Uh oh! I thought I had it figured out, please help.

florida1

New Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Messages
12
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Harbor
Nice to meet you. What kind of turtle/tortoise do you have? Name?
Russian female but her name is Marlin. I have always loved turtles and had red eared sliders growing up and even as an adult. I inherited her from my grandson as their german shorthaired pointed kept trying to chew on her.
 

Attachments

  • marlin mar 2018.jpg
    marlin mar 2018.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 10

lovee50

Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Chula Vista, CA
May I ask where in Southern CA you live? I have some CHEs that I no longer need and was looking to give them away.
 

Jo84

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2021
Messages
29
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
May I ask where in Southern CA you live? I have some CHEs that I no longer need and was looking to give them away.
I am in Ventura County. That is so very kind of you. Do I need CHE's? I was under the impression they were drying to the shell? The temps in her enclosure are pretty stable. I have a heat pad and a colorless incandescent for nighttime ambient temps. I switched the basking bulb to an incandescent flood lamp today. I do think that I need an LED light strip or something to brighten her enclosure more.

Am I still doing it wrong? :-/
My daytime ambient temps range from 84-90 (cool to warm) with the spot under the flood light being 98.
My nighttime ambient temps range from 80-85 cool to warm.
The humidity is 90+ except right under the light.
 

lovee50

Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Chula Vista, CA
I am in Ventura County. That is so very kind of you. Do I need CHE's? I was under the impression they were drying to the shell? The temps in her enclosure are pretty stable. I have a heat pad and a colorless incandescent for nighttime ambient temps. I switched the basking bulb to an incandescent flood lamp today. I do think that I need an LED light strip or something to brighten her enclosure more.

Am I still doing it wrong? :-/
My daytime ambient temps range from 84-90 (cool to warm) with the spot under the flood light being 98.
My nighttime ambient temps range from 80-85 cool to warm.
The humidity is 90+ except right under the light.
No you aren’t doing it wrong! The CHE is just for nighttime heat without any light. They are drying to the shell so you wouldn’t want them sleeping under it. I’m in San Diego, way too far south from you!
 

Prize007

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
Alexandria
I would also thoroughly check the heat and humidity too. My Lil guy gets flippy if they aren't ideal. I screwed up once when the hydrometer said the moisture was 60 percent but it turned out the substrate was actually soaked and the hydrometer was broke. So while the air temp was perfect the ground temp was chilly. I didn't notice until I actually touched the substrate. ?‍♀️
 

maureen allenza

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
86
Thank you! I did buy flood lights, I hope its the right kind, they are incandescent 65watt. What do you mean by horizontally? Would you happen to have a photo? I looked and looked for pics of lighting and how they were attached but I think maybe I missed it or misunderstood. I feel so stupid, I read and read so many threads here before I brought her home, I should have asked how to make my enclosure better prior and I really should have just bought one made.
Do not feel stupid! I researched for 9 months before I got my Russian ?. And it was hard because there are so many conflicting ideas. A dear family member who is brilliant insisted on getting me a ceramic light fixture. I said "No, it's bad for their eyes and a fire hazard! So I knew I was right but called the vet who confirmed exactly what I said. What I went by if I had ? was this site, the vet and the breeder I got Derrick from. You are a great parent to your little one. He/she is lucky to have you! My favorite thing that I did for Derrick was buy him a kiddie pool. Not for swimming but as a playpen in hot weather. My sister and I would sit outside and watch him play in it!
 

maureen allenza

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
86
Do not feel stupid! I researched for 9 months before I got my Russian ?. And it was hard because there are so many conflicting ideas. A dear family member who is brilliant insisted on getting me a ceramic light fixture. I said "No, it's bad for their eyes and a fire hazard! So I knew I was right but called the vet who confirmed exactly what I said. What I went by if I had ? was this site, the vet and the breeder I got Derrick from. You are a great parent to your little one. He/she is lucky to have you! My favorite thing that I did for Derrick was buy him a kiddie pool. Not for swimming but as a playpen in hot weather. My sister and I would sit outside and watch him play in it!
PS-the CHE was not good for Derrick. I am not saying it's not good. It wasn't for Derrick. Each case is different.
 

maureen allenza

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
86
Ok, I just did this to show you a visual. Horizontally would have the bulb like the first picture. In the dome would be like the second picture. (Sidenote, this is not being used for any of my tortoises, the bulb is not a coil UVB, just a regular incandescent bulb, and the fixture has a bending neck so I could show the difference in direction.View attachment 333532View attachment 333533
If you are able to, a fixture that can hold a long tube UVB T5 10.0 would be best.
View attachment 333530
Love the tort family on the edge of the enclosure! I admire you. You're doing such a good job for your baby!
 

Jo84

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2021
Messages
29
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I would also thoroughly check the heat and humidity too. My Lil guy gets flippy if they aren't ideal. I screwed up once when the hydrometer said the moisture was 60 percent but it turned out the substrate was actually soaked and the hydrometer was broke. So while the air temp was perfect the ground temp was chilly. I didn't notice until I actually touched the substrate. ?‍♀️
Thank you. I wondered if that could be a reason. I have been checking with the temp gun multiple times a day. I put some ferns in yesterday and removed the bad UVB and at least for today she hasnt flipped or appeared restless at all. I ordered the Arcadia proT5 UVB and will just be taking her out for UVB until it gets here.
 

OkAdiza

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
469
Location (City and/or State)
Virginia
Love the tort family on the edge of the enclosure! I admire you. You're doing such a good job for your baby!
Aw, thanks! They are above my Hermann’s enclosure (and a fourth one inside.) I’ve had those little shell guys since I was 9. The actual Tortoise, Otsokrikri we’ve had 2 years, and we also have a leopard, Agbienaa.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
673
Location (City and/or State)
Norwich CT
Thank you. I wondered if that could be a reason. I have been checking with the temp gun multiple times a day. I put some ferns in yesterday and removed the bad UVB and at least for today she hasnt flipped or appeared restless at all. I ordered the Arcadia proT5 UVB and will just be taking her out for UVB until it gets here.
Maybe this will help…

 

Jo84

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2021
Messages
29
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Update:
I added 3 ferns, I changed out all of the lighting sources. She now has the Arcadia t5 pro 12% for UVB, the Arcadia jungle down LED bar for brighter light and a single deep dome with a 65 watt incandescent flood light, she also has a RHP for night time. She seems to be a much happier gal now.
Please note this picture is of the warmer side of her enclosure/raised lighting box and not the entire thing, the other side has her hide and some more plants.
 

Attachments

  • tempImagewXVfaK.png
    tempImagewXVfaK.png
    17.7 MB · Views: 10
Top