Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As you all probably know my four month old tort is sick. I need to keep his pen warmer than usual. Right now I am using a heat bulb and a UV bulb seperately. The basking area is 95 degrees...middle of pen around 76 to 77 degrees...and cool side low 70's. Any ideas on how to get it warmer in there? Do I just get another heat bulb and place it in the middle of his pen somewhere? I got a night time heat bulb.. 100 watts for his warm side. I usually don't use any heat at night but they don't want him to get cold. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Becki, The fact that you don't use a heat source at night might be why you have this problem. Some people actually recommend a night time drop in temperature, I don't.
You might want to pick up a ceramic heat emitter for supplemental heat.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thanks Ed

I picked up a nite time heat bulb today at the pet store. Mostly from my research people that have Herman torts turn there lights off at night and as long as it doesn't get too cold they do fine. I have heard they actually do better if it is cooler at night. It doesn't get below 70 degrees in the pen at night. Is this temp too cold for them at night? Obviously I am doing something wrong. I have no clue how he could have gotten this otherwise. Thanks for the advise. I really do apprecitate it.
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Have you thought of moving the sickie into a smaller enclosure until he is better? Sick tanks are easier to heat and clean. A hospital tank should be a simple small setup with newspaper or paper towel, a small hide, and food and water dishes. you can crank the temp in there. My personal opinion is to have a higher ambient temp in the tank, with a very small gradient in there.

When i was nursing a rescued boa back to health, i put the baby in a critter keeper and cranked the temp to 100* with only a 5* gradient. This is a way of simulating a "fever", which in turn allows for white blood cells to heal.

It worked for the boa. I know that torts are different, but this might help your new baby...good luck.
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1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 JCP-Milton
1.0 borneo blood-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1 leo- Boji
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
2.4 ratties- Willard, Rizzo, Bree, Blitzkreig, Raisin, and the Runt

Becki -- He would probably be alright at that nightime temp if wasn't so young and also not ill. I think keeping him at a constant warm temp with an area that is cooler for him to choose to go to is a better option.

As far as thinking that this is you got him ill by not doing something right - don't beat yourself up about that. Many times these animals are harboring and illness and a little bit of stress will bring it out. I think the fact that you are seeking help for him and doing everything to get him well speaks volumes about you being a caring devoted keeper. Also the fact that you feel guilty and think you may have been able to fix things better for him. As long as you care and do your best you never have anything to feel bad about. He's lucky he has you to take care of him.

I don't use heating at night, and it doesn't seem to bother the torts at all (but then mine are a little older). The night drop is usually to about 65 or so this time of year. In the winter our heater kicks on at 58 degrees, but it doesn't often go that low, and of course the torts are in hides, so they're probably a few degrees warmer. They come popping out in the morning soon after their light comes on.

I do agree that a sick tort should be kept at a warmer temperature. I've read that warmth actually helps them to form antibodies.
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Sohni

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
0.0.1 Marginated Tortoise
1.0 3 Toed Box Turtle (rescued)
plus my kids' herps:
0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

I divided his pen so he will only be able to have access to the warm side. I'm still not sure that will be warm enough. I am messing around with the temp now. I just put his nite bulb in there. The cool side is 77.6 degrees right now which still isn't warm enough for the vet. I'm sure it will get warmer during the day once I turn on his UV light and his regular heat lite. Hopefully I will get this all figured out by tomorrow. He got his new medicine today. It sure wasn't any fun! Poor guy. But I noticed a big improvement almost right away after we gave him the med shot and the shot of fluids. Could that be possible? He seemed more alert and active. (keeping fingers crossed)
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

You might want to look into getting a ceramic heat emitter--they're expensive, but they last a really long time, and they give off nice, even heat. They need to be used in a fixture with a ceramic socket, though. You can use a lamp dimmer to turn them down a bit if they get too hot.

I'll bet he's feeling better because of the extra fluids. With any luck, this medicine will kick in soon and he'll start improving quickly.
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Sohni

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
0.0.1 Marginated Tortoise
1.0 3 Toed Box Turtle (rescued)
plus my kids' herps:
0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

Have you tryed a ceramic heater, You can keep it on all the time if you need to as it emits no light. I think that there are times when they can start felling better right away.
Good luck.
Terry

I agree with you Ed. I always have the heat source on and a cool moist hide for my torts if they feel the need to get out of the heat. More times than not they eat, soak and then go into the hide during the day. At night when temps dip outside and the house is not as warm the three of them come out and sleep directly under the ceramic heat lamps.

.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thanks everybody for all of your help. I am going out to buy a ceramic heat emitter. I have no clue what that is but I will check into it. I'm guessing it is a certain type of heat bulb? And it shows no lite? That is so weird. I am keeping him nice and warm. I can get it to the eighties but can't seem to get it any higher than that unless it is in the basking area. Unfortunately the basking temp is now 100 degrees which I think is too hot so I am working on adjusting that right now. I can't seem to spread the heat evenly around the pen. I guess I will have to buy another clamp lamp and lite? Or will the new ceramic heat emitter do it? And do I put that one in and take out the old heat bulb then?
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Hi,
I have a redfoot and I know that thier temp requirements are higher that hermanns, but I use a back heating pad made for people, turned on low under his end with the hide (cool side} at nite. You can adjust the heat temp of a heating pad made for peple,and they are more reliable not to over heat than a reptile pad..This was recommended to me by a breeder of torts..
This keeps his temp at about 84 degrees at nite, which are ideal temps for recovery of an illness..I keep a temp gage on the soil in this area to monitor the temp. Improtant do not rest any part of the cage directly on the heating pad, as it might damage the heating elements..And don't forget to turn it off in the morning if you have other heat sources, serious over heating occur...Shawne1

Thanks for the idea! I think I might try that where they curl in for the nite to keep them warm. My little one likes to burrow under a pile of timothy hay at night but it is way over in the cool side (to prevent fire). So I am afraid he is getting to cold at night. Is the heating pad safe if the timothy hay is on top of it? It won't be a fire hazard?
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Hi Becki,
Do not put the hay directly on the heating pad,or the heating pad in the cage..Put the heating pad UNDER the bottom of his pen, inside the pen have about 2 to 3 inches of substrate (hay) over the spot where the heating pad is underneath the pen floor..Make sure the pad is on the lowest setting..
Sincerely, Shawne1

humm....I will have to figure out how to do that. I have a tort table which is attached to a stand. It is pretty big and there is no way I can put it under his pen. I will see what I can do. It is a wonderful idea and I think it would be great for Sam and Ella. I will have to come up with some kind of plan.
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Hi Becki,
Try putting a piece of plastic, plexi glass, the size of the heating pad, raised about 1/2in or so inside the hide...Then slide the heating pad under this...put the hay on top of the plexi glass...Just an idea...Shawne1

Thanks! That is a great idea. I will give that a try.
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Becki,
I meant to say,"put the plexi glass inside the tort table", not inside the hide..Opps, shawne1