What kind of bulbs are best? and a few other things...

[JaneEEC]

I am wondering if anyone out there has some info on what/which uv bulb and heat bulb are the best for my 4.25 inch Sulcata?

I take him outdoors during the nice sunny days (here in NW Florida) and his indoor enclosure is a 2 ft by 2 ft wooden box. The sides are 10 inches high.
I have a tort "cave" constructed for him in one corner.

Exo-Terra Repti-Glo 5.0 Uv bulb (coil) on one side.
(I am reading that the coil bulbs may not be the best out there and can even strain their eyes?)

a Flukers 60w (purple/night) heat bulb in a corner.
If I were to get the ideal bulb what would your opinions be?

I have a Temp/Humidity meter in his place and its around 85 degrees in the warm area and I mist him with purified water periodically.
*

Food: Turtle pellets, organic spring blend lettuces, organic herb mix and centipede grass and basic lawn weeds when outside)
I dust with Repti-vite about every 3 days and crush a calcium pill and dust a little of that too on his greens.

Western Timothy Hay as substrate and a shallow 9 inch water dish.

I am new to this and am willing to listen to some good advice on making things right for George.
Am I on the right track so far?

(oh, when I got him last month he had a respiratory infection and I treated him with Baytril injections, happy to say he is well now and has gained 1.5 ounces!) Thanks to this forum I was able to follow lots of good advice on how to pamper him while he was recuperating. All of the advice was so valuable, so I thank you all.

If anyone has some good info just reply
Thanks,
Jane (on George's behalf

 

[coreyc]

A 100 watt Powersun or a Megaray but Mega ray will not be shipping untill next week so I would say go with the Powersun get rid of the coil bulb right away

 

[JaneEEC]

Where are the best places to buy or order online?
I looked into the Mega Ray but there were so many different types/sizes Wattages etc.. I was overwhelmed and could not figure out what I needed for the "Size" of George's table.
Any advice on either Powersun or MegaRay sizes?

A 100 watt Powersun or a Megaray but Mega ray will not be shipping untill next week so I would say go with the Powersun get rid of the coil bulb right away

 

[JohnathanO]

one thing i can suggest is maybe changing your substrate to something that can hold moisture better, like ,Coco coir, Cypress mulch or Orchid bark

have you read this? you should find everything you need here.

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

Good Luck.

 

[coreyc]

Where are the best places to buy or order online?
I looked into the Mega Ray but there were so many different types/sizes Wattages etc.. I was overwhelmed and could not figure out what I needed for the "Size" of George's table.
Any advice on either Powersun or MegaRay sizes?

A 100 watt Powersun or a Megaray but Mega ray will not be shipping untill next week so I would say go with the Powersun get rid of the coil bulb right away

How big is George's table? you can order from LLL Reptiles, Tortoise supply big apple herps 100 watt should do it

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jane:

You can raise or lower the light to get more or less heat inside the habitat. You just have to follow the directions on the box the light comes in. They usually say to not have it closer than 12" from the floor of the habitat.

I'd start with a 100 watt like Corey recommended.

Also, its best to not use the clamp feature on the fixture that you buy. They have been know to fail and fall into the substrate causing smoke and/or fire. Figure out some way to hang it either from the ceiling for from some sort of stand.

 

[JaneEEC]

His table is a 2 ft.X2 ft. wooden box with 10 inch high walls. He is only 4.25 inches long.
I just wonder how much wattage he needs or how to judge and adjust these things? I am really new to it, I am betting you guys have some smart techniques.

I also read that Coconut husk bark (substrate) is good?
Do I need to be worried about him eating his substrate? i.e. orchid bark etc...
*When he's outside I have him in a big plastic kiddie pool with his food, hay and water dish and only in the sun, when its warm enough.

 

[ticothetort2]

100 Watt Powersun should be plenty for a 2X2 table, you may want to start building something a little bigger also. There are a couple of members who sell this bulb, I think Costal being one of them, just do a search and they should pop up.

You should also know that you want your bulb to face directly down, you don't want it to be at an angle. So hanging it from the ceiling or from a stand is best.

Definitely change out the substrate for something that will hold some more humidity like cypress, orchid bark, or coconut coir.

 

[coreyc]

His table is a 2 ft.X2 ft. wooden box with 10 inch high walls. He is only 4.25 inches long.
I just wonder how much wattage he needs or how to judge and adjust these things? I am really new to it, I am betting you guys have some smart techniques.

I also read that Coconut husk bark (substrate) is good?
Do I need to be worried about him eating his substrate? i.e. orchid bark etc...
*When he's outside I have him in a big plastic kiddie pool with his food, hay and water dish and only in the sun, when its warm enough.

A 100 watt will work I would mix the Coconut husk with cypress mulch an dont forget to spray it down

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Because you live in Florida and take him outside most days, I wouldn't bother with an expensive UVB light. Isn't he getting what he needs from his outside time? So if it were meI wouldn't worry about a UVB bulb or a MVB. I would continue to take him outside daily and that is good enough. I would also stop using hay as a substrate and try cypress mulch. Does he have a pyramided shell? He's been raised without humidity hasn't he? I'd love to see a picture of him.

 

[DeanS]

The best place to get the Powersun is on ebay...most sell it for around $45 shipped! You won't beat that antwhere else!

 

[tortoisenerd]

If you can take your tort out almost every day year round, don't even bother with a UVB bulb, and just use household light bulbs during the day, and if heat is needed at night (if below 70 F), a ceramic heat emitter or black light bulb. You do want some night temp drop, but not too much. Ditch that coil bulb now and put in a house bulb until you get a MVB if needed. Yes, old models have caused blindness in torts, and many here still don't trust them, so I'll go with the experts on that one.

Otherwise, then yes a Powersun 100 Watt is a good idea as the Mega Ray and T-Rex Active UV Heat aren't available (Mega Ray and T-Rex are the same bulb; T-Rex has a low output UVB available now for less money, but you want the Active UV Heat, which I haven't seen being sold currently). Online is cheaper than the pet stores for the bulbs. With those you need a lamp stand (ZooMed is great) or other type of stable vertical adjustable rigging, and a ceramic socket hood fixture (wide and deep). Hardware stores typically sell silver fixtures, and pet stores have black ones, and the ZooMed stand is black. You want to have a steady way to mount it with the bulb face parallel to the substrate, and to easily adjust it up and down to control temperature. Many like to use timers with these, keeping them on 12-14 hours a day. You need an accurate thermometer like a temp gun to know the temps all over the enclosure, not just in one spot. You want to know the gradient so if you have any large patches of cold, the max, min, etc, all very quickly.

Ditch the pellet foods, herbs, and the vitamins. Read the ingredients on your pellet food and ask yourself if that is what the tort would heat in the wild. If you do want to feed a commercial diet for a small part of his diet (I prefer < 5%), then Grassland Tortoise Food by ZooMed is a better option (some also like Mazuri). There isn't a need though. So many greens, weeds, lettuces, flowers, leaves, etc to feed that mimic their wild diet. It just takes more effort. You want to get your chemical free graze going now for when your little guy gets huge!

Does he eat the grass? If so, great, but its rare for a hatchling to like grass/hay, so I just want to make sure you may think he's eating it but he's not. If you can get chemical free weeds in your yard, that is another great food source. If your yard is chemical free, pen off an area and use that instead of the tub so he can graze...you can even scatter seeds. For extra safety you can dig down the wood walls, make them high enough for when he gets bigger so you can reuse the wood for a larger enclosure, and use hardware cloth to make him safer from predators, with a hide and water dish. Are you planning to have him live outside mostly, or build a bigger table? I ask this because 4 sq ft is going to start to get very small soon...hope you didn't just build that.

They love organic edible flowers liker roses, hibiscus, pansies, etc. Pure calcium daily is important. You can get a powder to skip crushing the pills (Now brand at supplement stores, or more expensive at pet stores; no D3). You got good substrate advice here already--moist substrate to create humidity is very important. With this, you may want to consider skipping the misting, especially if the tort doesn't like it. A humid hide is another great step, such as a plastic container with a small entrance with sphagnum moss inside (instructions on some threads in the forum). The hay molds when wet so you want to get rid of that inside and out. Weighing in grams and taking Straight Carapace Length measurements weekly or monthly is a good idea. Get his poop tested for parasites at a vet's if you haven't already.

Good luck!

 

[JaneEEC]

Kate,
Thank you and everyone else for the great advice!! I really appreciate it and plan on using it! I really appreciate the time you took to carefully explain everything.
I used the 2ft square wood box for now only because it was conveniently already made and in our garage. I am planning out an area outside for him and sizing up building him something like a wooden, insulated enclosure, like a shed.
Our lawn is chemical free and I downloaded a list of plants he can eat.
I am really excited to get things in order for him. Thank you for all the great ideas and advice!

Jane

If you can take your tort out almost every day year round, don't even bother with a UVB bulb, and just use household light bulbs during the day, and if heat is needed at night (if below 70 F), a ceramic heat emitter or black light bulb. You do want some night temp drop, but not too much. Ditch that coil bulb now and put in a house bulb until you get a MVB if needed. Yes, old models have caused blindness in torts, and many here still don't trust them, so I'll go with the experts on that one.

Otherwise, then yes a Powersun 100 Watt is a good idea as the Mega Ray and T-Rex Active UV Heat aren't available (Mega Ray and T-Rex are the same bulb; T-Rex has a low output UVB available now for less money, but you want the Active UV Heat, which I haven't seen being sold currently). Online is cheaper than the pet stores for the bulbs. With those you need a lamp stand (ZooMed is great) or other type of stable vertical adjustable rigging, and a ceramic socket hood fixture (wide and deep). Hardware stores typically sell silver fixtures, and pet stores have black ones, and the ZooMed stand is black. You want to have a steady way to mount it with the bulb face parallel to the substrate, and to easily adjust it up and down to control temperature. Many like to use timers with these, keeping them on 12-14 hours a day. You need an accurate thermometer like a temp gun to know the temps all over the enclosure, not just in one spot. You want to know the gradient so if you have any large patches of cold, the max, min, etc, all very quickly.

Ditch the pellet foods, herbs, and the vitamins. Read the ingredients on your pellet food and ask yourself if that is what the tort would heat in the wild. If you do want to feed a commercial diet for a small part of his diet (I prefer < 5%), then Grassland Tortoise Food by ZooMed is a better option (some also like Mazuri). There isn't a need though. So many greens, weeds, lettuces, flowers, leaves, etc to feed that mimic their wild diet. It just takes more effort. You want to get your chemical free graze going now for when your little guy gets huge!

Does he eat the grass? If so, great, but its rare for a hatchling to like grass/hay, so I just want to make sure you may think he's eating it but he's not. If you can get chemical free weeds in your yard, that is another great food source. If your yard is chemical free, pen off an area and use that instead of the tub so he can graze...you can even scatter seeds. For extra safety you can dig down the wood walls, make them high enough for when he gets bigger so you can reuse the wood for a larger enclosure, and use hardware cloth to make him safer from predators, with a hide and water dish. Are you planning to have him live outside mostly, or build a bigger table? I ask this because 4 sq ft is going to start to get very small soon...hope you didn't just build that.

They love organic edible flowers liker roses, hibiscus, pansies, etc. Pure calcium daily is important. You can get a powder to skip crushing the pills (Now brand at supplement stores, or more expensive at pet stores; no D3). You got good substrate advice here already--moist substrate to create humidity is very important. With this, you may want to consider skipping the misting, especially if the tort doesn't like it. A humid hide is another great step, such as a plastic container with a small entrance with sphagnum moss inside (instructions on some threads in the forum). The hay molds when wet so you want to get rid of that inside and out. Weighing in grams and taking Straight Carapace Length measurements weekly or monthly is a good idea. Get his poop tested for parasites at a vet's if you haven't already.

Good luck!

 

[Tom]

I agree with Maggie here. Nothing wrong with using a MVB for the indoor time, but as long as they get sun a few times a week you don't NEED it. I use regular 35-50 watt incandescent flood or spot bulbs for indoors. Saves a ton on the electric bill too. If you are the type of person that won't take him out for several weeks at a time, then definitely get the MVB, but no rush.

Definitely ditch the coil bulb, right away.

Glad to hear you are already planning for a very big future. Its coming faster than you think.

When do we get to see pics of George?

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Glad to hear you are already planning for a very big future. Its coming faster than you think.



Tom is not joking! My juvie sully has already grown over 1 inch, in less than a year!! And mine was only 4 inches when we got him too....yikes!

 

[JaneEEC]

I put a pic of him as my avatar, you can get a pretty good look at his shell. What do you think? Does he look o.k.? I'm no expert here at all so let me know

Because you live in Florida and take him outside most days, I wouldn't bother with an expensive UVB light. Isn't he getting what he needs from his outside time? So if it were meI wouldn't worry about a UVB bulb or a MVB. I would continue to take him outside daily and that is good enough. I would also stop using hay as a substrate and try cypress mulch. Does he have a pyramided shell? He's been raised without humidity hasn't he? I'd love to see a picture of him.

 

[coreyc]

can you post a bigger pic he looks smooth in the avatar pic just a little small

 

[JaneEEC]

I am trying to post a few more pics, I should have it figured out, I think? soon?

can you post a bigger pic he looks smooth in the avatar pic just a little small

---

Here is George...

---

George (I hope the pics turn up! lol)

 

[tortoisenerd]

Try this: http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-to-post-pictures-in-your-forum-posts

 

[tortoisenerd]

Try this: http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-to-post-pictures-in-your-forum-posts. I like postimage.org