For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

Calinyc

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This is a common issue for leopard keepers. When sulcatas get big, you put them in a big grass yard or drop a flake of hay and they are good to go. When leopards get big, you either grow a lot of leafy stuff or buy a lot of leafy stuff. I've seen a lot of the leopard subspecies hybrids that like the grass, but a lot of the "pure" babcockii don't touch it.
Hey this question has nothing to do with ur topic but it looks to me like ur an expert. Can I have a undertank heat pad along with a ceramic bulb reaching a lil over 80 Degrees at night for a baby sulcata?
 

Tom

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Hey this question has nothing to do with ur topic but it looks to me like ur an expert. Can I have a undertank heat pad along with a ceramic bulb reaching a lil over 80 Degrees at night for a baby sulcata?
I would not use any undertank heating for a tortoise. A closed chamber will solve all of your heating problems, and lots of other problems too.
 

Calinyc

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Thank u for ur reply oh one other question I keep having to wake the baby up sometimes to eat is that normal? Because I know they spend alot of time sleeping but he just falls asleep wen he is put to eat I think I'm actually Nurturing it lol.?
 

krista1977

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Hello, we just got our first Sulcata Tortoise for my son for Christmas. He is not eating very well and I am so concerned. I got him from a breeder and he had him on Mazuri and romaine lettuce if he ate the Mazuri. So he is only eating the Mazuri a few bites a day. Prob not even a pellets worth. I did get him some spring mix which I read on here was good for them. I live in Indiana and it’s cold and snowy so no grass or homegrown weeds right now. He acts fine he is active, pooping and peeing. His eyes are bright and he responds to our voices. I am soaking him every other day and he has the proper lighting. I am just wondering if eating greens is enough. He will eat any and all romaine or spring mix I put in there just not the Mazuri
 

kalei01

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Hello, we just got our first Sulcata Tortoise for my son for Christmas. He is not eating very well and I am so concerned. I got him from a breeder and he had him on Mazuri and romaine lettuce if he ate the Mazuri. So he is only eating the Mazuri a few bites a day. Prob not even a pellets worth. I did get him some spring mix which I read on here was good for them. I live in Indiana and it’s cold and snowy so no grass or homegrown weeds right now. He acts fine he is active, pooping and peeing. His eyes are bright and he responds to our voices. I am soaking him every other day and he has the proper lighting. I am just wondering if eating greens is enough. He will eat any and all romaine or spring mix I put in there just not the Mazuri
I know he is young but try getting a grass hay like coastal or Bermuda and it it up finely with scissors and soak it in water with the Bermuda for 5 minutes then mix it well then serve
 

Tom

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Hello, we just got our first Sulcata Tortoise for my son for Christmas. He is not eating very well and I am so concerned. I got him from a breeder and he had him on Mazuri and romaine lettuce if he ate the Mazuri. So he is only eating the Mazuri a few bites a day. Prob not even a pellets worth. I did get him some spring mix which I read on here was good for them. I live in Indiana and it’s cold and snowy so no grass or homegrown weeds right now. He acts fine he is active, pooping and peeing. His eyes are bright and he responds to our voices. I am soaking him every other day and he has the proper lighting. I am just wondering if eating greens is enough. He will eat any and all romaine or spring mix I put in there just not the Mazuri
Most breeders don't start them right, and new owner usually have a tough time because of it. Here is the info you need:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Greens is enough if you use the right greens. Grocery store stuff, isn't the right greens. If you must use grocery store greens, use lots of variety, but favor endive and escarole most of the time. Mix in turnip, collard and mustard greens, cilantro, carrot and celery tops, bok choy, water cress, etc... Also get some ZooMed Grassland tortoise chow to mix in. Start with a tiny amount of a soaked zoomed pellet and then gradually add more and more of the new stuff. Because the breeder you bought from did a terrible job of introducing the babies to a variety of good foods, you will have to spend months or years trying to do it. Tortoisesupply.com also sells an herbal hay product that is great for variety and fiber. Also look for those little sprouted wheat grass plots from pet stores or some grocery stores. If you keep the plot water and in a sunny window sill, you can get 8 or 9 cuttings from each plot. This is the tender, soft type of grass to use to introduce a baby to grass.

Your questions are welcome.
 

Tom

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This thread was hard for me to find but really helpful.

Bales of grass hay, I assume green and not dried yellow?
Grass hay. Not straw. I prefer orchard grass hay or Bermuda grass hay. Timothy hay can work for older larger sulcatas, but I find it to be too stemmy for most applications. Grass hay is only for larger sulcatas. 12"+ is a good general guideline. I don't even begin to try to introduce hay to them until they are that size. Prior to that size, fresh, tender young grass is the way to go. Sprout it yourself, or buy the little plastic plots sold at the pet store or some grocery stores. Do not use sod of any kind.
 

kalei01

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Grass hay. Not straw. I prefer orchard grass hay or Bermuda grass hay. Timothy hay can work for older larger sulcatas, but I find it to be too stemmy for most applications. Grass hay is only for larger sulcatas. 12"+ is a good general guideline. I don't even begin to try to introduce hay to them until they are that size. Prior to that size, fresh, tender young grass is the way to go. Sprout it yourself, or buy the little plastic plots sold at the pet store or some grocery stores. Do not use sod of any kind.
What's wrong with sod was going to put in my enclosure
 

Zouwu

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Grass hay. Not straw. I prefer orchard grass hay or Bermuda grass hay. Timothy hay can work for older larger sulcatas, but I find it to be too stemmy for most applications. Grass hay is only for larger sulcatas. 12"+ is a good general guideline. I don't even begin to try to introduce hay to them until they are that size. Prior to that size, fresh, tender young grass is the way to go. Sprout it yourself, or buy the little plastic plots sold at the pet store or some grocery stores. Do not use sod of any kind.
Do people use their lawn mower cuttings? (As long as there are no fertilizers or chemicals?)
 

Tom

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What's wrong with sod was going to put in my enclosure
In addition to all the weird chemicals they put in sod, they also grow it with that plastic netting to try to keep it together.

They don't intend for sod to be eaten by pets. They intend for it to be super green and free of bugs and to look pretty in people's yards.
 

Tom

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Is it okay to use fish emulsion as fertilizer on plants tortoise may or may not eat
Totally fine as long as the tortoises don't have access to the actual fertilizer. Plants grown in the fertilizer are fine to feed to the tortoises.
 

kalei01

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In addition to all the weird chemicals they put in sod, they also grow it with that plastic netting to try to keep it together.

They don't intend for sod to be eaten by pets. They intend for it to be super green and free of bugs and to look pretty in people's yards.
Understood the picture I sent is of grass I pulled from back yard along with some weeds is it okay to feed he loved it
 

EllieMay

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I did for a long time. I bought an electric mower just for this purpose.

I thought I was a great idea too.. save me lots of labor... but my guy turned his nose up [emoji37]
 

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