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| Combi size query Posted: 24/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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Merry Christmas, Do you think a 160w combi is too large for a 4ft x 2ft table? I currently have a 100w megaray in my top bunk and a 125w Exo terra in my bottom bunk. My air temps at shell height are about 27-29 on cold days. They are perfect in warm weather (the room is south facing) and I always get 30-32 but on these cold dull days they struggle. Thank you. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 24/12/2016 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Hello, They are for specialist use, so avoid. Can you post pics pls as your setup is hard to visualise. Be careful that the setup is not exposed to the sun, given that the room is south facing. Make sure your bulbs are at the right ht. bet. base of bulb & top of carapace. The bulbs must hang at 90deg or eye damage is likely. Re-check temps & let me know. There is a solution if temps are still low. Regards, Tom | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 24/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 24/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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Photos to follow. Settee blocks the sun. Ignore the dodgy white shower curtain. Today this is being swapped for acrylic glass. | |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 31/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 31/12/2016 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Thanks for the pics. I see - you have 2 tables, what is in them [& age]. So what are temps at tort level below the hot spot ? A 100W Megaray UVB bulb should be about 30cm above carapace of torts. Why not put the 125W on the top, as there will be a heat trap between the tables. What temp at night ? Tom | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 31/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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This is my bottom bunk. I have. 2yr old (I beleive), Horsfield. I have coated the walls of the table with acrylic glass and the bulb has been on for a few hours. It is a 125w Exo terra and the current temp is 27 shell height. The bulb is 12" from shell height. | |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 31/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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This is my top bunk. It is registering 26 C after a few hours with a 100w megaray. Tort is a 2 yo Horsfield. I have used a laser gun on the substrate and both tables register 29C temp on the soil. It's been a dull day today so I've struggled with temps. Both bulbs are 12" from bottom of bulb to top of shell. The room temp was about 23C My bottom bunk is 7" off the ground | |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 31/12/2016 by Bluekinder |
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The temp at night has been about 17, but last night it went down to 15.5C so I have raised my bottom bunk, which was on the floor, up to 7" using legs | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 01/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Why the acrylic ? | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 01/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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You say "26C after a few hours" whilst the laser shows 29C at soil level on both tables. With a room temp of 23C I'd have thought your temps at the hot spots would have been higher than you are finding. Yes a good idea to raise from the floor. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 01/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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15.5C at night is acceptable. I'm assuming that they are feeding & seem well - ? Is there a reason why they are kept apart ? | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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Thanks for coming back to me. Firstly, the acrylic. I was using a shower curtain to line the tables but I noticed a few small tears and I was worried about the torts eating bits or even suffocating in the sheeting. I looked into lots of ways of lining the tables that would be lightweight and easy to clean out and this type of sheeting seemed the best. I've had it cut to size and sealed in. Secondly, my girls (or boys) are separate because because the smaller one showed signs of aggression towards the larger one, shell biting etc. I knew there was the possibility of having to split them up later on in life once I knew their sexes, so I thought it best to do it sooner rather than later. The larger more timid one seems a lot happier so I know I did the right thing. Thirdly, they are eating really well and are quite active. I struggled at first with one of them wanting to hide away at the first sign of winter, but we've worked through that. I do have to watch the amounts they eat though and have restricted them as they were gaining quite a bit of weight. I'm not sure whether this was also due to the worm burden (see below), but since they have been given the all clear, their weight gains have slowed down. Also now the colder weather is here they are getting more green stuff (plantain etc rather than flowers). They have a daily bath and are pooing and weeing quite happily! They are not hibernating this year because (a) I was advised to have them 12 months before I hibernated (I bought them in May 2016), (b) a worm count showed they had a high burden of pinworms so I had to deal with this and (c) I recently moved into a house which needs renovating and extending which is being done this Spring/Summer. Everything is piled up in various rooms and at the moment there is no room for an extra fridge. Next winter I will be all geared up for their first hibernation. As for temperatures, I will recheck again today. I use both a probe and an infra red gun. Hope that's ok. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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Ok, so I've done some temperature recording today. The bulbs have been on for three hours. The temp under the bulb on the substrate using the laser gun in the top table (100w megaray) is 27 and the air temp at shell height with the probe having been in position for ten minutes, is 27.8. The substrate in the bottom bunk (125w Exo terra) is 34 with a probe temp (after ten mins) of 28. The sun is out and making its way around to the room that they are in so the temp in the room will rise so I will take the same readings again in a couple of hours. The current room temp is 22 and both bulbs are 12" from bottom of bulb to tort height. 😊 | |
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| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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With the sun on the tables today, the temps are hovering around 30/31. I do think perhaps I need 160w and raise the lamps right up. Your comments would be welcome though before I order some new bulbs. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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Thanks for all the detail. They may get along in a large outside enclosure. As there're eating well I'd carry on as you are. You could swop the bulbs over as I suggested above. You could buy a cheap convector heater to increase the room temp a bit in v. cold weather. Cheap to run using the stat'. Yes worms are inevitable with [wild caught] horsfields. You have been lucky, most buyers end up with huge vet bills or worse !! I sill advise that you avoid the 160W bulb. H.N.Y., Tom | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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Thanks for the advice and I will do as you suggest although the 125w is due for a change. I did not know that they were wild caught when I bought them. I was assured that he had bred them himself. Unfortunately he lied to me and I am very angry about it and if I could do something about it I would. I have them though and am trying to give them the best life they could albeit captive kept. Unfortunately like a lot of new owners, we do our research (and I did) but it's not until we actually own them that we then learn the darker side. I've seen on a lot of Facebook sites new owners are being picked on because they have wild caught tortoises, but had they had known I'm sure they would not have purchased them. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 02/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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No I fully appreciate that you were conned. Who was this man, we are keeping a database. You can click on my email if you don't want to go public. Yes pet traders always lie about horsfields, many of them sell from home & people fall for it. There is only a handful of breeders. The other con some traders use is to say they are farmed in the EU !! Good 'pet shops' don't sell pets. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 03/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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I have no problem naming and shaming if it means no one else will buy from him. It was KNM Reptile Centre in Swadlincote, Derbys. He told me he bred them himself however he told my friend, when she enquired after Horsfields when he had none left, that he was expecting another shipment from his supplier. I have no proof he said this. Sorry if I was a bit defensive but it is a sore subject with me. This morning I swapped my bulbs over, so I'll see what temperatures I get. 😊 | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 03/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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Ok, so I've taken some temperature having swapped the bulbs. Room temp is 22 Top bunk (125w) substrate temp using gun is 33-35 with a shell height air temp of 28.9 - 29.5 Bottom bunk (100w megaray) substrate 28 and air temp 26.5 Frustrating. | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 03/01/2017 by tomtortoise@tovevalley.net |
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I quite understand how you feel, yes I've seen ads from the Swad' villain. He's one of many. The time is long overdue for DEFRA to stop this evil trade which is making dealers rich. Check with Arcadia, I think the 'gap' should be a bit more - thus temp. drop. With Megaray it's not just the temp by gun or probe, they are of such quality that torts are warmer despite measured temp.. Too complicated for this 1 finger typist to explain. They are doing well. Stop worrying. Tom | |
| Re: Combi size query Posted: 05/01/2017 by Bluekinder |
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Thank you Tom for your understanding and advice. Today I got perfect temperatures! Typical! Emma | |