Hello
For christmas, my girlfriends mum is getting her a hermans tortoise.
I said i would get the extras.
I have found a 3ft vivarium which is apparently suitable for tortoises, it comes with:
24 hour timer
60w bayonet
reflector bulb
digital thermometer
20 "silk plant.
Now im not really sure what these are (used for).
Can anybody guide me in what else i will need? Thank you
You're going to need some substrate for the tank. My vet prefers reptile astro turf for tortoise, but mine is on a mixed substrate of bark. You an find both these at a local pet store.
You'lll need a heat lamp (which you have covered?) AND A UVB LIGHT! The UVB is essential! Along with that the tortoise will need calcium/vitamin supplements which are offered at pet stores. These items cannot be ignored
You could pick up some dry pelleted food & a cuttlebone. I have both these as supplements in the tank. Pelleted food should not be the only food offered so remember to have a supply of fresh yummy veggies also! You'll need one or two food dishes with low sides (the second one would be to hold the dry food separately from the fresh veggies)
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You'll need a water dish. Mine is pretty large and has an edge that provides a slope into the water, I think it's very convenient and nice for the tort, but it's about $ 20. Well worth it though.
I would suggest getting two hiding logs. One to place near the basking spot, and the other at the cool end of the tank.
If the tortoise isn't used to being in a glass vivarium I would highly suggest you get the colored or decorated paper to go on at least 3 sides of the tank. These will help the tortoise from becoming stressed.
Some extra things you might want to pick up:
A small litter box or small tub-this you can use to soak the tortoise in. It'll need to be soaked a couple times a week to help with digestion. You can usually get small litter boxes at chain pet stores for cheap-otherwise - check the dollar store!
Picking up cleaning supplies will also help the tortoise keep a clean and healthy environment! I usually just go to the dollar store and pick up a scrubby, some dish soap, and a slotted spoon. The water dish & food dish should be cleaned regularly & the poo should be taken out daily-having the supplies around will make things convenient!
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You can e-mail me with further questions if need be Solo_Sally@ymail.com
Hope I helped you on your way! Congrats for the new edition
check out Austin's Turtle Page and it will give you infor. Also you can get all the setup at your pet store.
Basics you will need for a tortoise :
Cage: You can use a glass tank, but you should wrap at least 3 sides with paper so they can't see out. The size really depends on the size of the animal. 3 foot for a small tortoise, under 6 "long should be okay for a while, but they will outgrow it I expect. Alternate option depending on your climate is to house the tortoise outside witch negates the need for UVB lighting.
Heat: You will need enough heat lamps or heat pads to get the tank up to the temperature your specific species requires. And keep it there all day. You may need supplemental heating at night as well.
Thermometer: Buy a thermometer with a probe on the end. That way to can actually test air temperature, the stick on thermometers are useless for reptile cages.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
UVB: A tortoise will need a quality UVB light source. The standards for this are long tube fluorescent lights from zoo med, and some spot mercury vapor bulbs. Avoid coil bulbs, their UVB output can be questionable. These bulbs will need to be swapped out every 6 months as they degrade over time.
Decor: Just about whatever you want. They will likely appreciate a hide, and a water bowl they can easily climb into. Don't put anything toxic in the tank, but otherwise it doesn't matter that much.
A note: Please don't let anyone give a live animal for a gift if its cage is not going to be completely set up before hand. Tortoises need good quality heat and lights, and the cage should be set up with all heat tested before the tortoise arrives.
