Indian Star Newbie

indian star · 18-10-2010, 11:39 PM

Hi Everyone,
Done my research and wanted to know your comments (good or bad)

Going to purchase an Indian Star from Marcus Langford soon, know I need a tortoise table thinking of 4ft by 3ft with heat lamp/uv combined. Need 70% soil/30% sand mix. Pebbles, wood and slate and daily baths. Need some form of night heating from what Ive read.

GREAT forum for newbies like me I am an ex african chiclid keeper.

lisalass · 18-10-2010, 11:59 PM

hi and welcome xx

andy1 · 19-10-2010, 12:24 AM

Welcome

Night heat can be done with either a ceramic heater or an infra red bulb, both obviously need to be connected to a suitable thermostat,

Another option is to provide a sheltered part of the table that can be heated easily with a heatmat attached to the roof and again controlled by a thermostat. This will allow you certainty that your new baby will be kept warm and free from draugths even if the house temps drop overnight.

i use plain topsoil, as it already has some sand in it.

Regards Andy

littlestar · 19-10-2010, 06:01 PM

hi newbie have you read Marcus info sheet? lots of info and Andy does a sheet as well.

got my 2 off Marcus a year ago both settled in fine keep mine in a viv with a sliding roof. have a D3 strip light and infra red for heat during the day and an infra red also for night time both controled by seperate thermostats.

If you are keeping them in a table then then i would recommend the room temp should be above 20 to stop them getting cold/chilled.

buy a digital themometer/hydrometer for temp and humidity not one of those round dial types.

boothy · 19-10-2010, 08:58 PM

Hi
I have two Indies from Marcus. He offers a very good tried and tested initial set up. I have followed his advice and have used his setup for nearly a year now with great results. Both torts are doing extremely well and have done since the beginning.

Stephen

indian star · 20-10-2010, 08:59 PM

thanks for all your guidance, I have two comments (1) I though vivs were bad for tortoises (2) my stars would be in an unheated conservatory so which would be the best for heat a ceramic heater, infra red or heat mat? Presume the top soil is from somewhere like B&Q? (sterilsed)

indian star · 20-10-2010, 09:05 PM

Many thanks for valuable comments, I have read that vivs are BAD for tortoises! I will locate the tortoises in an unhrayed conservatory hence the reason for reliable heat so which would be the best, a heat mat, infa red or ceramic given running costs. great to hear from you

indian star · 20-10-2010, 09:12 PM

Many thanks for all your replies

In terms of the viv I always thought they were a NO NO for torts!

The star will be located in an unheated conservatory so I need something powerful but economic. So what do you recomend? infa red, heat mat or ceramic heater

andy1 · 20-10-2010, 11:21 PM

In short i wouldnt put them in a unheated conservatory.

The ambient would be to cold. If for any reason the power went off you would have dead baby stars .

Andy

indian star · 20-10-2010, 11:38 PM

Thanks for that Andy, just to explain the conservatory has a radiator but at night, unless exceptionally cold, the heating is turned off. Would an electric radiator that you would use in a conservatory work for nightime use?

18-10-2010, 11:39 PM	#1
indian star Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 240	Indian Star Newbie Hi Everyone, Done my research and wanted to know your comments (good or bad) Going to purchase an Indian Star from Marcus Langford soon, know I need a tortoise table thinking of 4ft by 3ft with heat lamp/uv combined. Need 70% soil/30% sand mix. Pebbles, wood and slate and daily baths. Need some form of night heating from what Ive read. GREAT forum for newbies like me I am an ex african chiclid keeper.

19-10-2010, 12:24 AM	#3
andy1 Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suffolk Posts: 412	Welcome Night heat can be done with either a ceramic heater or an infra red bulb, both obviously need to be connected to a suitable thermostat, Another option is to provide a sheltered part of the table that can be heated easily with a heatmat attached to the roof and again controlled by a thermostat. This will allow you certainty that your new baby will be kept warm and free from draugths even if the house temps drop overnight. i use plain topsoil, as it already has some sand in it. Regards Andy __________________ Andy 3 groups of adult indian stars 2 breeding groups . , babies expected from august 2012onwardslewis.67@googlemail.com

20-10-2010, 11:21 PM	#9
andy1 Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suffolk Posts: 412	In short i wouldnt put them in a unheated conservatory. The ambient would be to cold. If for any reason the power went off you would have dead baby stars . Andy __________________ Andy 3 groups of adult indian stars 2 breeding groups . , babies expected from august 2012onwardslewis.67@googlemail.com

18-10-2010, 11:59 PM	#2
lisalass Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 428	hi and welcome xx

19-10-2010, 06:01 PM	#4
littlestar Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: England Posts: 279	hi newbie have you read Marcus info sheet? lots of info and Andy does a sheet as well. got my 2 off Marcus a year ago both settled in fine keep mine in a viv with a sliding roof. have a D3 strip light and infra red for heat during the day and an infra red also for night time both controled by seperate thermostats. If you are keeping them in a table then then i would recommend the room temp should be above 20 to stop them getting cold/chilled. buy a digital themometer/hydrometer for temp and humidity not one of those round dial types.

19-10-2010, 08:58 PM	#5
boothy Member Egg Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 57	Hi I have two Indies from Marcus. He offers a very good tried and tested initial set up. I have followed his advice and have used his setup for nearly a year now with great results. Both torts are doing extremely well and have done since the beginning. Stephen

20-10-2010, 08:59 PM	#6
indian star Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 240	thanks for all your guidance, I have two comments (1) I though vivs were bad for tortoises (2) my stars would be in an unheated conservatory so which would be the best for heat a ceramic heater, infra red or heat mat? Presume the top soil is from somewhere like B&Q? (sterilsed)

20-10-2010, 09:05 PM	#7
indian star Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 240	Many thanks for valuable comments, I have read that vivs are BAD for tortoises! I will locate the tortoises in an unhrayed conservatory hence the reason for reliable heat so which would be the best, a heat mat, infa red or ceramic given running costs. great to hear from you

20-10-2010, 09:12 PM	#8
indian star Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 240	Many thanks for all your replies In terms of the viv I always thought they were a NO NO for torts! The star will be located in an unheated conservatory so I need something powerful but economic. So what do you recomend? infa red, heat mat or ceramic heater

20-10-2010, 11:38 PM	#10
indian star Member Incubating Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 240	Thanks for that Andy, just to explain the conservatory has a radiator but at night, unless exceptionally cold, the heating is turned off. Would an electric radiator that you would use in a conservatory work for nightime use?

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