The Tortoise Table

A work in progress!![attachment=0]PXL_20240505_101706237.jpg[/attachment]

Hi Emma,

Titus has a very similar shell to Kimchi, also with these sharp bits near his neck. He also seems fine and doesn't seem to be bothered or irritated by them. Never thought about filing them down. Don't think I'll risk it though, as long as he doesn't seem bothered.

Steve

Hi,

I have a Chocolate Vine (Akebia) growing over my outdoor run. I can't find anything about this plant on the website. The petals of the flower occasionally drop off into the run. Just checking this is going to be okay.

Thanks
Steve

Hi all, We are leaving Titus for the first time this weekend (We have a campervan, so this will be happening more over the summer). My daughter stays at ours when away looking after 'her' cat that she no longer lives with!! I am leaving daily food bags in the fridge with the right amount of food for...

A work in progress... I post pics once it's complete!

Hi all Quick question about shell temperature when basking. Titus got up this morning and is currently warming himself up for the day ahead. He has been under his lamp for the past hour and when I've temp gunned his shell it is 32c. I'm assuming he's a little radiator and his shell will heat up to t...

I actually decided against the ramp as I felt I lost too much space underneath. I may try to adapt it to 4 legs, rather than an enclosed space underneath.

Thank you for all the advice though, very much appreciated.

Hi, I have a mix of soil and sand this obviously retains heat well. I was just worried substrate temp at 35c was going to be too high. I now realise that's probably fine, so have started paying attention to probe temperature, trying to keep this a consistent 30c. Thanks for all the advise, much appr...

[attachment=0]PXL_20240324_114304851.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]PXL_20240324_114239997.jpg[/attachment][attachment=2]PXL_20240324_114234201.jpg[/attachment] Thanks, that's great and your last paragraph has answered my question. I've been worrying about substrate temperature, so not allowing my am...

Firstly apologies for all the questions, this will ease off as I become more confident... My question is about heat and basking! I have a 100w spot with separate UV. I have a probe at shell height that never seems to get above 25c. The lamp is about 30cm above the substrate. As the day goes on the h...

[attachment=0]PXL_20240323_182107833.jpg[/attachment] New and improved bath! Sir Titus living his best life! Still having to wake him up in a morning, but have now moved his hide away from the 'warm' side to try encourage him to find the basking spot in a morning to warm up! He hasn't had many poos,...

Bought a laser thermometer today. Under the lamp at shell height reading 35c... My other thermometer still read 24c on a wire under the heat source (all settings as they should be). Just something for people to be aware of. Thermometer gun now a very useful tool in my arsenal! Set up going to be muc...

It's this one, it has a 22" bulb.
Comes as a full kit

I've just spent some more of my well earned money and going for a strip UV light with separate basking light. Should have just done that in the first place... I'll even allow you to say 'I told you so' haha Anyway, problem will be solved tomorrow! Cooler end is a nice 20c. As you said in an earlier ...

Yes, he's eaten today and did liven up after his bath. He's now pottering about quite happily. I now have a new temp probe on a stick into the centre of the light. The light is 11" off the substrate but only reading 24c? I know there is a limit to how low an mvb bulb can be from the floor of th...

Had a bath and weighed him. He's 76g.

Thanks Nina. Had a move around, so his basking spot under the lamp doesn't have a hide near it.
I'll give him a bath later, see if that perks him up a bit.

Hi, only me again! Sir Titus slept under one of the houses, buried himself in the substrate. His light is timed to come on at 7am, but it's now 9 and he still isn't up. The bed he chose is near the lamp, so he should know it's 'day time'. I have moved him under the lamp twice, but he just takes hims...

Thanks for the info as always Nina. He has eaten today. Small amount of dandelion leaves, forget-me-not foliage and a viola flower, so I am fairly positive about him taking the change well. I don't trust my hanging thermometer (cheap on Amazon) so have ordered a more expensive one with good reviews....

Welcome home Sir Titus!! Travelled well in the car, kept it nice, cool and quiet and he stayed quiet still in the box. I am worried about having a battle with his diet. Informed by his old owner his favourite foods are raspberries and strawberries! Afraid he's going to get a shock living here! Any a...

Hi, I am collecting my tortoise tomorrow. I have everything ready, sturdy, small plastic box lined with newspaper. The journey is around an hour. I am going to keep the car cool to try help him settle. My question is, once home should I put him straight in the table for a bit, then give him a bath. ...

This is all giving me some great ideas for my outdoor enclosure. Nina- How deep are the small wooden borders stakes hammered in against your lawn? I might look at using the same, tortoises can't dig under, or climb over these?? Seems like the perfect and inexpensive option!!! So am keen to know your...

Thanks Nina. He's a Horsfield, the person I am buying him from THINKS he's around 2 year old. (I'm saying he, but is 2 too young to tell??). From looking at the photos it looks like I'm saving him from a vivarium!! The guy is selling due to ill health. He has 2 more, but much larger species. I'll ha...

[attachment=0]PXL_20240314_093839033.jpg[/attachment] Mr T is being collected Saturday, so making final preparations. Should it be such a fine art adjusting the height of the bulb... I must have moved it a million times to try get to the magic 30. My thermometer has a probe hanging from the light! A...

natalie321 wrote: > It looks like the enclosure is coming together nicely! I'm curious to see > how you decorate it once the substrate dries out. What other elements are > you planning to add for your tortoise? Thanks, not much more to do now. It's the outdoor enclosure taking up a lot of my thinkin...