# Help what type of tortise do I have



## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*[split] new with questions*

Hi my sister just got some sulcata tortoises is there any way we can chat privately about them as we have questions


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## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

Hi my sister got some sulcata tortoises yesterday and when we went to the pet store they tired selling us bedding. Will anyone be willing to stay on an chat as to what we need what they can eat. And care


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## Wartortle (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*



Rachael88 said:


> Hi my sister just got some sulcata tortoises is there any way we can chat privately about them as we have questions



Well, most of the main questions are answered on the sulcata section of the site. Tom (see above) is kinda the "go to" guy when it comes to sulcatas and nearly everything he says is golden!!! I've been here nearly a week and I'm still learning as well. I can help as much as I can, but personally I'd try to get my information from some of the more "veteran" members


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## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*

Ok thanks we were told we needed to buy bedding and that if they were in the sun for an hour a day we still need a uvb light.


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## Dizisdalife (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*



Rachael88 said:


> Hi my sister got some sulcata tortoises yesterday and when we went to the pet store they tired selling us bedding. Will anyone be willing to stay on an chat as to what we need what they can eat. And care


You will get lots of help from the members here. To help us help you better please tell us about your tortoise(s). How old or how big? What part of the world you live in? Just some things like that. And, oh yeah, can you post a few pictures of them. In the mean time, keep them warm.


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## bouaboua (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*



Rachael88 said:


> Ok thanks we were told we needed to buy bedding and that if they were in the sun for an hour a day we still need a uvb light.



Please take a look this thread below. Most of your questions will be answer.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html


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## Dizisdalife (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*



Rachael88 said:


> Ok thanks we were told we needed to buy bedding and that if they were in the sun for an hour a day we still need a uvb light.



If they are babies and they are getting an hour of sun (direct sun and not through glass) they don't need a UVB light. Still they will need a basking light, a flood light (not a CFL type) will do the job.

Tom has posted some good care sheets on raising baby sulcata that you should read before buying a bunch of stuff that you may not need or want to use. Start with this one.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html


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## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*

Thank you! The lady at the pet store sold us some light bulbs one is blue one is red. Do u know what those are used for?


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

In the wild these guys hatch into the hot, humid and rainy season. If they are babies, you'll want to buy supplies to create a hot and humid chamber. Think hot and wet NOT hot and dry.


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## bouaboua (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

Please take a look the thread below. 

Most of your question will be answer.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html

And go here:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forum-88.html

It will take a little time from two hour to couple hours, you will very much have basic idea what to do and buy.


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## Dizisdalife (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*



Rachael88 said:


> Thank you! The lady at the pet store sold us some light bulbs one is blue one is red. Do u know what those are used for?



I don't like the colored bulbs. They are sold to be used as night time heat. What you need is probably, and I say probably because I don't have a complete picture of what you have, is a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) for ambient heat and for night heat in a closed chamber enclosure. They look like this:
http://www.thatpetplace.com/ceramic-heat-emitter-60w?gdftrk=gdfV2226_a_7c268_a_7c6967_a_7c214930

And you will want to control the heat from this CHE with a thermostat. It looks like this:
http://www.reptiledirect.com/1000-watt-temperature-controller.aspx?gclid=CPvhgs_dmLwCFc41QgodiGgAmg

This lets you keep the heat at the right temperature day and night without having to worry about over heating.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*

Ok thank you so much!


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## Rachael88 (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

There about half the size of an iphone I will try an upload pictures. We live in Tucson az. They fit in the Palm of our hands right now. Should we be soaking them or wetting their shells?


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## Dizisdalife (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: OJAI SULCATA PROJECT!!!!!!*



Rachael88 said:


> Ok thank you so much!


You're welcome. Read all the care sheets in the Sulcata section. Others have responded to your other thread with some good information. Sulcata babies, like babies from every species, are kept different than adults. Babies lose heat faster and the dehydrate faster than adults. So, you need to keep them where the temps are warm, have a basking spot for them, and keep them hydrated by regular soakings and a humid enclosure for them.


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

If they fit in the palm of your hands: 
I'd soak them once a day for 20min in warm water. House them in a hot and humid chamber day and night but build a predator proof, safe outdoor pen to let them get some natural sunshine for an hour or 2 each good weather day.


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## sibi (Jan 24, 2014)

*RE: Help me an my sis sulcata tortises*

You have baby sulcatas, probably a few weeks old. It's important that you soak the babies in a small plastic container with warm water. The water should reach only as high as the bottom shell. I would soak the babies two times a day until they are about a year old. After that you can soak them once a day. Information on diet and enclosures can be read from Tom's threads. He is a member here that is an expert on raising sulcatas. Since the babies are so small, you may want to put them in a plastic container with a lid. You'll need substrate of coco coir and organic soil that has no pesticides. You can also use cypress mulch mixed with soil. You'll also need to get two hides for each of the babies. Make sure you provide fresh water in a plant saucer...something that has shallow sides so that the babies can get in and out easily. Foods can be kale, collards, turnip greens, envine, rose pedals, hibiscus flower, cactus fruit and cactus, just to mention a few. Babies should be introduced to young, fresh grass since grass will one day make up the majority of his food for life. I hope this helps you.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: [split] new with questions*

How do I tell how old they are? Or if they are male or female?


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

*RE: [split] new with questions*

The only way to know age is to know the hatch date. If you can show pics and tell us how they spent their first few weeks( wet or dry) we can make an educated guess.

Most of the time you won't know the sexes until around 3 years old. It is usually discernible by then. If you know the incubation temperature, we can make a pretty good guess for you.

Are you finding the info you need in the linked threads? Here are some more for you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-22635.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-23493.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-34837.html


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: [split] new with questions*

I'm not aware of the hatching date I got them from a lady who had "no time" for them


Here's a picture of one if them


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: [split] new with questions*

that sure looks like a CDT (California Desert Tortoise) baby to me. Not a Sulcata baby. hmmm...


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## T33's Torts (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: [split] new with questions*

Can you post a profile picture? CDT's tend to be flatter as babies.


Or pictures of the front arms (sullies have big scutes on their arms)


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

*RE: [split] new with questions*

That's a desert tortoise. Gopherus agassizzi. Totally different ball game. If she gave them to you free of charge then all is kosher. If she sold them to you, she broke the law.

I house those exactly the same as Russian tortoises. Here is a care sheet for them:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html

They are legal to possess, but not to sell. When they get a little older you will need to find your local CTTC chapter and apply for a free permit to keep them. Just be aware that most CTTC members fancy themselves "experts" on DTs and will give you all sorts of advice on how to dehydrate your babies and induce large, painful kidney and bladder stones. Yes they come from the desert, but they don't walk around in the hot dry air all day. They spend most of their lives underground where its more damp and humid. When setting up an enclosure for them, I find it helpful to imagine a desert earthworm and what it would need to survive. If you put it on dry sand or rabbit pellets, how long would it take to dry out and die under a heat lamp? The same thing happens to a baby tortoise's insides. Give your tortoise damp substrate, a humid hide and daily soaks for the next few months. Make sure one end of the enclosure has a basking spot of around 100 degrees for at least 12 hours a day, and the rest of the enclosure can taper down to room temp. Glass tanks work very well for this as the taller sides help reduce airflow and the resultant loss of your warm and more humid air. This is the OPPOSITE of what most DT people will tell you. After they get done telling you this, ask to see their collection of surgically removed kidney stones the size of tennis balls.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

What kind of tortise are they I was sold them as sulcata but I have also been told they are desert tortises


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## Irwin4530 (Jan 25, 2014)

They look DT to me but I no expert about these types .....hopefully someone else will jump
In


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## diamondbp (Jan 25, 2014)

I would say DT as well. The leg scales dont resemble sulcata leg scales.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 25, 2014)

Those are desert tortoises. I thought you said your sister found them in her yard?


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

The lady who gave them to my sister found them in her yard and told us they were sulcata


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

I just went back and read that you are in AZ. Sorry. In the other thread I was telling you how the laws work in CA. You will have to check with your state to find out AZ laws. I think over there you are only allowed to have one, and it must be permitted.

Any AZ members that can clarify?


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## capedthespian (Jan 25, 2014)

These are desert tortoises. Sulcata tortoises normally have more domed carapace and lighter coloring.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

Thank you guys! What can a desert tortoise all eat? Do they still get soaked can the be in the same enclosure?


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## Yvonne G (Jan 25, 2014)

If you read the care sheet tom gave you the link for in his post, it will tell you how to feed your new babies and how to care for them. They need to be soaked daily for about 15 minutes. They need to be kept warm and not be allowed to live in a habitat where the temperature falls below 75F. They should be kept on moist substrate (bedding). They can be fed any dark, leafy greens, weeds and edible leaves.


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 25, 2014)

Where in CA are you? When you are ready to apply for your permit, contact me. I'm part of the CTTC Chino Valley Chapter. I can get you the permit application and can offer the good advice, NOT the bad advice Tom is referring to


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

Ok right now we have them in dirt from my backyard. They have one of the blue lights I think it's the heating one. I soaked them 20 minutes an let them outside for about 30 minutes so far. They have been eating grass. I was told they also eat cactus but I have yet to see them eat the cactus we have available for them.


I'm actually in Tucson Arizona.


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

They need proper lighting and temps and they need it now. Babies have a small margin of error, and there is not time for you to figure this out on your own. Please read the linked threads. They will tell you proper temps, diet, enclosure, humidity and which bulbs to use. The colored bulbs are not good for day time use.

These babies will not survive for very long without the right temperatures, conditions and hydration.

Please just click and read and we are happy to any specific questions. Pease pardon my sense of urgency, its just that the majority of DT babies that manage to hatch die due to improper care in their first few months. Its not hard to do, its just that most people don't understand how to do it.

We all just want to see your babies thrive.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

Just wondering how dirt is bad for them if that's where they live is in the desert. I'm not sure I understand that part. They have soaked an received sunlight today already


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

Who said dirt is bad? Yard dirt is fine. Its even listed as a decent substrate in both of those care sheets.

Sand would not be good, as it can and does cause impactions. If your dirt is super dry and your humidity is very low, that could be a problem too, but dirt is fine. Cheap too.

I'd feed in a sunken terra cotta saucer or on a plate with a low lip to keep the food off the dirt. I do this with any substrate.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

Ok yeh it's yard dirt there in. I have a watering bowl but I'm mostly giving them grasses of different types an weeds. I tried cactus but they didn't touch it. So I'm guessing they don't like it.


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

Tortoises are creatures of habit. If they haven't seen a food before, they aren't likely to try the first few times. For little babies your really need the soft tender young cactus pads. Either way, just keep trying with it. There are lots of other good foods too. You can try spring mix, escarole and endive from the store. Get some Mazuri. Get some ZooMed grassland pellets. When mulberry leaves and grape vine leaves come back in season, those are great foods too. If you've got good weeds near you, you are all set. That's probably the best thing there is, and its free.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

There are tons of weeds near my house well within walking distance anyway. I will keep trying the cactus. Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it!


Is it ok that they are together like this?


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## sweeneylee88 (Jan 25, 2014)

If there not we need to think about a new home for one


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2014)

Weeds are the best thing for them. Just be sure they are chemical free, and only feed them the "right" ones.


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## Rachael88 (Jan 25, 2014)

The weeds are definitely chemical free as I don't spray them since I have dogs as well.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 26, 2014)

sweeneylee88 said:


> If there not we need to think about a new home for one



Hi, and welcome to the Forum!!

Are you Rachael's sister?

Your tortoises will do fine together for a while...maybe even the rest of their lives. Male desert tortoises fight, but sometime when raised together, they get along until they reach sexual maturity. I always adopt them out in two's as hatchlings because they do better when there's competition for the food.

Try feeding your babies packaged salad. The one I prefer is called Santa Barbara Mix.


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## sweeneylee88 (Jan 26, 2014)

Okay thankyou and actually I'm Rachael I don't know why she used my name. Anyway it's about the tortoise so thankyou for your help


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## reticguy76 (Jan 26, 2014)

Im in AZ, and these guys are uber protected and sacred by the almighty game and fish. You cant even legally move one off the road onto the side if you see one about to get hit. We have all around ridiculous wildlife laws in Az, but they are what they are. I feed mine dandelion and clover weeds and a few dark leafy greens. I have had him since a young hatchling when he came into my emergency clinic for being attacked by a dog of some sort. People found him and just brought him in, having no idea what he was. I took him and nursed him for about 6 months (his recovery time) and kept (after getting the okie dokie by our wildlife Gods, game and fish). I love my little guy, Cooter, though. Wouldnt have traded the situation for anything.


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