Bedding?

[Summerills]

Hi- we are nearly set up for our tortoise arrival now. Outdoor enclosure dug out, built up and planted. The indoor table arrived yesterday and is all set up with heat and UVB combo bulb. It’s very exciting.
I’m off to get topsoil and play sand at the weekend.

We have a whippet, who feels the cold something rotten and so has a soft padded bed and a duvet which he gets himself under so he is all cozy and hidden. I keep thinking that I need to provide a similar environment for the tortoise! I’m guessing a duvet may be over kill, but will it actually need bedding in it’s sleeping area? I’ve seen pictures of hay or shredded paper in the sleeping area but have also seen that that is not recommended on here- do they need anything at all? I can’t get past the idea of
needing to make it cosy

[lin]

Hi Summerillis. Ohh, its all getting exciting now.

Dogs, especially whippets need 'mothering' and as you say they feel the cold so much. I love them but would be so scared they would break. Have you got provisions to keep dog and tortoise apart 'just incase' the worse might happen.

Tortoises need care and not mothering like dogs do. They are happy in a hold in the ground as long as it is safe, dry and its warm and the same goes for indoor habitat. The need for bedding in the tortoise enclosure is as simple as a topsoil and childrens playsand, arounf 50/50% sprayed until SLIGHTLY moist and they will love it as both a substrate and bedding. Half a pot, a fiddlestix bridhe will also do the same job in making a sleeping area over the substrate.
Paper, hay and the likes are fire hazards and tortoises have been known to leave the bed after sleep and ralk under the heat to back with paper on their back. Not a risk worth taking in my opinion.

I do hope we get photos when you get this new addition. I cant wait.

Lin

[Summerills]

Thanks Lin- I think I just needed some reassurance that not filling his sleeping compartment with nice soft bedding wouldn’t make it him/her feel unloved! Sid (the whippet) is happiest curled up on the sofa, under a blanket, cuddled up to one of us!
Yes we’ll be sure to make sure the dog doesn’t have access to the tortoise, just in case.

Thanks again for all your help getting us ready for this new adventure. Will definitely put some pictures up once he’s here.
Nic

[lin]

Hi Nic
Oh I cant wait to see photos and if you think of anything else you need to ask just fire away.
Do you know what species the tortoise is? I can then send you a caresheet if you would like one.

Lin

[Summerills]

So now all set up inside too! No soft comfy bedding but hopefully enough to keep him entertained and healthy.
Will hopefully be picking up our little tortoise on Thursday and we are very excited.
Just got to think of a name...!!!!

Lin- we are getting a horsfields but I have one of your caresheets already thank you.

[Nina]

Hi Nic,

I'm sure Lin will be on soon, but I just wanted to say that I think you've created a lovely little table for your Horsfield! Lots of interest for him/her. Tortoises do get bored really quickly if they can see from one end of an area to the other end without obstruction, so you've made it really nice for him.

Just checking -- what sort of thermometer will you be using? It's important to be able to measure the temperature directly below your heat source at the height of the tortoise's shell, so one of those digital fridge/freezer thermometer with a display unit and then a probe on the end of a long cord is good because you can hang it down from the top right into the circle of light (and they have a maz/min facility on them so that you can see how hot or cold it got since you last re-set it). Aim for a temperature of 30C directly below the lamp and 20C at the cooler end.

Nina

[Summerills]

Hi Nina
Thanks- it is all down the help and inspiration that I have found on here. So much more to think about than I anticipated but have really enjoyed scouring this site.
I have a thermometer with a probe all set and ready to go.
It hits about 31 under the lamp, there is a radiator at that end of the box too so will have to keep any eye on it when that goes on and possibly build a higher ‘arm’ to attach the bulb on.

Nic

[Nina]

Sounds great and that you've got it all in hand!

Just a thought, as I've recently suggested this to someone else. I've had a fixed arm before and found them really infuriating because it makes it really difficult to raise and lower the bulb. For example, it's supposed to get really hot mid-week here, and the ambient room temperature has a huge effect on the temperature in the table, so it if hits 25C - 30C in general, you will want to raise that lamp to bring the temperature down (and in a cold spell you might want to lower it to raise the temperature).

I find that having the lamp hanging from a chain that is wound around the bar on top works a treat. I used to just have a really long electric chord that I wound round, but if the lamp is heavy that puts pressure on the connections and can pull them out, so now I just have the bulb in a shade (always recommended because you should never look into a UVB bulb as it can damage your eyes), and I have an 'S' hook on the end of the chain and just slot that into the main part of the chain at various places to change the height. Photos attached, but let me know if it's not clear. So I just unhook and rehook it in a different position depending on the temps.

NIna
[attachment=0]m_DSC02336.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]m_DSC02335.jpg[/attachment]

[Summerills]

Thanks Nina- the lamp can currently be moved up and down but it seems to be warm enough at the highest setting which is frustrating.
My husband in very handy and will easily be able to make a higher one

[lin]

Oh to have a handy husband. I have one of those too and they really do come in handy.
It does seem like you have it all in hand Nic.

Lin