17-01-2015, 09:21 AM | #1 |
Junior Member
Egg
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 13
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Is this setup okay?
Hi,
I'm hopefully going to pick up my 5 month old Hermanns tortoise today but before I do I want to check that his new home is okay. I know the table is a little on the small side but I am space limited in my current home. However,I am aware as he grows he will need more space and some of my stuff will have to go to make that space (I also know it might turn out not to be a him but I'm pretending for now). I have a combined bulb - basking spot temperature under the lamp reads about 32C. Cooler area is about 23/24 C. He has a couple of hides places, a small food and water dish (again, I am aware these will be replaced but I bought a 'starter kit' and these were disappointingly the ones supplied) and is on a beech chip substrate as this is what he is on at the moment. Food wise I have Komodo pellets - again, his current food, but I am hoping to move him slowly to a diet of florets crispy salad for the winter and have some weeds grown by summer. I have a nutrobal supplement (came with my starter pack) which I will be able to supplement his salad leaves with to make sure he is getting his calcium and d3 if I've understood correctly. Does it look like I'm ready to go collect my new shelled friend or have I missed something? Thanks in advance |
17-01-2015, 08:57 PM | #2 |
Member
Incubating
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Isle of Wight
Posts: 193
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I'd go with topsoil as a substrate, everything else sounds great So exciting getting your first tort!
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17-01-2015, 09:04 PM | #3 |
Junior Member
Egg
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 13
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I went to my local wickes who said they had no topsoil until summer and b&q's wasn't sterilised is there somewhere else I can get it from?
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17-01-2015, 10:19 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 4,186
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Try going to pets at home or local reptile shop and getting coco coir for the time being, it comes in a block you add water to and it expands, kinda like soil and far better than the beach chip. Many also use it mixed with top soil
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17-01-2015, 10:50 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Sub Adult
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Also, try to find weeds for him, I know it is winter but there is still lots of weed round by me. I haven't had to buy packs of lettuce yet this winter.
Marg.
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17-01-2015, 11:35 PM | #6 |
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Juvenile
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: west midlands
Posts: 800
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Welcome to the forum,not being one to waste money I would use the wood chip substrate along with some soil of some sort so your tortoise can bury himself .perhaps 1/2 and 1/2 or1/3 -2/3 just to make do with current supplies.
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18-01-2015, 11:17 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Adult
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 6,769
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Agree with, get a coco coir block from pets at home if you can't get top soil, when you can get the top soil, you might like to mix the two, as it makes a very good substrate. Their are a few weeds about if you go out and look for them , but over the winter a mix of florett and mazuri or nutrazu pellets twice a week, feed 2% of the torts weight.
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