When my tortoise is walking around the house will he get cold????

[tinkerbellbabex]

Just recently got a tortoise and he likes walking around my room, just wondering if he will get cold because when I pick him up he feels so cold and what will he do if he does get cold?? How do you keep your tortoises warm when they are walking around??? Help please really nervous and new to all this but want the best life for my tortoise

 

[enzot91]

Hey, welcome to the forum. Your tortoise needs a proper enclosure with a suitable substrate and appropriate temperatures. Letting him wander around your room is a terrible idea for numerous reasons. I saw on your other post that he's a Russian, you should check out these threads:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[JoesMum]

If he's wandering round the room then he's away from his heat sources, UVB and correct humidity levels.

Have a proper size enclosure and follow the links above to get it set up right. He will be much happier and healthier.

 

[saginawhxc]

Unless you followed him around with a heat lamp there is no keeping them warm at floor level. Almost all floors (unless you have in floor heat) are way colder and draftier than we realize. They are cold blooded and NEED an external heat source to stay warm. Plus there are threats of the tortoise eating things it shouldn't such as hair, trash, etc... These things could lead to impaction which could lead to a very sick or even dead tortoise. All in all, probably should skip letting him wander the floor.

Plus, the other day we were having a minor heating crisis in my outdoor housing so I put my 11 pound sulcata on the floor of my living room for just a few minutes. It's something I've never done. He proceeded to poop on my floor and then track poopy footprints all over my floor. While I was cleaning that he proceeded to flash out his disgusting tort penis and drag it all over my living room floor. During this entire time my 19 month old daughter is chasing him around the room and cackling with laughter. I spent over an hour cleaning and disinfecting the room to the best of my ability. This was all for 15 minutes of time on my floor.

 

[tinkerbellbabex]

Ohh god lol sounds like you had a bad experience!! There all worth it though aren't they and I do have a vivarium for him with soil in it and water and a cave for him to go in when he sleeps but my cousin has a tortoise and he walks around the house more than goes in his vivarium so was just wondering what I could do to keep him warm if I was to let him walk about every now and then so he can have more freedom

 

[JoesMum]

@tinkerbellbabex

You really do need to read those links above as you have been given bad advice about the enclosure. There are changes that you need to make soon.

Rabbit pellets are not suitable substrate. They are far too dry.

Your tortoise needs to be on a substrate that holds moisture like coco coir or orchid bark.

Reptile bowls aren't suited to tortoises either. For food use a piece of flat rock or slate that will help to keep your tort's beak in shape while he eats.

For water, use a terracotta plant saucer.

I can't see your lamps, but you may also have a compact UVB which frequently causes eye problems in tortoises.

If you read the above links they explain everything.

 

[tinkerbellbabex]

Thank you just reading them now they are really helpful!

I'm going to get some soil for him tomorrow after work as lots of people have been telling me the pellets are too hard and I can tell by the way he walks on them his poor little claws, and yeah I get you with the food bowls there so expensive from pet shops but it's hard for the tortoise to use them and I usually hang his weeds over the edge so he can reach them, I give him a bath every other day too to ensure he doesn't dehydrate , and it's a uv light I think it says it helps him absorb vitamin d is that right?

 

[Yvonne G]

Just because your cousin allows his tortoise to wander around on the floor doesn't make it right. Your tortoise needs to stay in his enclosure - for his safety if for no other reason. One of our members allowed their little tortoise to walk around on the floor. The member reached over to close an inside door, not knowing that the tortoise had his head between the back of the door and the door jamb. She crushed his head and killed him. Dust balls, tiny pieces of plastic, electrical cords, there are any number of hazards on the floor for inquisitive mouths to try out.

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort needs UVB light so it can make vitamin D3 and this in turn helps it absorb calcium from its diet.

There are different types of UVB bulb, one of which we don't recommend.

Here's a lighting/heating summary that explains :

Your tort needs:

1. A basking lamp
This must hang vertically, not at an angle. Basking is essential to raise your tortoise's core temperature so it can digest food.

2. UVB light
Read the instructions for the source to see how close to the substrate it must be. UVB is essential so your tort can process dietary calcium and have healthy bones and shell.

Both 1 and 2 are available from the sun for those able to live outside.

UVB does not pass through glass or perspex(plexiglass) - light must be direct to be effective not through a window. Mesh screening can also interfere with UVB.

3. A minimum overnight temperature (see the care sheet for your species) and complete darkness at night to sleep.


Notes

(a) A Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) provides combined UVB and Basking. Alternatively you can use 2 bulbs: a tube UVB and a reflector bulb for basking (a household reflector - not low energy or halogen - from a hardware store will do the job; it's the wattage that counts)

(b) Ignore any references to UVA you may read - it's misleading marketing speak.

(c) Compact coil UVB harms tortoise eyes and must not be used.

(d) Basking and UVB should be on a timer so the light(s) are on for 12 hours a day. Temperature under the basking is regulated by its height above the substrate.

(e) Overnight, depending on your home, you may need additional heat. You get this from a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) which must be on a thermostat.

(f) Torts have outstanding colour vision and love red and purple food. Coloured heat lamps colour tank decor and torts don't always apply intelligence to what they eat, resulting them in eating tank decor. Coloured bulbs should not be used.


Measurements

There are 4 important temperatures that you must know for an indoor enclosure.
- Directly under the basking lamp
- Warm side
- Cool side
- Overnight Minimum

You will need digital thermometers for accuracy.

A temperature gun thermometer (inexpensive from Amazon) measures temperature accurately in specific places like directly under the basking lamp.

A min/max thermometer so you know the min/max temperatures in your home by day and night.

You should also get a good digital probe hygrometer to measure humidity.

Thermometers and hygrometer that stick to the side of the enclosure tend to be less accurate.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please; do NOT EVER allow your tort to roam around on the floor. The floor is never clean enough. Moreover, your tort could swallow something harmful, GOD forbid. And even when cleaned, the floor would smell of chemicals.

What species is your tort?

 

[dmmj]

Unless you followed him around with a heat lamp there is no keeping them warm at floor level. Almost all floors (unless you have in floor heat) are way colder and draftier than we realize. They are cold blooded and NEED an external heat source to stay warm. Plus there are threats of the tortoise eating things it shouldn't such as hair, trash, etc... These things could lead to impaction which could lead to a very sick or even dead tortoise. All in all, probably should skip letting him wander the floor.

Plus, the other day we were having a minor heating crisis in my outdoor housing so I put my 11 pound sulcata on the floor of my living room for just a few minutes. It's something I've never done. He proceeded to poop on my floor and then track poopy footprints all over my floor. While I was cleaning that he proceeded to flash out his disgusting tort penis and drag it all over my living room floor. During this entire time my 19 month old daughter is chasing him around the room and cackling with laughter. I spent over an hour cleaning and disinfecting the room to the best of my ability. This was all for 15 minutes of time on my floor.

I'm not trying to be mean but I laughed so hard that post

 

[tinkerbellbabex]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please; do NOT EVER allow your tort to roam around on the floor. The floor is never clean enough. Moreover, your tort could swallow something harmful, GOD forbid. And even when cleaned, the floor would smell of chemicals.

What species is your tort?

Awww thank you so glad I found this forum feel so reassured now about everything, and he's a horsfield tortoise so he's Russian I think what about yours??

 

[saginawhxc]

I'm not trying to be mean but I laughed so hard that post

I shared it because it was kind funny. Wasn't really at the time though...

 

[Tom]

I'm going to get some soil for him tomorrow after work...

Not soil. You can't know what store bought soil is made of. It could be harmless ingredients or it could be composted oleander or yard clippings with toxic pesticides. The people making the soil don't intend it to be used for bedding for a live animal in a closed chamber.

Orchid bark works best, but coco coir will work too if you make a thick layer and hand pack it down. Orchid bark is less messy for larger horsfield tortoises.

Yes your tortoise needs UV, but it needs it from a safe source. The screw in type cfl or "coil" bulbs sometimes burn their eyes. It is safer and more effective to use the long tube types.

 

[Gillian M]

Awww thank you so glad I found this forum feel so reassured now about everything, and he's a horsfield tortoise so he's Russian I think what about yours??

Mine is a Greek tort called Oli. I've had him for 5.5 years or so, and I'm madly in love with him.

 

[RussianTortKing]

Might want to change your substrate to coc coir or wood chips of mix them. It's best not to do pellets

 

[Gillian M]

Hi @Tinkerbell . How is your tort today? Hope he's not roaming around the flat any more.

Any pics of him?