feedback i have had

so i havnt really disagreed with much at all
im just a new owner who is trying to do his best for the tort

 

[coreyc]

I know its been said but I think its way to small and you should change the substrate

 

[mctlong]

............. A lot of people seem to think that rabit pellets are the devil. I don't think it's too bad of a choice but there are better alternatives like peat moss, cypress mulch, or just plain dirt. Bigger is always better in my opinion as it relates to tortoise enclosures.

Come on now, not the devil... a high level demon at best - maybe Agares or Vassago.

 

[Jacqui]

I think overall you have taken our comments very well, especially since I know to you it must seem we are knocking everything you are doing. BTW I know I forgot to say this, you have a very nice looking Russian.

 

[Whitmore]

I think overall you have taken our comments very well, especially since I know to you it must seem we are knocking everything you are doing. BTW I know I forgot to say this, you have a very nice looking Russian.

Thank you very much i did the best i could from what advice was given from the pet shop but i can see now not that all of that advice has helped.

During this weekend i am going to plan and build a bigger home for him, maybe a tort table? (are they better than vivariums?) obviously making it bigger for him.

How do you control the heat on tort table btw?

but again thank you for advice everyone

 

[coreyc]

I think overall you have taken our comments very well, especially since I know to you it must seem we are knocking everything you are doing. BTW I know I forgot to say this, you have a very nice looking Russian.

She asked for some thoughts and got some are we supposed to lie and say everything is great or be honest and let her know how to improve the setup ???
Nobody is knocking it were trying to help

 

[Jacqui]

I think overall you have taken our comments very well, especially since I know to you it must seem we are knocking everything you are doing. BTW I know I forgot to say this, you have a very nice looking Russian.

She asked for some thoughts and got some are we supposed to lie and say everything is great or be honest and let her know how to improve the setup ???
Nobody is knocking it were trying to help

Corey, sorry if YOU took offense now. You might notice, I think I was the first one to knock just about everything about the enclosure. Did I lie??? No. Did I think anybody else should? No. I just wanted this person who started the thread to know I think they were taking our knocking of their current setup well. OUR knocking, because I was knocking it too.

 

[coreyc]

I think overall you have taken our comments very well, especially since I know to you it must seem we are knocking everything you are doing. BTW I know I forgot to say this, you have a very nice looking Russian.

She asked for some thoughts and got some are we supposed to lie and say everything is great or be honest and let her know how to improve the setup ???
Nobody is knocking it were trying to help

Corey, sorry if YOU took offense now. You might notice, I think I was the first one to knock just about everything about the enclosure. Did I lie??? No. Did I think anybody else should? No. I just wanted this person who started the thread to know I think they were taking our knocking of their current setup well. OUR knocking, because I was knocking it too.

No offense taken

 

[Jacqui]

Thank you very much i did the best i could from what advice was given from the pet shop but i can see now not that all of that advice has helped.

During this weekend i am going to plan and build a bigger home for him, maybe a tort table? (are they better than vivariums?) obviously making it bigger for him.

How do you control the heat on tort table btw?

Advice from pet shops is often wrong or outdated. Look how many differing opinions there are in here. How can we ever expect pet shops to keep up.

Sounds like a busy, but very important weekend coming up! Tortoise tables are very popular.

For heating, depending on your house heat, you may not need additional heating. Otherwise the most common thing is to get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) and have it hanging very securely over the table.

 

[Whitmore]

Thank you very much i did the best i could from what advice was given from the pet shop but i can see now not that all of that advice has helped.

During this weekend i am going to plan and build a bigger home for him, maybe a tort table? (are they better than vivariums?) obviously making it bigger for him.

How do you control the heat on tort table btw?

Advice from pet shops is often wrong or outdated. Look how many differing opinions there are in here. How can we ever expect pet shops to keep up.

Sounds like a busy, but very important weekend coming up! Tortoise tables are very popular.

For heating, depending on your house heat, you may not need additional heating. Otherwise the most common thing is to get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) and have it hanging very securely over the table.

well after receiving the advice today
i am hoping to change the bedding tomorrow and to get a bigger water bowl, doing these as immediate changes
and then this weekend and maybe next aswell i will try to build a tort table

it seems many people dont like the idea of vivs this is just a feeling i get
am i right in thinking this?

 

[Jacqui]

it seems many people dont like the idea of vivs this is just a feeling i get
am i right in thinking this?

In this forum, it's not considered as "bad" of a thing as in some other forums. If the viv has the room and all needed items, they are great in my mind. LOL of course, not as good as outside enclosures.

 

[Kristina]

They are not necessarily frowned upon. I use vivs with many of my tortoise, especially those that really love the humidity. The problem that you run into with vivs is size vs. cost effectiveness. Most of my vivariums consist of large aquariums, and when I say large, I mean 100 gallons plus. I have a 6' long 220 gallon sitting on my porch right now that will be the winter home of my baby Sulcata tortoises. An aquarium that size is extremely heavy, and can cost $600-$3,000. On the other hand, I have more than once built a 4' X 8' tortoise table, which provides more space, for $20.

 

[Whitmore]

it seems many people dont like the idea of vivs this is just a feeling i get
am i right in thinking this?

In this forum, it's not considered as "bad" of a thing as in some other forums. If the viv has the room and all needed items, they are great in my mind. LOL of course, not as good as outside enclosures.

I do allow my tortoise outside but worry a lot about leaving him there as i dont really have a front or a back garden, my garden just goes around my house and everything can be seen from the outside.

I need to sort out a proper house for him outside too, but one thing at a time lol

 

[Jacqui]

I do understand. There is always so much to do, so little time and money to get it all done. It just takes time and baby steps. Your already changing what you can immediately and working on the rest. That's great!

BTW, if you came to my house right now, you would see about a dozen enclosures in various stages of building. Some are waiting for security fencing to go up, before more work is seriously gotten to other then foundation plantings. Some of my enclosures will take years to complete, so believe me, I am not one to be thinking your poking around.

 

[Whitmore]

haha im sure i will get there eventually
i also live in england btw not sure if many other posters on here do