New tort indoor enclosure

[Jack W]

I put together my horsfield's indoor enclosure today, as it has been in a viv since I got it. I'm using a 150w ceramic, with a stat, and have a 10% UV bulb. I have put about 8 inches of steralised top soil, with one half of the enclosure covered with aspen, as the soil is quite moist at the moment, so this provides drier side. Not much enclosure furniture yet, but that will come. Just wondering if this seems ok really?

I am not using a spot bulb, as the room has enough lighting and is bright during the day. I prefer ceramics, as I am more used to them so I installed one instead. Is this okay, as I have noticed many indoor enclosures have spot bulbs instead of ceramics?

Cheers in advance, sorry about these basic questions, I a complete noob to torts. I'm normal found in the snake section.

[Mrs Mental]

Hi ya Jack - I read that then that you found your tortoise in the snake section doh!!! I'm old and my eyes hurt!!!

Congrats on your little guy, sounds like you've done a great job with his enclosure and Im sure he'll love having a dig about in that nice deep soil, well done you I dont know anything about ceramics so I really couldnt say - spotlights are used to provide a basking spot for the tortoises to lie under to warm up like they would lie out in the sun in their natural environment. The temp under the spot should be 30-32 and then 20-23 in the cooler end for Horsfields. Are you achieveing this with a ceramic or is it more of a sort of background heat/light it gives out - like I say I know nothing about them so sorry if Im askign a load of goff!!!

Hope that helps.

[Jack W]

Cheers for the reply, I haven't seen him burrowing yet but I hope he will do so soon.

Yeah I am achieving the right temps, but as ceramics don't emit light (just heat) I was wondering whether this will affect my tort. i.e. do they need more light at the basking spot, in comparison to the rest of the enclosure, as some lizards do? Or can the light level at the basking spot be the same as the rest of the enclosure?

[purplepixie]

I think you will find they need the extra light. I have some hatchlings up and they do need the extra light. Ihave a UV heat/light lamp, and also another normal tube, and they are near a window. If I dont put the extra tube on this time of the year, it takes them a lot longer to rouse from bed.
Tortoises react to light as well as heat.
Adult tortoises in the Summer get up because of the light, go outside to warm up.

[AnythingWithAShell]

Sounds all good, but I would also agree about the basking spot light. The extra light will do your tort good. Since you already have a holder for the ceramic, I'd imagine that would be fine for a spot bulb too, so it will be cheap and easy to swap. I get my bulbs in Tesco, they do packs of 4 for like £2 or something

You'd want a 40 or 60w reflector spotbulb. If your bulb holder is mounted in such a way that makes it height adjustable, I'd get the 60w. That way you can alter the height to get the right temp. If it's not height adjustable, you might need to try different wattages to get the right temp.

Pics would be nice too! We love pics here.

[Mrs Mental]

I'd agree with what PP & AWAS have said hun and yes please some pics of the little guy would be great!!