Help wanted for new house.

Teesside Totty · 14-02-2009, 09:30 AM

Hi all, first time ever for posting on computer don't know if it will work or not please bear with me! I have a hermanns tort bought 3 years ago did everything i was told to by reptile shop keep in viv bark chipping for substrate etc now i feel i have been doing everything wrong for him!
I have removed his glass from his viv put in topsoil and sand for sub and am waiting for hubby to finish his new tort table(i told him if he didn't sleep for 4 days he would have it finished by now!)
In his viv he has a heat lamp on a thermostat and two strip lights which i was told he needs. I change his uvb? every 5-6 months. will he need both strip lights in his new table. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Sorry for going on a bit but i feel so guilty!
You all seem to now your stuff.
Hope this lands up somewhere as not sure what a tag or thread is.

Mrs Frog · 14-02-2009, 09:34 AM

hello,please dont worry,you are making changes and so your tortoise will be happy,we are all still learning so dont feell guilty

ME SHELL · 14-02-2009, 09:36 AM

Please don't feel guilty. I've been where you are now. I bought my tort from a petshop and was told he had to be in a viv and given a diet that I now know is wrong. You've found this site now, so soon your little fella will be feeling the benifits.
What size are the strip lamps? I use a megaray and it has heat and uv. It is expensive when you first buy one but it can last up to 2 year, so in the long run it is cheaper

The cost around £49.

alotoffluff · 14-02-2009, 09:53 AM

Hiya!
I had my tort in a viv at first until i learnt better. You are doing all the right things, and if you look at some of the pictures onf enclosures on here, you will see what other people have put together.
Good on your hubby for building you another enclosure!

You wont need both strip lights for his new enclosure, you will just need one heat lamp and one uv bulb, or like Me Shell said, you can buy a combined bulb which really does save space and they last a bit longer.
Everyone on here is really friendly, so dont be afraid to ask questions.

**Alan1** · 14-02-2009, 10:15 AM

If you have the heat bulb and UV tube and they are the correct ones and the tube is not over 6 months old then it should be ok. Whether you need 2 would depend on how big your table is. The combined heat/UVB bulbs are best but plenty people still use the tubes and basking lamps. Hopefully someone with more experience will put you right but the bigger the table the more heat and light may be required at the cool end

MrD · 14-02-2009, 10:46 AM

Hey, take a look at my threads!! It's amazing how the advice the pet shop can give is completely wrong. I didn't even have any calcium (cuttle or limestone flour), or hides!! Only through researching have I found out what my Hermanns real needs were!! And credit has to go to this fantastic site... They inspired me to think more of my torts, rather than just a pet in a cage (not that I ever thought of them like that, but that's how it felt looking back - I had no idea that they required so much)!!

I am still trying to find out so much more about lighting and temps! So, we are definitely all learning together. That and taking the advice from the more experienced on here - I said more experienced not older

Marcos

Teesside Totty · 14-02-2009, 11:31 AM

Thanks to everyone for replying and making me feel not so bad!
The strip lights I have in are 3ft. I was sold a Repti glo full spectrum lamp 2.0 uvb (i am qoting off side of the box!). One more thing he keeps trying to climb up the wall of his viv why?

**Alan1** · 14-02-2009, 11:35 AM

I'm a novice at this but from what I've read, the bulbs should be 5.0 or 10.0 but don't know for sure. They try to climb up the walls just because they like to climb stuff I think. One of mine is a climber and one is a marathon runner

**Alan1** · 14-02-2009, 11:37 AM

These ones appear to be 5.0 and 10.0 http://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/uvb-tubes-74-c.asp

Check out this thread on bulbs http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=23387

Teesside Totty · 14-02-2009, 04:07 PM

Cheers. Great threads I will change it for a 10.0
Thanks

14-02-2009, 09:30 AM	#1
Teesside Totty Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Teesside Posts: 4	Help wanted for new house. Hi all, first time ever for posting on computer don't know if it will work or not please bear with me! I have a hermanns tort bought 3 years ago did everything i was told to by reptile shop keep in viv bark chipping for substrate etc now i feel i have been doing everything wrong for him! I have removed his glass from his viv put in topsoil and sand for sub and am waiting for hubby to finish his new tort table(i told him if he didn't sleep for 4 days he would have it finished by now!) In his viv he has a heat lamp on a thermostat and two strip lights which i was told he needs. I change his uvb? every 5-6 months. will he need both strip lights in his new table. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Sorry for going on a bit but i feel so guilty! You all seem to now your stuff. Hope this lands up somewhere as not sure what a tag or thread is.

14-02-2009, 09:34 AM	#2
Mrs Frog Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 4,419	hello,please dont worry,you are making changes and so your tortoise will be happy,we are all still learning so dont feell guilty __________________ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442...06053/?fref=nf

14-02-2009, 11:35 AM	#8
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	I'm a novice at this but from what I've read, the bulbs should be 5.0 or 10.0 but don't know for sure. They try to climb up the walls just because they like to climb stuff I think. One of mine is a climber and one is a marathon runner Last edited by Alan1; 14-02-2009 at 11:38 AM.

14-02-2009, 11:37 AM	#9
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	These ones appear to be 5.0 and 10.0 http://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/uvb-tubes-74-c.asp Check out this thread on bulbs http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=23387 Last edited by Alan1; 14-02-2009 at 11:46 AM.

14-02-2009, 09:36 AM	#3
ME SHELL Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 8,484	Please don't feel guilty. I've been where you are now. I bought my tort from a petshop and was told he had to be in a viv and given a diet that I now know is wrong. You've found this site now, so soon your little fella will be feeling the benifits. What size are the strip lamps? I use a megaray and it has heat and uv. It is expensive when you first buy one but it can last up to 2 year, so in the long run it is cheaper The cost around £49.

14-02-2009, 09:53 AM	#4
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	Hiya! I had my tort in a viv at first until i learnt better. You are doing all the right things, and if you look at some of the pictures onf enclosures on here, you will see what other people have put together. Good on your hubby for building you another enclosure! You wont need both strip lights for his new enclosure, you will just need one heat lamp and one uv bulb, or like Me Shell said, you can buy a combined bulb which really does save space and they last a bit longer. Everyone on here is really friendly, so dont be afraid to ask questions.

14-02-2009, 10:15 AM	#5
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	If you have the heat bulb and UV tube and they are the correct ones and the tube is not over 6 months old then it should be ok. Whether you need 2 would depend on how big your table is. The combined heat/UVB bulbs are best but plenty people still use the tubes and basking lamps. Hopefully someone with more experience will put you right but the bigger the table the more heat and light may be required at the cool end

14-02-2009, 10:46 AM	#6
MrD Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 415	Hey, take a look at my threads!! It's amazing how the advice the pet shop can give is completely wrong. I didn't even have any calcium (cuttle or limestone flour), or hides!! Only through researching have I found out what my Hermanns real needs were!! And credit has to go to this fantastic site... They inspired me to think more of my torts, rather than just a pet in a cage (not that I ever thought of them like that, but that's how it felt looking back - I had no idea that they required so much)!! I am still trying to find out so much more about lighting and temps! So, we are definitely all learning together. That and taking the advice from the more experienced on here - I said more experienced not older Marcos

14-02-2009, 11:31 AM	#7
Teesside Totty Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Teesside Posts: 4	Thanks to everyone for replying and making me feel not so bad! The strip lights I have in are 3ft. I was sold a Repti glo full spectrum lamp 2.0 uvb (i am qoting off side of the box!). One more thing he keeps trying to climb up the wall of his viv why?

14-02-2009, 04:07 PM	#10
Teesside Totty Junior Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Teesside Posts: 4	Cheers. Great threads I will change it for a 10.0 Thanks

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