Advice please on my horsefield

[Laura1412]

Hi all I'm wanting a bit of advise please about my horsefield Clyde he is about 4/5 inches he lives in a indoor tortoise table which I have got a plexiglass top on as with it bein open it appeared that my temps was on the cool side and was unable to maintain any humidity the table is 4ft x4ft I have a regular 60w bulb for basking and a uvb florescent tube across the inside of my enclosure his substrate is coco coir.
I can hear a little pooping sound when I handle him I'm unaware what it is iv thought of a ri but he showing no other signs of one his eyes are clear not runny his noes is clear no mucus and the same with his mouth he is alert no open mouth breathing or neck gapping he spends most of the day in his hide box though he will come out himself early morning around 8am bask eat wen I put him his food in bask a little then go to his box and dig in some days he will come back out others he will remain there till the following day he is weeing daily also pooing daily his temp is 34/35c under basking the middle of his enclosure temp is 29c and the cold side 26c and his hide box temp is 24c his humidity is 50% to 65% but his coir feels really dry n dusty so I'm wondering if this is possible that this is causing the little noise I can hear sometimes I'm wanting to no please how do u keep the substrate moist I mist the surface daily but drys out after a couple of hours

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Laura1412

Hi all I'm wanting a bit of advise please about my horsefield Clyde he is about 4/5 inches he lives in a indoor tortoise table which I have got a plexiglass top on as with it bein open it appeared that my temps was on the cool side and was unable to maintain any humidity the table is 4ft x4ft I have a regular 60w bulb for basking and a uvb florescent tube across the inside of my enclosure his substrate is coco coir.
I can hear a little pooping sound when I handle him I'm unaware what it is iv thought of a ri but he showing no other signs of one his eyes are clear not runny his noes is clear no mucus and the same with his mouth he is alert no open mouth breathing or neck gapping he spends most of the day in his hide box though he will come out himself early morning around 8am bask eat wen I put him his food in bask a little then go to his box and dig in some days he will come back out others he will remain there till the following day he is weeing daily also pooing daily his temp is 34/35c under basking the middle of his enclosure temp is 29c and the cold side 26c and his hide box temp is 24c his humidity is 50% to 65% but his coir feels really dry n dusty so I'm wondering if this is possible that this is causing the little noise I can hear sometimes I'm wanting to no please how do u keep the substrate moist I mist the surface daily but drys out after a couple of hours

His basking temp is too hot, lower it to 31/32, the cool end is too hot also, lower this to 20/22, and take the lid off the table, you will need to water the substrate regularly, if you mix in some top soil, this will help keep the moisture in and it makes a better substrate. Misting the surface is useless. If your tort is too hot , he will hide away in a cool place, to try and regulate his body temp, they have to be able to move about to different temps, to regulate body temp, as their body don't do it by themselves , like we do.
50/65 humidity under the hide is all your tort needs, you won't keep humidity above this in the open part of the table, and that's how it would be in the wild.
Keeping substrate moist is all important ( not wet) when he digs down ( as Horsfields like to do) he will create a humid micro climate, even when he's not under the hide.

[Laura1412]

Thank you for your advise I'm wondering also where to buy some top soil from that is safe to use for him what store to purchase it from and also as I can't use garden soil as my wee cat goes the loo in it also I av put the top on as with out it appears to be to cold and he Neva comes out his hide box at all not even to bask he just laid sleeping in here for 5 months I took him out every other day and bathed him put out food but he did nt hardly eat just straight bak in the hide all the time I took him to the vet and he advised to cover the enclosure and since doin this he has been fine up until, now but I think as u said it's the temps that are too warm

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Suze65

His basking temp is too hot, lower it to 31/32, the cool end is too hot also, lower this to 20/22, and take the lid off the table, you will need to water the substrate regularly, if you mix in some top soil, this will help keep the moisture in and it makes a better substrate. Misting the surface is useless. If your tort is too hot , he will hide away in a cool place, to try and regulate his body temp, they have to be able to move about to different temps, to regulate body temp, as their body don't do it by themselves , like we do.
50/65 humidity under the hide is all your tort needs, you won't keep humidity above this in the open part of the table, and that's how it would be in the wild.
Keeping substrate moist is all important ( not wet) when he digs down ( as Horsfields like to do) he will create a humid micro climate, even when he's not under the hide.

Great advice here!!!

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Laura1412

Thank you for your advise I'm wondering also where to buy some top soil from that is safe to use for him what store to purchase it from and also as I can't use garden soil as my wee cat goes the loo in it also I av put the top on as with out it appears to be to cold and he Neva comes out his hide box at all not even to bask he just laid sleeping in here for 5 months I took him out every other day and bathed him put out food but he did nt hardly eat just straight bak in the hide all the time I took him to the vet and he advised to cover the enclosure and since doin this he has been fine up until, now but I think as u said it's the temps that are too warm

With the lid on, the temps will get too high, it needs good ventilation,

[Laura1412]

Originally Posted by Suze65

With the lid on, the temps will get too high, it needs good ventilation,

Thanks suze65 iv I took the lid of as u advised and now my basking spot is 33/34 my middle is 25c and cold end 22c he as been out today and active for about 6 hours now iv just got to get my topsoil and replace the coir as it's too dusty on the surface all the time wen I get my top soil do I need to dry it out a little before I put it in as it's normal moist in the bag wen first purchased

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Laura1412

Thanks suze65 iv I took the lid of as u advised and now my basking spot is 33/34 my middle is 25c and cold end 22c he as been out today and active for about 6 hours now iv just got to get my topsoil and replace the coir as it's too dusty on the surface all the time wen I get my top soil do I need to dry it out a little before I put it in as it's normal moist in the bag wen first purchased

The top soil can be a bit too wet and cold when you first open it, so spread it out in a tray for a couple of days, you can then mix it in with the coco. 33/34 under the basking spot is still too hot, 31/32 is better. And in sure he will enjoy the top soil, make it deep as Horsfields really like to dig, and keep it moist ( not wet) so if you squeeze it in your hand , it sticks together, water it ,don't mist it

[Laura1412]

Originally Posted by Suze65

The top soil can be a bit too wet and cold when you first open it, so spread it out in a tray for a couple of days, you can then mix it in with the coco. 33/34 under the basking spot is still too hot, 31/32 is better. And in sure he will enjoy the top soil, make it deep as Horsfields really like to dig, and keep it moist ( not wet) so if you squeeze it in your hand , it sticks together, water it ,don't mist it

Thank u I will higher up the bulb a bit more in the morning am I ok to use the top soil in his hide box also although that only ever reaches 24c in temp so can the soil be moist in there or more drier

[Laura1412]

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[Laura1412]

Yay I worked out how to do it that is my clydes enclosure