General Care Discussion :: Drydocking

[blulite]

hi guys i am in need of some advice regarding drydocking my turtle. i have a small tank seperate from his main one that i have used as a drydock. i have installed a heat lamp and his uvb bulb into the small tank, but what about night times. do i leave the lights on? i live on the coast and it get rather cold during the night. i have no heatmat and cant think of a way to keep him warm during the night other than puttng him back in his tank. which kinda defeats the object of drydocking. is there anyone who has a suggestion of how i can keep him warm without leaving the lights on all night. and without putting him back in his tank.

[imderanged]

I use these on my dry tanks. depending on what I'm using it for I put a towel or a repticapet down on the floor of the tank.

Haha...opps I forgot to add the link:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2752652

[blulite]

yes i thought of one of these heatmats but problem is i dont have any cash until wednesday so im stuck until then. any other suggestions for a temporary measure.

[TurtleLover_S&B]

I guess you could leave it on,but maybe not as close,or you could always just leave the heat lamp if you just need to.

[steve]

Can you keep in a container in a warm, dark room?

[blulite]

i can keep him in a warm room but the problem is during the night the warm room will become cold very quickly. unless i leave the gas fire on but tbh thats a kinda silly thing to do when you are in bed asleep. and as we have a really old central heating system we cant even turn down the thermostat and leave him next to the radiator.

[steve]

Perhaps you can have some towels provide some cover?

[blulite]

will towels keep him warm enough?

[TurtleLover_S&B]

Well,maybe....I don't know if that would work.You might just have to keep the heat lamp on.

[blulite]

will leaving the heat lamp on not cause him to get confused over day light times.

[steve]

How cold does it get?

[blulite]

well inside the house the temperature drops to about 7 -8 degrees c. and outside usually hits 2-3.

[TurtleLover_S&B]

Well,it might.I don't know...

[blulite]

hhhmmm decisions decisions decisions.

he does like to sleep inside my dressing gown but i dont think it necessary or appropriate to allow he turtle to sleep in my dressing gown over night. he will either be squashed or go missing.

[TurtleLover_S&B]

Yeah,well I don't know what you should do.Sorry.....