Some Changes

mherrr

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Hey everybody. I recently made some changes for my 8 year old sulcatas winter enclosure. Since I live in PA he comes indoor during the fall and winter. I have built him a 8x4x4 home. I can post pictures later. I was recommended from this site to make sure the humidity is at least 80% (mine is 85-90) and to stop feeding vegetables and give him more grasses, hays, some dandelion greens, and mazuri. I have done this all in the last week. I am also giving him daily soaks. I also am giving him calcium powder and another multivitamin for reptiles. He has a 160 watt uvb/uav basking lamp and a ceramic heat lamp. Temp in the enclosure is 85-95 on the hot side and 75-80 on the cool side. I leave his hide spot on the cool side too. I have Timothy hay as a substrate for now but am switching to the compressed coconut.

Since making these changes. I noticed today that he is peeing more frequently. It's a mix of the chunks and liquid pee. His poop is also more wet the last time he pooped. And I think I'm being paranoid but I hear him exhaling when he's walking around. What do you guys think about this? Did I make too many changes at once? Is his diet just adjusting?
 

Minority2

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Tortoise Hell
Hey everybody. I recently made some changes for my 8 year old sulcatas winter enclosure. Since I live in PA he comes indoor during the fall and winter. I have built him a 8x4x4 home. I can post pictures later. I was recommended from this site to make sure the humidity is at least 80% (mine is 85-90) and to stop feeding vegetables and give him more grasses, hays, some dandelion greens, and mazuri. I have done this all in the last week. I am also giving him daily soaks. I also am giving him calcium powder and another multivitamin for reptiles. He has a 160 watt uvb/uav basking lamp and a ceramic heat lamp. Temp in the enclosure is 85-95 on the hot side and 75-80 on the cool side. I leave his hide spot on the cool side too. I have Timothy hay as a substrate for now but am switching to the compressed coconut.

Since making these changes. I noticed today that he is peeing more frequently. It's a mix of the chunks and liquid pee. His poop is also more wet the last time he pooped. And I think I'm being paranoid but I hear him exhaling when he's walking around. What do you guys think about this? Did I make too many changes at once? Is his diet just adjusting?

Is your tortoise exhaling or wheezing/sneezing?

Sneezing can be the cause of several different reasons:

1. Is there something blocking his nose? Messy foods like Mazuri can get stuck inside a tortoise's nose causing them to have trouble breathing because they don't normally breath through their mouths.

2. Are the temperatures too cold? Mouth breathing may be an early sign of respiratory infection. Keep your cool side temperature above 80F. I suggest raising it to 85F for 2 weeks just to see whether or not if the exhaling or sneezing goes away.

3. Is the substrate moist or dry? Dry and dusty substrate can cause a tortoise to sneeze.
 

mherrr

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Is your tortoise exhaling or wheezing/sneezing?

Sneezing can be the cause of several different reasons:

1. Is there something blocking his nose? Messy foods like Mazuri can get stuck inside a tortoise's nose causing them to have trouble breathing because they don't normally breath through their mouths.

2. Are the temperatures too cold? Mouth breathing may be an early sign of respiratory infection. Keep your cool side temperature above 80F. I suggest raising it to 85F for 2 weeks just to see whether or not if the exhaling or sneezing goes away.

3. Is the substrate moist or dry? Dry and dusty substrate can cause a tortoise to sneeze.

The first 2 days I put the humidifier on the humidity was maybe over 100%. And the Hay and mazuri is dry. I'll move the ceramic over to the cool side and leave it on at night.
 

Pearly

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How do you measure enclosure temps? It’s important to either use infrared gun thermometer or have several digital gauges sitting in different spots of enclosure on substrate level where you tort spends time, asking this bcs with humidity this high temps lower than 80 may tip him over into respiratory illness
 

mherrr

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How do you measure enclosure temps? It’s important to either use infrared gun thermometer or have several digital gauges sitting in different spots of enclosure on substrate level where you tort spends time, asking this bcs with humidity this high temps lower than 80 may tip him over into respiratory illness

Everything I use is digital. If he does have a minor bug of any sort what can I do to take precaution? I won't be able to go to a vet for a few days.
 

JoesMum

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What temperature is it directly under the basking lamp? It should be 95-100F

If you suspect your tort is sick, bump the ambient temperatures up to 85F day and night
 

mherrr

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What temperature is it directly under the basking lamp? It should be 95-100F

If you suspect your tort is sick, bump the ambient temperatures up to 85F day and night

I'm going to. I think the first few days I was trying to get the humidity right, it became too cold at night.
 

Tom

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What size is your 8 year old? Those recommendations are generally for smaller younger tortoises. You should not need a humidifier for an 8 year old. I don't even like to use them for babies.
 

mherrr

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What size is your 8 year old? Those recommendations are generally for smaller younger tortoises. You should not need a humidifier for an 8 year old. I don't even like to use them for babies.

12 inches.
 

Tom

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Hey everybody. I recently made some changes for my 8 year old sulcatas winter enclosure. Since I live in PA he comes indoor during the fall and winter. I have built him a 8x4x4 home. I can post pictures later. I was recommended from this site to make sure the humidity is at least 80% (mine is 85-90) and to stop feeding vegetables and give him more grasses, hays, some dandelion greens, and mazuri. I have done this all in the last week. I am also giving him daily soaks. I also am giving him calcium powder and another multivitamin for reptiles. He has a 160 watt uvb/uav basking lamp and a ceramic heat lamp. Temp in the enclosure is 85-95 on the hot side and 75-80 on the cool side. I leave his hide spot on the cool side too. I have Timothy hay as a substrate for now but am switching to the compressed coconut.

Since making these changes. I noticed today that he is peeing more frequently. It's a mix of the chunks and liquid pee. His poop is also more wet the last time he pooped. And I think I'm being paranoid but I hear him exhaling when he's walking around. What do you guys think about this? Did I make too many changes at once? Is his diet just adjusting?
I think you can ease up on the humidity for one this size and age. Diet changes you are making sound great. I would not use coco coir under a sulcata of any age due to the mess. At this size and age, and in a closed chamber, I think the hay might work well as a substrate for you, but don't let it get damp or wet. You will also need to change it out once or twice a week and shop vac the enclosure to prevent it from getting dusty. Fine grade orchid bark works best if you find the hay to be impractical, messy or too much work.
 

mherrr

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I think you can ease up on the humidity for one this size and age. Diet changes you are making sound great. I would not use coco coir under a sulcata of any age due to the mess. At this size and age, and in a closed chamber, I think the hay might work well as a substrate for you, but don't let it get damp or wet. You will also need to change it out once or twice a week and shop vac the enclosure to prevent it from getting dusty. Fine grade orchid bark works best if you find the hay to be impractical, messy or too much work.

The coco is the cheapest choice. Orchid isn't sold in Philly. The hay would be way to much work cuz I travel too much.
 

Tom

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The coco is the cheapest choice. Orchid isn't sold in Philly. The hay would be way to much work cuz I travel too much.
People in Philly grow orchids. Its there, you just have to look around a bit. Most garden centers and nurseries will carry it in bulk. I get mine for $10 a 2.0 cu. ft. bags. Sometimes its called "fir bark".

Orchid Bark.JPG
 
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