hello all, im a newbie here :)

Rory & Gem · 23-02-2009, 02:28 PM

hello all

firstly id just like to say i found this forum last night and i have been reading this forum all day(thank god it isnt blocked at my workplace he he !) and there are some awsome pics and info here and everyone seems really nice !

me and my partner are going to become the proud parents of 2 torts end of march, and after reading hear i have decided against getting a Viv for them and will make my own tort table

since this is our 1st time there are some questions i would like to ask.

table size
bedding/flooring/base layer
equipment list

1. what sort of size should i aim for housing 2x 0 - 12 month old horsfields?

2. is top soil sutable for baby horsfields ? should i use hay and soil ? what should i use for the bedding area i see a lot of indoor tables setups that use soil sand and hay?

where is the best places or good places to get these items ? i see a lot of B&Q on here but where do i find hay and grass ?

3. so far i have these items in mind for the electrical stuff,

mega ray 100w heat/UV bulb
light fixing/ holder ( should i use the more narrow ones or a wide pan type one?)
hygrometer

anything else i will need ? or must have's ?

few other things that will help u guys help me is that our house is an old cottage type building so it can be quite cold in there ( no clue about the summer only been here since november 08) anything i should keep in mind with this cold house ? no central heating only a gas fire in the living room.

the place where i will get my tortoise knew a lot of stuff and sounded legit but one thing the lady in the shop told me sounded slightly odd. she told me i wouldnt have to hibernate them unless i wanted to breed them? that sounds strange to me but everything else she said was spot on. hibernation is one of the things that worries me the most tbh.

we are both excited and i really am getting hyper here at my desk i want to start building asap

.

im so excited i think im already an addict.

Kirkie · 23-02-2009, 05:00 PM

Hello from me.

Well it sounds like your well on the way to an ideal setup for a young tortoise or two. The megaray is a combined heat and UV lamp (the best one in my opinion) so thats that covered.

I'd recommend a good max/min thermometer so you can measure the temperatures within the tortoise table. You want to be aiming for 31-33 degrees C under the lamp and and 20-22C in the cooler end. This gives them the chance to thermoregulate by moving between the different temps.

I think purely top soil would be an ideal substrate for small Horsfields. They will love to burrow into it so it would need to be a mimimum of 10CM's deep. You can pile it up in hides as well. I also use a product called Readigrass (dried meadow grasses) that you can get from horse supply places. My Hermann's tortoises love it. They do eat it too and Horsfields are notoriously greedy but it has little or no nutritional value and is quite safe.

As for the table size, the bigger the better really but I'd probably have a 4ft X 2ft for two small tortoises.

A water dish, some "furniture" (hides, logs and a piece of slate for basking and feeding them on) and your well on your way. Have a look in the "endoor enclosures" thread in the housing section for some set up ideas too

Good luck

Paulg1 · 23-02-2009, 05:04 PM

hi from me too. Dave's got you on your way. Anything else, just ask.

tortoise lover · 23-02-2009, 07:06 PM

Hi dont forget your vitamins and calcium powder to sprinkle on there weeds ie nutrobal and limestone powder,you can order them from the shelled warriors shop, and good luck with your tortoises,i have 2 horsfields aged 3 and 6 years. You will also need something to bath them both in,you will need something that they cant see out of,i use a litter tray which is ideal and bath them in lukewarm water regularly

cazzykins · 23-02-2009, 07:06 PM

Heya and welcome! You sound just like me, I'm v excited about getting my horsfield in 2 weeks! Kirky, as usual, covered pretty much everything I think. Have a look around the SW shop, lots of ideas in there.
Supliments, limestone flour ect is needed.
Brought some top soil yesterday from b&q, and sand from argos, a few quid each.
I brought a min/max thermometer from boots (£10) in advance to measure what temp it drops to a night, aslong as it stays above i've heard about 10-15'c ish you'l be okay.
Regarding the hibernating, i think everyone has different views on here about it. I don't think it's right not to hibernate, as it's a natural thing for them to do (just my personal opinoin!). But you wont need to think about it for quite a few months, so dont worry too much about it now I'd say.
Have you thought about diet? Growing weeds ect... Best to start in advance, especially rubbish gardeners like me!

Hope I've helped! Post any questions you need, lots of tort clever people on here

Caz x

kazzie · 23-02-2009, 07:20 PM

Hi, i'm a newbie as well and the advice i have been given has been fantastic.

alotoffluff · 23-02-2009, 07:23 PM

Hello and welcome to the mad world of tort keeping

Lolly8 · 24-02-2009, 01:14 AM

Hi and welcome from me!

**Alan1** · 24-02-2009, 02:38 AM

Hello, if you are getting a Megaray bulb http://www.kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/...ted-p-143.html

you will need this sort of style of lamp (but doesn't have to be that one, just that type of thing) http://www.kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/...amp-p-167.html

Rory & Gem · 24-02-2009, 07:36 AM

Thanks everyone !!

ill be going out this weekend to get all the stuff i need

and then tortoise come end of march !!

ill upoload some pics of my table when its all done and thanks again for the advice

23-02-2009, 02:28 PM	#1
Rory & Gem Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: northants Posts: 20	hello all, im a newbie here :) hello all firstly id just like to say i found this forum last night and i have been reading this forum all day(thank god it isnt blocked at my workplace he he !) and there are some awsome pics and info here and everyone seems really nice ! me and my partner are going to become the proud parents of 2 torts end of march, and after reading hear i have decided against getting a Viv for them and will make my own tort table since this is our 1st time there are some questions i would like to ask. table size bedding/flooring/base layer equipment list 1. what sort of size should i aim for housing 2x 0 - 12 month old horsfields? 2. is top soil sutable for baby horsfields ? should i use hay and soil ? what should i use for the bedding area i see a lot of indoor tables setups that use soil sand and hay? where is the best places or good places to get these items ? i see a lot of B&Q on here but where do i find hay and grass ? 3. so far i have these items in mind for the electrical stuff, mega ray 100w heat/UV bulb light fixing/ holder ( should i use the more narrow ones or a wide pan type one?) hygrometer anything else i will need ? or must have's ? few other things that will help u guys help me is that our house is an old cottage type building so it can be quite cold in there ( no clue about the summer only been here since november 08) anything i should keep in mind with this cold house ? no central heating only a gas fire in the living room. the place where i will get my tortoise knew a lot of stuff and sounded legit but one thing the lady in the shop told me sounded slightly odd. she told me i wouldnt have to hibernate them unless i wanted to breed them? that sounds strange to me but everything else she said was spot on. hibernation is one of the things that worries me the most tbh. we are both excited and i really am getting hyper here at my desk i want to start building asap . im so excited i think im already an addict.

23-02-2009, 05:00 PM	#2
Kirkie Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,887	Hello from me. Well it sounds like your well on the way to an ideal setup for a young tortoise or two. The megaray is a combined heat and UV lamp (the best one in my opinion) so thats that covered. I'd recommend a good max/min thermometer so you can measure the temperatures within the tortoise table. You want to be aiming for 31-33 degrees C under the lamp and and 20-22C in the cooler end. This gives them the chance to thermoregulate by moving between the different temps. I think purely top soil would be an ideal substrate for small Horsfields. They will love to burrow into it so it would need to be a mimimum of 10CM's deep. You can pile it up in hides as well. I also use a product called Readigrass (dried meadow grasses) that you can get from horse supply places. My Hermann's tortoises love it. They do eat it too and Horsfields are notoriously greedy but it has little or no nutritional value and is quite safe. As for the table size, the bigger the better really but I'd probably have a 4ft X 2ft for two small tortoises. A water dish, some "furniture" (hides, logs and a piece of slate for basking and feeding them on) and your well on your way. Have a look in the "endoor enclosures" thread in the housing section for some set up ideas too Good luck Last edited by Kirkie; 23-02-2009 at 05:02 PM.

23-02-2009, 05:04 PM	#3
Paulg1 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 2,116	hi from me too. Dave's got you on your way. Anything else, just ask. __________________ 0.1.0 G. sulcata/Larry 0.1.0 G. pardalis babcocki/Leo 1.0.0 G. pardalis pardalis/Tino "Stop the world, I want to get off!"

24-02-2009, 01:14 AM	#8
Lolly8 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Stoke on Trent Posts: 5,276	Hi and welcome from me! __________________

23-02-2009, 07:06 PM	#4
tortoise lover Member Hatchling Join Date: May 2008 Location: north east lincolnshire Posts: 503	Hi dont forget your vitamins and calcium powder to sprinkle on there weeds ie nutrobal and limestone powder,you can order them from the shelled warriors shop, and good luck with your tortoises,i have 2 horsfields aged 3 and 6 years. You will also need something to bath them both in,you will need something that they cant see out of,i use a litter tray which is ideal and bath them in lukewarm water regularly

23-02-2009, 07:06 PM	#5
cazzykins Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Aylesbury Posts: 474	Heya and welcome! You sound just like me, I'm v excited about getting my horsfield in 2 weeks! Kirky, as usual, covered pretty much everything I think. Have a look around the SW shop, lots of ideas in there. Supliments, limestone flour ect is needed. Brought some top soil yesterday from b&q, and sand from argos, a few quid each. I brought a min/max thermometer from boots (£10) in advance to measure what temp it drops to a night, aslong as it stays above i've heard about 10-15'c ish you'l be okay. Regarding the hibernating, i think everyone has different views on here about it. I don't think it's right not to hibernate, as it's a natural thing for them to do (just my personal opinoin!). But you wont need to think about it for quite a few months, so dont worry too much about it now I'd say. Have you thought about diet? Growing weeds ect... Best to start in advance, especially rubbish gardeners like me! Hope I've helped! Post any questions you need, lots of tort clever people on here Caz x

23-02-2009, 07:20 PM	#6
kazzie Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ipswich suffolk Posts: 161	Hi, i'm a newbie as well and the advice i have been given has been fantastic.

23-02-2009, 07:23 PM	#7
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	Hello and welcome to the mad world of tort keeping

24-02-2009, 02:38 AM	#9
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	Hello, if you are getting a Megaray bulb http://www.kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/...ted-p-143.html you will need this sort of style of lamp (but doesn't have to be that one, just that type of thing) http://www.kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/...amp-p-167.html

24-02-2009, 07:36 AM	#10
Rory & Gem Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: northants Posts: 20	Thanks everyone !! ill be going out this weekend to get all the stuff i need and then tortoise come end of march !! ill upoload some pics of my table when its all done and thanks again for the advice

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