# SUDAN SULCATA GROWTH



## DeanS (Jul 11, 2012)

OK! I've had these sulcatas for almost two months now...and this is how I keep them!

First thing in the morning (around 7 AM) I put them in a Rubbermaid container half full of orchard grass hay...and feed them a 50/50 mixture of moistened Mazuri/Marion...literally to the consistency of oatmeal...moist but not wet! They polish it off over the course of an hour! Then they feed on the hay a little...I've NEVER seen this from babies....but I've seen it now! After they've had their fill, they burrow into the hay...so cute! And, they're under a MVB for light and heat...it gets to be about 100!

Then about 9 AM, I put them in the kiddie pool with about a half an inch of water...in direct sunlight...and leave them for an hour.

From 10AM to 4 PM, I put them in two ZooMed Tortoise playpens (3 per playpen) on the back lawn. They can graze (and they do), or they can retreat to the built-in den...which they do plenty! Every hour, I turn the playpens so they can't stay in the dens ALL day!

From 4PM to 5PM, they go back in the pool...with fresh water...still in direct sunlight!

At 5, they go back into the Rubbermaid with hay...but I also add a variety of chop to the hay...grass, dandelions, medic, clover and mulberry leaves! I leave them to their own devices until 7PM...and yes! It turns out the same as in the AM...eat, scurry, burrow! All under a MVB!

At 7PM, I transfer them to another Rubbermaid container...with a Coconut bark/Coco coir mixture...and they settle in immediately! All under a CHE with humidity ranging from 50 to 80% and temps topping off at 80!

There is no fluctuation in pattern...this is what I do EVERYDAY!

I initially included this in the below-mentioned thread...but felt it deserves it's own exposure! Apologies again to lisalove for jacking her thread!
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-He-s-not-as-smooth-as-he-once-was-PICS?page=2#ixzz20MdA1Qg1

I've also updated my own original thread with photos and stats...clue: jump to page 3 
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-NEW-ADDITIONS-TO-THE-HERD#axzz20Lkq1kaq


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jul 11, 2012)

These guys will be huge in no time with this care. Keep up the good work!!!


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## ascott (Jul 11, 2012)

They are beautiful...especially love the one with all of the spots in nearly each scute....


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## DeanS (Sep 4, 2012)

Here's an update on the Sudans...

My guys were growing very slowly using the method I started them out with. Really, I've only changed one aspect...or two...but they're BIG! First, I abandoned the Tortoise Playpens...and now let them run the yard...they love it and have adapted very well...even interacting with the larger animals, all of which are very gentle with them. The other change is that I keep them in the kiddie pool for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. I keep it on even ground with about 1/2" of water...and given the extreme temps up here...the pool is always half in the sun, half in the shade. This is the technique I used to stop the pyramiding in my earlier animals two years ago! It's working great on these guys.

Oh yeah! Another change...there are only 5 babies now instead of the original six. Unfortunately, Pineapple succumbed to the so-called '3% infant mortality rule'...RIP Pineapple.

So here are the others in order of size! With the exception of Climber II, nobody has been named. They are just over three months old now!

The largest is 3.75" and weighs 160g...







The second largest is 3.25" and weighs 125g...






Climber II is the third largest at 3.25" and 116g...






The second smallest is 3" and weighs 96g...






The smallest (my daughter calls her KIKU) is now the runt...and has been steadily losing weight. She eats and eliminates fine. She may be intimidated by her (much) larger siblings. I'm going to isolate her in the next day or so! She is 2.75" and weighs 63g. She was 70g last week!


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## DeanS (Sep 8, 2012)

DeanS said:


> Here's an update on the Sudans...The largest is 3.75" and weighs 160g...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The three largest have put on 10, 8 and 6g in the four days since I last weighed them

172g
133g
122g

The smaller two are gaining again...but only about a gram every other day.


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