Heating Advice - URGENT PLEASE

[Bryony]

Hi all (sorry it's a long one!),

I took my 2 year old Hermanns Tortoise (Kemlo-Go-Slow) to the vet yesterday, as he has a bit of a swollen area around his eye. He is also not eating very much etc. I asked if he was putting himself into hibernation, but the vet said no, he just isnt getting enough heat. He said the swelling is just a symptom of him just not feeling quite right.

Kemlo isnt in hibernation for 2 reasons:

1) The vet said he is too young (which I have heard differing opinions on)
2) The familiar 'crapping myself' opinion, as I am absolutely terrified of doing it.

The fact he has a swollen eye (i.e. about 1mm swelling), tells me he isnt great, so that was a bit of a get out for me hibernating him anyway (in my eyes).

Anyway, in relation to the heat, he currently has a 75w infra red heat lamp (which is actually red, so makes the house look a little dodgy), although he has had a 60w heat bulb (not infra red) which I changed yesterday. I changed to the 60w originally as the 75w bulb seemed too hot!

The vet told me to get a heat pad, either for underneath or up against the wall, but I have heard negative things about this also. As I have a piece of slate under the heat lamp, surely this acts as a heat pad anyway...

He is currently in a 30 x 30 x 30 inch wooden table, so a heat pad to go up against the wall may be an issue anyway.

Does anyone have any advice in relation to what I should do, and I promise I will try and hibernate him next year...

Thanks

Bryony

[purplepixie]

Hermans dont need a red light, they need daylight to help them grow.
The temperature under the light/heat should be about 32 degrees celcius.
You havent mentioned UV.
I hope you are using UV as that is very important too?
If you have to use a heat matt, then they need to be on the side of an enclosure rather than underneath. Tortoises warm from above.

[Bryony]

Hi,

I do have a UV light, but I didnt mention that as I thought my message was long enough, ha ha. I didnt want a red light, but the vet advised infra red and that was all that was available.

Thanks for your help

[den_bish]

You can get infra red ceramic bulbs which aren't red, just emit the heat - maybe this is what the vet meant?

What sort of temps are you getting under the heat lamp? You say it 'seemed' too hot, but what were the temps?

[CraigHew]

Hi,
I use a heat mat under an area of my enclosure, regulated thru a ministat 300.
It's relatively low wattage and as it's underneath, provides a gentle warmth to an area. I went for this option (in addition to the heat and UV lamps) to provide a regulated heat source, mailly to keep overnight temperatures from dropping too much.
My pair burrow into the aspen I've got in that area and seem to be attracted to the warmth once the lights have gone out for the night.

Yes, there are horror stories about heat mats, but I think you could find a horror story about anything if you look hard enough.

This setup works for me to ensure my pair are warm enough not to contemplate hibernation this winter.

[Bryony]

Thanks CraigHew,

I have indeed heard horror stories about heat mats, and so am slightly loathed to use them. However, if I have a bit of slate underneath the heat lamp, arent I effectively providing the same problem? So many questions...

The tortoise 'specialist' I was sent to by the vet was worried I was creating too much heat, so Kemlo currently has a 60w bulb, which doesnt go much above 95. He is eating on his own, which is a bonus, but still not the amount he has done previously. I used some drops given to me by the 'expert', but it has made absolutely no difference whatsoever, he still has the slight inflamation to the skin around his eye.

Maybe he is more hardy than I give him credit for...

[FreakOonique]

I personally wouldnt use a heat mat if the temps are fine

As long as the hot end is between 28-32c, and the cool end is about 22c, I dont see a problem

Who was the tortoise specialist vet? And what drops has he given you?

[sarah4mm]

I'm having a similar problem with my horsfield. One of his eyes is swollen. The vet gave me some drops but they have made no difference yet. The vet told me to increase temps slightly. I'll be giving them a call in a few days to get him back in if I see no improvement. He is eating OK though. I'll just have to see how it goes. Sorry, that's not really any help.

Hope your tort gets better soon!

[Bryony]

Thanks guys, I have the name of the drops at home. I am only worried as he would quite happily stay asleep, if I didnt wake him up and give him a bath... Fingers crossed he will feel a bit better soon (and hope your Horsefield feels better too Sarah)

[Paul B]

Hi, what sort of UV do you have.
Another horror story re the complact bulbs affecting the eyes of our reptillian friends.
Hopefully the torts have a nice place to shade and hide from the 'sun' when they want.
The eating may be down to a natural slowing down as the real days become shorter if the torts can see out of a window.
Good idea to keep weighing the little un just in case he/she is losing too much weight as it slows down.