Thank you for all of the help with the new baby. He is doing well and eating like a horse. He actually ate a bit of fruit( strawberry, cantoulope and apple with his worms this evening. Question: Do I really need a full spectrum light over his habitat if I give him real sunshine for 15 minutes or so 4 or 5 times a week? He wants to hide after 15 minutes as I live in Florida. Also, as the weather is starting to get warm, should I leave the baby in my unairconditioned Florida room ( gets into the 90s during the summer) but is very humid of course, or keep him in the air conditioned house and try to keep his habitat humid? I will be moving to North Carolina in 2 years so I won't have these heat issues. My adult Western Ornate Box Turtle seems to like the hot Florida room. More questions to come, I'm certain. Thank you so much for all of our help and advice.
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More Eastern baby help
Replies (2)
>>Question: Do I really need a full spectrum light over his habitat if I give him real sunshine for 15 minutes or so 4 or 5 times a week? He wants to hide after 15 minutes as I live in Florida.
I don't have a hatchling but IMO you just can't beat real sunlight. I think if you can do this 4-5 times a week, that's great so it'd be up to you whether or not you want to also provide the artificial lighting. IMO it wouldn't really be necessary as long as he really gets that much real sunlight.
Also, as the weather is starting to get warm, should I leave the baby in my unairconditioned Florida room ( gets into the 90s during the summer) but is very humid of course, or keep him in the air conditioned house and try to keep his habitat humid?
Babies are so much more fragile than adults, I don't think I'd want to leave one in heat that high. It gets hot where I live but we have low humidity.
I seldom leave the house without the air conditioner on.. last time the A/C was turned up a little too high & the house ended up too warm happened when I'd hired a pet sitter who did a horrible job... I came home to find my gecko sitting on top of one his hides trying to escape the heat.
If there is no escape from too much heat I'd be afraid of cooking him.
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PHRatz
Others might not agree with me on this, but if it were my choice I'd opt for the warm but humid florida room. If they have a nice deep, moist substrate to burrow into, they should be fine.
Air conditioning is very drying and can create other problems.
