Tortoise Tips And Advise Needed Pls

[Aspirerite]

Hi everyone I,m new to keeping the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) I have put down a deposit on it at the pet shop. In the shop they have it in a vivarium so I want to get it out of that as soon as possible as I've been reading its not an ideal choice of housing. I know that I need as large of an enclosure as possible and an indoor enclosure is what I'm making at the moment. I've opted to use a very old single wardrobe that isn't wanted so is going to be my starting point. The wardrobe is very sold so I'm not worried about it falling apart and its much bigger than the enclosures I've seen for sale in the shops. I'm wondering what to paint the inside with as I want it to last so want it waterproofed on the inside. Another thing is that I was wondering what the best light setups are for the price and what sizes to use. Am i best off with a separate u vb bulb to my basking spot or can I do it with a good quality single bulb? Any ideas for my set up would be helpful as I want to set it up right first time

 

[Tom]

Nothing wrong with a large vivarium. They are excellent for helping to maintain the correct environmental parameters inside a house. Here is how I maintain my russian tortoises. Care would be similar for a greek and there might be some ideas in there that will help you with the lighting and water and such.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Check this one out too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Aspirerite]

Nothing wrong with a large vivarium. They are excellent for helping to maintain the correct environmental parameters inside a house. Here is how I maintain my russian tortoises. Care would be similar for a greek and there might be some ideas in there that will help you with the lighting and water and such.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Check this one out too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Thanx tom that will help me a lot. Do you know what kind of paint I can use on the inside that's waterproof?

 

[Tom]

I use a plastic liner on mine that need it. There is no paint, including epoxy, that will stand up to constants wetness. This is directly from the paint manager and paint company rep at Home Depot. I bought and used some non-toxi boat paint once and that worked great, but it was $130 a gallon and $90 a gallon for the primer. I won't be painting or water sealing the inside any of my enclosures.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum, Aspirerite!

One of our members, GBTortoises, posted a thread about painting indoor habitats. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here it is:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/painting-inside-the-enclosure.41628/#post-401617

 

[Aspirerite]

I use a plastic liner on mine that need it. There is no paint, including epoxy, that will stand up to constants wetness. This is directly from the paint manager and paint company rep at Home Depot. I bought and used some non-toxi boat paint once and that worked great, but it was $130 a gallon and $90 a gallon for the primer. I won't be painting or water sealing the inside any of my enclosures.

Ill use a plastic liner then as I have some that is supposed to be resistant to uv that a purchased to make a green house but I have more than I need for that. I have been looking at this lighting system. It is a day and night light in one unit. You can get a mercury vapor bulb that emits UVA and UVB in there bulbs section. Would 160w be too much or would I be OK with that? They do a 100w version I think too. The bulbs are expensive but the housing unit seems a good deal. To buy just one unit over here in the UK from the pet shop would cost me the same amount

 

[Aspirerite]

Its here http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rep...mini-combo-deep-dome-lamp-fixture-244763.html

 

[Tom]

Everyone's enclosure is different. You'll have to assess your home, your tortoises home and the ambient temperatures to know which wattage bulb will work best for you.

I don't like the double domes because different heating elements might need to be at different heights or different places in your enclosure to achieve the right temperatures. With a greek tortoise, you shouldn't need night heat unless your house gets very cold at night.

 

[Aspirerite]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum, Aspirerite!

One of our members, GBTortoises, posted a thread about painting indoor habitats. I'll see if I can find it.

Thanx

 

[Aspirerite]

Everyone's enclosure is different. You'll have to assess your home, your tortoises home and the ambient temperatures to know which wattage bulb will work best for you.

I don't like the double domes because different heating elements might need to be at different heights or different places in your enclosure to achieve the right temperatures. With a greek tortoise, you shouldn't need night heat unless your house gets very cold at night.

Thanx for the advice I didn't think of that but now you have said it I can see why you don't like them. Ill have to go with two separate bulbs as that would be best. I live in England so it does get quite cold at times so I think ill have to play around with whats best. Can I put a 100w bulb in a 160w unit?

 

[Tom]

Most fixtures are rated for at least 250 watts, but you will need to check the one you are looking to buy. I buy mine at the hardware store and they have a larger dome, a heavier duty cord and they are rated to 600 watts.

 

[Aspirerite]

I did in fact decide to go with the double dome lighting after thinking about it and looking at other options as you can vary the wattage of the bulbs you put in the fixture so as to get the temperature right. I purchased the Powersun UV mercury vapor 160w bulb along with a 75w moonlight heat bulb. I'm getting a temperature reading of 31c at around 12-14 inches from the bulb and I'm going to test my nighttime temperatures tonight with the moonlight bulb. I realize that I have to test the temperature at the coolest point too but if I get readings that are too low ill have to get another lamp to position at the other end but for the price of the lighting fixture I decided to pay a little extra as I may have to up the wattage in the winter and it would make it easy just to put another bulb in of slightly higher wattage and take my 75w bulb out as they are cheap anyway. The Powersun was very expensive but I do get a warranty with it and I'm told its one of the best UV setups you can get. I'm going to monitor temperatures for a few days and when I think I have it spot on Ill go and pick my tortoise up. In the pet shop they don't even have a thermometer in the vivarium so I don't know how they are monitoring the temperature

 

[Aspirerite]

I picked my tortoise up a few days ago and its settling in nicely I think I have my temps about right now. It hasn't eaten a lot but it has eaten a little. I've noticed that its much more active than it was in the shop and that may have a lot to do with them housing it in a vivarium designed for other reptiles. There was a bulb in the center of the vivarium so it must have been one temperature throughout and it didn't even have a shelter so it could cool down if needed so I'm glad its out of there and into a proper environment where it can regulate properly. I'm going to make an outdoor enclosure next week and I've already made the frame and its going to be a green house / Tortoise house with access to an outdoor space. My garden is on a slight slope so I wont have any problems with standing water. When I've done it Ill post a few pics. Thanx for the advice everyone