3 week old hatchling sulcata.

[Tom]

Brewski,

Nice job on the improvements!

I would add a humid hide, and very soon you will need a much larger enclosure. Most likely within a month or two. I get black dishwashing tubs from Walmart for $1.82. Flip it upside down, cut out a door hole, and wet the substrate under it, and you are good to go. Keep enlarging the door hole as your baby grows.

Sounds like your temps are climbing to the high side. Watch out for that. With the top covered, you might need to use a smaller wattage bulb or use a rheostat on that one if its a regular bulb.

In 23 years of raising baby sulcatas in glass tanks, I have never once needed to wrap the bottom to provide a visual barrier. Its no problem if you do, I'm just saying it is usually not needed.

If the coir gets too messy, you can try to hand pack it down, but I usually use orchid bark with this species because it is less messy.

I would get a terra cotta plant saucer for water. They only cost a couple of bucks for a 4" one. I would sink it into the substrate and use that other bowl for food.

I didn't know the name of that grass, but I feed it to mine all the time. Thanks to Rodney for the education!

If you can get your baby outside like that just a few times a week, you will not need any indoor artificial UV.

Your baby needs it dark at night. What are you using for night heat?

 

[Brewski4u1]

i was leaving the heat lamp on at night and he was going under the half log, what is better option? As for as tank size i am going to get a kiddie pool from Walmart and use that as the next upgrade till he can go out side the kiddie pool is about 4 or 5ft across. i actually plan on starting that build next week as i would like to have it fully planted when i move him in.

 

[Tom]

Use a CHE set on a thermostat for day and night time ambient temperature maintenance.

Kiddie pools are no good for indoors. Even in South FL its too dry in an air conditioned or heated house for them. I recommend a large closed chamber for indoors. This should only be needed for a couple of years. Once your baby is large enough to live outside full time you can just build a large insulated night box like this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

I lock them inside these boxes at night to keep them safe and warm and open the door every morning.

 

[bouaboua]

Lots great info in this thread. Thanks to all!!!!

 

[Brewski4u1]

UPDATE!!
Day 2 went way better he was moving all over ate like a fat kid. I was able to keep the hot side at about 90-95 max and the cool side around 80-85 so i think that's pretty good. My issue seems to be keeping it humid enough i soak the coir 2 times a day and it wont go above 70% humidity. I think i'm going on a mission to find a Reptile fogger and set it on a time to go off 3 times a day for like 30 min. something like this or a DIY humidifer. Unless there is a better option.



This morning i had to be at work early and the sun was not up yet but i did soak him for 20 min and tonight when get off he will go out side and soak again in the sun. i will be going on a run to home depo to get a water dish and see if i can find some seeds to start some food growing and advice on seeds? also i will be picking up a scale tonight as well so i can watch his weight.

Here are some new pics from when i got home last night.






Thanks again for all the Help.

 

[lismar79]

This is a really good seed mix for Sulcatas. Grows fast too:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/AfricanGrazerMix

I have a repti fogger & use it on a timer with my lights. In my 6x3 enclosed chamber it is on the low setting at 7am to 10 pm. It does the job for me.

 

[Brewski4u1]

I already have this on order should be here next week sometime.
http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=179

I will post updates in here on how that does as well as his progress.

 

[Brewski4u1]

I forgot to add i will be making a "Humid Hide" tonight for him. I'm gonna get a Tupperware cut a hole in the side and line it will wet rag or paper towel. or maybe just really soak some coir and put it in there. Any pointers on the would be awesome. also placement i have done alot of reading and cant get a solid answer.

Thank you

 

[Brewski4u1]

Ok questions I cant find a answer to. Night time temps what exactly am I shooting for? Carrots good bad? Sunflowers? ? And never got a answer on the fogger .

P.s. first weigh in is 47.6 grams and we picked him up tuesday.

 

[Brewski4u1]

here are some pics of him getting some sun today while soaking. and can anyone help with the above questions.

 

[Brewski4u1]

Hello
here giving a update on MR. T, he is doing well and growing fast his weigh in last night came in at 60.3 grams that almost 13 grams in a week . heating like a horse . I have made some changes to his enclosure you will see in the pictures. i have also located a very large Hibiscus bush that i am getting leaves and flowers form a few times a week as well as the grass from out back .i am going to order some mazuri today to add to his diet as well. i'm still waiting on the dandelion seeds and have ordered a few different Hibiscus seeds to start growing as well. I am also still waiting on the fogger so i am just misting 2 times a day. he get to go out side for at least 20-1 hour depending on weather. If you have any other suggestions on the encloser and or diet please let me know.






thanks

 

[Brewski4u1]

these are the 2 Hibiscus i order hope they are ok to eat. let me know.
[URL='http://www.plant-world-seeds.com/store/view_seed_item/4124?actionName=search_for_item&itemname=HIBISCUS+TRIONUM&search_string=HIBISCUS']HIBISCUS TRIONUM[/URL]

[URL='http://www.plant-world-seeds.com/store/view_seed_item/2739?actionName=search_for_item&itemname=HIBISCUS+COCCINEUS&search_string=HIBISCUS']HIBISCUS COCCINEUS[/URL]

thank you
Ryan

 

[DeanS]

That's a great looking sully...but it's definitely older than three weeks in that first photo!

 

[Brewski4u1]

That's a great looking sully...but it's definitely older than three weeks in that first photo!

i'm just going by what the rescue i got it from was telling me, but he's gaining weight and looks good.

 

[Brewski4u1]

hello
I got the fogger set up this weekend and it jump the humidity nicely tell it shuts off then it drops back to 70% i have it set to run 5 times a day for 15 min. but still cant get it to hold a 80%+ level.here is a pic of it in action.



i also grabbed these till my seeds start sprouting to change things up a bit.




please let me know any questions concerns, suggestions you may have.


Thank you
Ryan

 

[Tom]

Ok questions I cant find a answer to. Night time temps what exactly am I shooting for? Carrots good bad? Sunflowers? ? And never got a answer on the fogger .

P.s. first weigh in is 47.6 grams and we picked him up tuesday.

Night temps should be no lower than 80. But they still need it dark, so you'll need a CHE and a thermostat.

Carrots are okay mixed in in small amounts, once in a while. Don't use them frequently.

Sunflower leaves are good. Watch out for pesticides.

I don't like to use foggers. To me that is the equivalent of bailing out a sinking boat with a cup. Just plug the hole. Meaning: Use a closed chamber so that all your warm humid air isn't drifting up and out of the enclosure and into the room. You will never have stable humidity and temps with an open top. Open tops are a series of compromises and it is an constant, difficult, never ending battle. Whichever way the battle goes, your tortoises carapace will show the effects.

 

[Brewski4u1]

got my seeds just waiting on the dandelions.

 

[Brewski4u1]

time for a small update ! i got my seeds going and just got the dandelion yesterday so i will plant them this weekend as well i am going to start building a outdoor encloser so he can stay out side all day on the weekends weather permitting. on his last weigh in he was 79.4g so hes getting bigger . well here are some pictures of the grazing mix 3 days in. i'll try and post more as it gets bigger.


planter 1


planter 2

 

[Amanda81]

I got the fogger set up this weekend and it jump the humidity nicely tell it shuts off then it drops back to 70% i have it set to run 5 times a day for 15 min. but still cant get it to hold a 80%+ level.here is a pic of it in action.

How damp are you keeping your Eco earth? When I first got my baby's I used Eco earth as their substrate and I soaked the bricks in a huge bowl of hot water and then lightly squeezed the extra water out of it and hand packed it into my enclosure. It was all pretty damp but not so wet it had standing water on top or anything. My humidity stayed around 90% all the time and I would just mist the whole enclosure once every morning, the baby's seemed to like it. Once a week I would stir it up and add hot water if it needed it.

You can see in the pic about how damp mine is. I couldn't stand the Eco earth being all over the baby's and it seems to stick to everything else too but once I got it this damp and hand packed down, it cut down on the mess a lot. This was in their first enclosure I made them, and even tho it was a "closed" chamber, I hadn't done a great job on it's construction so it leaked heat and humidity constantly and my humidity still stayed high.
This is just what worked for me.

 

[Brewski4u1]

just posting a quick up date so show the growth of the Carolina Grazing seed mix. these pics are from 1 week after planting. I am going to let them go for another week and then let MR. T have a field day with it . Also i should be done with the outdoor inclosure i'm building to put him in for a few hours a day . Weather permitting.





The 3 back pots are dandelion seeds planted 10/10 they were sprouting this morning but i was running late and didnt get a pic.