# Do you soak your baby tortoises everyday? If yes, how long?



## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

I have 4 baby torts. 2 sulcata, a cherry head and a pardalis pardalis. Theyre still around 3 inch. Should i soak them every morning and for how long? I usually soak them once in 2 days for about 10 mins under the basking lamp. Am i doing it right? Thanks in advance


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## wellington (May 25, 2018)

Yes they should be soaked at least once a day. The RF also should not be in with the sulcatas as species should never be mixed.
Soak 20-30 minutes.


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## wellington (May 25, 2018)

Also the hay/straw they are on needs too go. They need a closed chamber, each species having their own and kept hot and humid, for the sulcatas and leopard. The RF needs high humidity also but different temps and lighting.
Please read the caresheets. Things need changing asap


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

wellington said:


> Also the hay/straw they are on needs too go. They need a closed chamber, each species having their own and kept hot and humid, for the sulcatas and leopard. The RF needs high humidity also but different temps and lighting.
> Please read the caresheets. Things need changing asap



Thank you  the red one doesnt live with the sulcatas  only put them together while they soak or eat sometimes  im thinking about changing them to cocopeat. Is that ok?


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## TechnoCheese (May 25, 2018)

Lifeoftorto said:


> Thank you  the red one doesnt live with the sulcatas  only put them together while they soak or eat sometimes  im thinking about changing them to cocopeat. Is that ok?



Different species should never, ever be together. That’s a huge risk of disease.
Please give these a read and make changes ASAP.
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/ 
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/ 
Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/ 
Redfoot tortoise care sheet- http://aminoapps.com/p/m9tcj0
Your Sulcatas also need to be separated. Tortoises can not be kept in pairs. They are solitary animals, and in pairs, there is always a dominant and a subordinate. It is very stressful for both.


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

TechnoCheese said:


> Different species should never, ever be together. That’s a huge risk of disease.
> Please give these a read and make changes ASAP.
> How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
> For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/
> ...



Thanks for the info  I will change the enclosure asap.


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## wellington (May 25, 2018)

Lifeoftorto said:


> Thank you  the red one doesnt live with the sulcatas  only put them together while they soak or eat sometimes  im thinking about changing them to cocopeat. Is that ok?


Soaking together is really bad. They pee and poop in the soak water. They should never be together. In fact most people will wash their hands before even touching another species. They shouldn't share food dishes either. 
Coconut coir is my favorite and I use peat moss. I don't really know what cocopeat is.


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

wellington said:


> Soaking together is really bad. They pee and poop in the soak water. They should never be together. In fact most people will wash their hands before even touching another species. They shouldn't share food dishes either.
> Coconut coir is my favorite and I use peat moss. I don't really know what cocopeat is.



It’s the same thing I guess.. i have googled it


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## Tank & Scooter (May 25, 2018)

wellington said:


> Also the hay/straw they are on needs too go. They need a closed chamber, each species having their own and kept hot and humid, for the sulcatas and leopard. The RF needs high humidity also but different temps and lighting.
> Please read the caresheets. Things need changing asap


Do you keep them in hay? I don't know about the other 2 tortoise, but people on this forum helped me out a lot with my sulcatas. I have two 3month old Sulcatas. They thought me about closed chambers and humidity. 

This substrate Im using now is repti bark, coco fiber, and organic soil with no chemicals. I bought repti bark on accident, I trying to get something else, ended up giving it a try. 

I keep the humidity at 80, see how dirt looks dry? But if they dig, it's nice and humid. I give them 3 inches of soil and they use every bit lol. Always dirty from them digging little holes to hang out n sleep lol. I forgot to mention I spray down daily, and and turn and mix the soils twice a week to let it breath. I don't think you gotta mix but I do. It lets soil breath and they not walking on pee or unseen poop


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

Tank & Scooter said:


> Do you keep them in hay? I don't know about the other 2 tortoise, but people on this forum helped me out a lot with my sulcatas. I have two 3month old Sulcatas. They thought me about closed chambers and humidity.
> 
> This substrate Im using now is repti bark, coco fiber, and organic soil with no chemicals. I bought repti bark on accident, I trying to get something else, ended up giving it a try.
> 
> ...



I feel bad  and Im going to change the substrate and enclosure real soon. I will use the coconut noir, i have ordered it  I also spray the enclosure a few times daily. Im currently using wood pellet and a little bit of timothy hay.


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

Tank & Scooter said:


> Do you keep them in hay? I don't know about the other 2 tortoise, but people on this forum helped me out a lot with my sulcatas. I have two 3month old Sulcatas. They thought me about closed chambers and humidity.
> 
> This substrate Im using now is repti bark, coco fiber, and organic soil with no chemicals. I bought repti bark on accident, I trying to get something else, ended up giving it a try.
> 
> ...



Do your sulcatas live together?


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

Lifeoftorto said:


> I feel bad  and Im going to change the substrate and enclosure real soon. I will use the coconut noir, i have ordered it  I also spray the enclosure a few times daily. Im currently using wood pellet and a little bit of timothy hay.



I mean coir. Typo [emoji23]


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## JanelP (May 25, 2018)

Its alot of information. Dont feel bad. Youre not the first. We have all been there. There is alot of conflicting information out there. Trust people who have been raise tortoises for a long time and their stock looks good. @Tom has helped me tremendously. read those care sheets, search the forums for questions, and feel free to ask for help. Sometimes they come off strong but they really do just want to help.


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## JanelP (May 25, 2018)

Oh and by the way. Youre babies are beautiful. I love the red foot. stunning colors there.


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

JanelP said:


> Its alot of information. Dont feel bad. Youre not the first. We have all been there. There is alot of conflicting information out there. Trust people who have been raise tortoises for a long time and their stock looks good. @Tom has helped me tremendously. read those care sheets, search the forums for questions, and feel free to ask for help. Sometimes they come off strong but they really do just want to help.



Thank you  they definitely helped me a lot too  I have ordered everything and cant wait to reset the enclosure


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

JanelP said:


> Oh and by the way. Youre babies are beautiful. I love the red foot. stunning colors there.



Thank you


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## Tank & Scooter (May 25, 2018)

Lifeoftorto said:


> Do your sulcatas live together?


I keep them separated, one was growing way more than the other. It was bullying the little one. Im sure people on here can tell you better than i can, why sulcatas shouldn't be kept in pairs. I used to keep them together, after i seppereated them, within 3 weeks, the little one caught up in size. The little one is actually bigger now lol. I only bathe them and give them sun time together. Ps if you use a little enclosure like this for them to get sun outside be careful becuase you can fry and kill them really quick. Lucky i was warned about that the very first day I built this little enclosure.


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## Lifeoftorto (May 25, 2018)

Tank & Scooter said:


> I keep them separated, one was growing way more than the other. It was bullying the little one. Im sure people on here can tell you better than i can, why sulcatas shouldn't be kept in pairs. I used to keep them together, after i seppereated them, within 3 weeks, the little one caught up in size. The little one is actually bigger now lol. I only bathe them and give them sun time together. Ps if you use a little enclosure like this for them to get sun outside be careful becuase you can fry and kill them really quick. Lucky i was warned about that the very first day I built this little enclosure.
> View attachment 239839
> View attachment 239840
> View attachment 239841



Thats good to hear that  I moved my smaller sulcata to a “special” place to eat too since last week because He eats less than the other one and he also gained more weights than he gained before. I weight them weekly. Probably the bigger one bullies the smaller one ‍


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## Lifeoftorto (May 27, 2018)

Hi The substrate just arrived and im currently resetting all the enclosure. Here’s the update  every torts have their own water and food dish. But i currently took them out because they have finished eating and all of the water is dirty because of the coconut coil.. they kinda just stepped on the water dish after roaming around the enclosure. oh ya, i got a new question. My RF keeps eating the coconut coir. Is that okay? Or should i change the substrate? Thanks in advance


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## Lifeoftorto (May 27, 2018)

I mean coconut coir.. sorry i mistyped


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## Lifeoftorto (May 27, 2018)

I also put a few coconut chip so they can climb them..


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## Lifeoftorto (May 27, 2018)

Im currently using the exoterra thermometer and people say that theyre not good.. so i ordered the digital thermometer - hygrometer and they will be arriving probably tomorrow  and for the lighting im using the uva and uvb from exoterra but i forgot the watt, i got them based on the recommendation from the private breeder i purchased the torts.. will check them real soon and i also have one exo terra solar glo that i currently put on the leopard’s enclosure..


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## Siya Sharma (May 27, 2018)

Yes. I soak my tort everyday. And he seems very active after that.


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## lunacris (May 31, 2018)

Great to see your moving the the right direction, I too was misinformed in the beginning about the ability to house two different trots together (cherry head and leopard) by a local shop. The members here were a great help in guiding me and probably saved my tortoises from a bad situation. 

Your babies are beautiful. Keep a look out for marbling with your leopard and cherry head. New tort owners sometimes mistake it for shell rot. I was confused on what was going on when my cherry started changing. 

Also, any questions you have likely have been discussed multiple times, use th search feature on the site and you’ll get your answer quickly.


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