Wellington or anyone . Any better??

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Changed aspen bedding. Changed thermometer to tortoise level as each end. Changed water bowl to shallow. Changed red buob to 50w uva floodlight
Anything also I should do?
 

Attachments

  • 20230326_165054.jpg
    20230326_165054.jpg
    8.4 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230326_165047.jpg
    20230326_165047.jpg
    9.6 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230326_165640.jpg
    20230326_165640.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230326_165637.jpg
    20230326_165637.jpg
    2.1 MB · Views: 4
  • 20230326_165633.jpg
    20230326_165633.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 2
  • 20230326_165630.jpg
    20230326_165630.jpg
    2.2 MB · Views: 4

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Looks good. Just be sure he can fit all the way into the water dish and that the 50 watt bulb gets the basking area between 95-100.
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Looks good. Just be sure he can fit all the way into the water dish and that the 50 watt bulb gets the basking area between 95-100.
I will. I just need an idea of something for him to lie on to bask. He might just lay on the bark. He definitely loves the new substrate! He couldn't wait to dig his bed out in the hide. He's in there somewhere
 

Attachments

  • 20230326_180812.jpg
    20230326_180812.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 4
  • 20230326_180753.jpg
    20230326_180753.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 4

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I will. I just need an idea of something for him to lie on to bask. He might just lay on the bark. He definitely loves the new substrate! He couldn't wait to dig his bed out in the hide. He's in there somewhere
Honestly without your advice, I think I would of run into trouble somewhere along the way. You have filled me with some much needed knowledge and I think you need commending for taking time out to help people. Can you imagine how many Tortoises are still alive and thriving because of the advise you have given them. Faults you have spotted and politely corrected with advice and knowledge! I bet there are hundreds you have saved, if not more! Im deep thinker! Sorry 😊Thank you 😊
 

Sarah2020

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
1,604
Location (City and/or State)
London, UK
Great to read and well done for taking on the advise and amending. It is useful to weight weekly and keep a log and you can then check weight gain and weight loss.
Note: Dandelions are starting to appear in the UK so I recommend picking and adding 1 or 2 to the food dish mine runs over for a dandelion :D :tort:
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Changed aspen bedding. Changed thermometer to tortoise level as each end. Changed water bowl to shallow. Changed red buob to 50w uva floodlight
Anything also I should do?
I don't like the heat mat, and I would not want the water dish right near the air vent. The rest looks pretty good. I also prefer terra cotta plant saucers for food and water. Better traction and less likelihood of the tortoise flipping in them.
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I don't like the heat mat, and I would not want the water dish right near the air vent. The rest looks pretty good. I also prefer terra cotta plant saucers for food and water. Better traction and less likelihood of the tortoise flipping in them.
Swapped the heatmat for a CHE now. She has a small corn snake water bowl which to be honest since putting it in I've seen him drink for the first time in a year. Obviously he was drinking, but he didn't like the ramp style dish. Far too big
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Great to read and well done for taking on the advise and amending. It is useful to weight weekly and keep a log and you can then check weight gain and weight loss.
Note: Dandelions are starting to appear in the UK so I recommend picking and adding 1 or 2 to the food dish mine runs over for a dandelion :D :tort:
I have been weighing him every week and he has gone from 56g to 108g. Your advice has had me walking up and down the road every morning in my dressing gown looking for weed varieties and looking like a mad man, but my god he likes to eat them! 😄
 

zolasmum

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
2,003
I have been weighing him every week and he has gone from 56g to 108g. Your advice has had me walking up and down the road every morning in my dressing gown looking for weed varieties and looking like a mad man, but my god he likes to eat them! 😄
I'm sure you know to wash anything very thoroughly that has been growing by a road, because of pollution from traffic. You could try digging up a few dandelion plants to grow in pots, for future use - or wait until they mature, and save the seeds. Zola absolutely loves dandelions too, and clover.
Angie (from Devon)
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
She has a small corn snake water bowl which to be honest since putting it in I've seen him drink for the first time in a year.
If a tortoises does not drink from, or walk through its water dish daily, that is an indicator that it is not comfortable with it, and you need something different.

They need dishes with low sloped sides and rough surfaces for traction. Snake and lizard bowls are usually not suitable for tortoises.
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I see him drinking out of it daily, but if you can suggest one that would be great. As soon as I look for tortoise dishes, it just brings them big ramp dishes up
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I'm sure you know to wash anything very thoroughly that has been growing by a road, because of pollution from traffic. You could try digging up a few dandelion plants to grow in pots, for future use - or wait until they mature, and save the seeds. Zola absolutely loves dandelions too, and clover.
Angie (from Devon)
I was washing it for too long because of that worry of the cars. I then stupidly realised that there us more growing un my back garden with more choices aswell. I'd been pulling up the best choices when gardening, So now I've got a pot especially for weeds and clover to grow in. Plus pansies that I've specially ordered that I 100% know they havnt had chemicals sprayed on them.
 

zolasmum

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
2,003
You can get shallow plain terracotta saucers to put under flowerpots - one of those, pushed into the substrate, so the top is about level with it, will be good as a water dish, as if he falls in, he can scramble out, because it has a fairly rough surface. It will help his claws too. Obviously it shouldn't be painted.
I don't think it matters if he lies on the substrate to bask - Zola has a cork mat (a cork floor tile stuck to a piece of wood - but he also likes an old sock of his dad's !
Angie
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
What about one of these. They are terracotta Set of 3 Aged Terracotta saucers for flowerpots.
S - 10x10x2cm, M - 12x12x2cm, L - 14x14x2cm .
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230410_112901_Amazon Shopping.jpg
    Screenshot_20230410_112901_Amazon Shopping.jpg
    164.5 KB · Views: 1

zolasmum

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
2,003
I think they would be fine.I would try the smallest one first to see if he has room to move about if he gets in it, and then push it a bit into the substrate - so it is level with the surface. And see how he gets on - then the next one for food,
Angie
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I think they would be fine.I would try the smallest one first to see if he has room to move about if he gets in it, and then push it a bit into the substrate - so it is level with the surface. And see how he gets on - then the next one for food,
Angie
Thank you Angie. I will give them a go. I've ordered them smile 😊
 
Top