Vivarium

[Herpard]

Hi all,

I know Viv's aren't recommended but i bought Squirt a 6ft X 2ft X 2ft vivarium.

and i have to say i'm really glad i bought it.

In the mornings Squirt Normally wakes up with a slightly snotty nose but for the past 3 mornings she hasn't had a snotty nose.

She seems to really like the vivarium too.She even comes running over now for some fuss which she never normally does...she's like a different Tortoise.

I am using a 125 watt Bulb for the warm end which reaches between 37oc & 40oc and a 60 watt Bulb in the cool end which reaches a max of 28oc.

The only problem is,I'm using Carpet as her current substrate which she seems to be getting on with (No runny eyes or snotty nose) but i've been told to use Cypress mulch but now i don't know what to do lol


Will try and get some pictures later when i can find my Camera!

[yuna1971]

Isn't that a bit warm for a cool end, Raina? I'm not a fan of vivs but is this achieving a temperature gradient? Just my initial thoughts.. xx

[Herpard]

Hi Rach,

The Temps are fine for Leopards,

I've also read that their cool end should be atleast 25oc..no lower.


I let her have a quick run about in my bedroom but after 5 minutes she made her way back in the vivarium lol she's now scoffing her face


I spent about a day checking temps before i put her in there.

with just a 125watt bulb it was reaching 37oc & 40oc in the warm end and 16oc in the cool end..the warmest it got was 17oc so the 60watt bulb has helped.

[EJ]

The warm end is a little bit warm but your set up is fantastic for about 10 years.

25C is a little high for a cool end. It doesn't give a tortoise too much opportunity to self regulate.

Originally Posted by Herpard

Hi Rach,

The Temps are fine for Leopards,

I've also read that their cool end should be atleast 25oc..no lower.


I let her have a quick run about in my bedroom but after 5 minutes she made her way back in the vivarium lol she's now scoffing her face


I spent about a day checking temps before i put her in there.

with just a 125watt bulb it was reaching 37oc & 40oc in the warm end and 16oc in the cool end..the warmest it got was 17oc so the 60watt bulb has helped.

[Herpard]

Thanks Ed,

Will Change it to a 40 watt and check the temps again!!

[EJ]

I really don't think you need a heat source at the cool end. An option... move the primary heat source closer or further away from the center... if that makes sense.

Originally Posted by Herpard

Thanks Ed,

Will Change it to a 40 watt and check the temps again!!

[Rae]

Sounds like its made an improvement in your tortoises behaviour! Glad to hear it! Some people use a fake reptile grass carpet thing no idea if thats any good .... is it not possible to use soil in a vivarium? I dunno!

Glad to hear Squirt is happy though!! x

[indian star]

i have a cat litter tray filled with topsoil, large piece of slate so he can get to and from the cat litter, then 50% is forest bark. Vivs are fine but you must have the temp gradient

[Herpard]

She does have a large litter tray full of topsoil which she has been in a couple times.

I had changed the bulb to a 40watt before i came back on here and read the rest of the new posts but the bulb is keeping the cool end at 20oc under the bulb and 18/19oc around the bulb

[Damita]

You can run the heat bulb on a DIMMER STAT it will control the temps...... (if you get one make sure its a dimming stat not a temp stat or a pulse stat etc ) If you have a bulb in there without one it can get too hot and can burn out quicker etc.... Dimmer stats lengthen bulb life