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| Sleepy! Posted: 26/03/2016 by tilly the tortoise |
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My 7 Year old Hermann tortoise just wants to sleep all the time! She has a mercury vapour lamp, is kept in a large tortoise table with top soil and I feed her a mix of carefully selected weeds from the garden and cucumber. The temperature in the room is reasonably warm can get up to 35C in the day and may drop to as low as 10 C at night. When I put her under her light she just goes back into the corner and burrows? What am I doing wrong any ideas gratefully received. Thank you. | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 26/03/2016 by Tom |
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Hello, What is the basking spot temp. ? How many hours a day is the lamp on ? How long did it hibernate ? How long have you had it ? Regards, Tom | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 26/03/2016 by tilly the tortoise |
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The lamp is on for 12 hours a day, the spot temp is about 27C. I did not hibernate her as she also has pyramiding and I didn't feel she was well enough to hibernate and has not been hibernated before. I have had her 6 months, before that she was not kept in the right conditions and fed the wrong diet (pellet based diet) and poor light! | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 26/03/2016 by Tom |
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OK, quite right not to hibe' it in that case. One other question & I'll try & help. How high is the flat part of the bulb, above the top of her carapace ? | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 27/03/2016 by tilly the tortoise |
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It is 20cm from the shell, that is directly under the lamp. Any advice would be great, thank you | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 27/03/2016 by Tom |
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I'd take the bulb up to 30cm, assuming it's 100W. I suggest you don't put it under the bulb, let it choose where it wants to be. I suggest that you reduce the hours the lamp is on, to 6 or 8 hrs. A major part of the problem, I think, is that she is too warm, hence trying to escape the heat by burrowing. Hopefully you have an enclosure of at least 15sqm, with a good sized 'house', ready for when it warms up. Any time soon she can go out for part of the day. You stated above "about" 27C & 35C. A digital thermometer with a probe is the best way to monitor temps. If it has not been wormed, I'd arrange this with a vet. Hopefully you will be able to 'hibe' it this year. It is essential to weigh it every 14 days & keep careful records, it's a very good way, in part, to monitor it's health. Also you will not be able to use the J' Ratio re. hibernation as it has 'bumps' due to MBD. They benefit from hib'ing, a natural process, also being able to live without tables & lights other than the period between hibe. & 'tortoise weather' outside. I hope that this helps, Tom | |
| Re: Sleepy! Posted: 28/03/2016 by Tom |
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