4 month old sulcata

[Napalmseth]

My sulcata baby still has a soft shell. Is this normal at this age?(4 months)He's very active and eats like a piggy!! I give him calcium and he has a uv bulb and I take him outside in the sun on my two days off a week for the sunshine.

 

[bikerchicspain]

Hi.
Welcome,
At 4 months old that is normal, what sort of uv do you have?
Is it UVA/B?
You should talk to Yvonne, she the sulcata lady, she will put you right on anything and everything about sulcatas.

 

[Tom]

Hard or soft are such relative terms. The shell should feel sort of like plastic of the same thickness. It should not feel solid, with no give like a brick, but it shouldn't feel squishy like a soft ball either.

What kind of UV light are you using? I have found the florescent ones to NOT be adequate in the past. MVBs are the best. Even still, weekend sunshine should get 'er done. What does your 4 month old weigh and how long is it?

 

[Napalmseth]

I'm using one of the coil bulbs. To be honest, I'm in touch with another member here. I have to find him a new home, but until I do I want him to be happy and comfortable. My association will not allow me to build him an outdoor enclosure... Sad, but before I have him too long, now is the time. It's not soft like a softball, but the "belly" is a little mushy and the scutes on his rear are a bit flexible, not mushy.

 

[coreyc]

You should take that bulb out so he will be comfortable it could be hurting his eyes

 

[Napalmseth]

What am I supposed to do for UV in the interim? I only have 2 days a week I can take him outside. Is that enough UV exposure and for how long should I have him out there? And it it hurting my 2 pancakes eyes too? should I change their bulb as well?

 

[bikerchicspain]

I second that, coil bulbs are very bad and dangerous to the torts eyes,

Can you not build a tort table so you have him indoors 24/7?

That way you would not need to rehome.

 

[Napalmseth]

He's going to be way too big to keep indoors. And as I understand it, the giant tortoise species should be kept outside when they are adults. I live in Florida which is a great climate for them, but that's the problem with living in one of these gated, condo-commando developments. I've already received two adult pancakes to keep indoors because they are MUCH smaller and can be easily kept indoors. I'm heartbroken about losing my little Grumpy, but it's the right thing to do. And I can't keep him until he's just the size to go outdoors and then try and re home him. That's like giving your 10 year old child. It will be much easier for me, emotionally and stress wise for Grumpy if I do it now.

 

[coreyc]

What am I supposed to do for UV in the interim? I only have 2 days a week I can take him outside. Is that enough UV exposure and for how long should I have him out there? And it it hurting my 2 pancakes eyes too? should I change their bulb as well?

If it is a coil bulb yes you should change it. Do you have them in the same table?

 

[Napalmseth]

No, my sulcata is in an aquarium, was going to build him a table, then I found out I had to find him a new home. The pancakes are temporarily in a zoo med tortoise house. I'm buying the supplies for a table this weekend.

---

Let me also explain that I live in a small townhouse. the rooms are not large enough to house the sulcata when he's bigger. My back yard and patio, where I originally intended to build his habitat, IS large enough. BUT, the condo commandos have spoken...

 

[Shelly]

What am I supposed to do for UV in the interim? I only have 2 days a week I can take him outside. Is that enough UV exposure and for how long should I have him out there? And it it hurting my 2 pancakes eyes too? should I change their bulb as well?

2 days outside is fine until you can get a better bulb.

 

[Napalmseth]

First, Shelly, that is the greatest gif I have ever seen on a signature box!! Second, thank you for all the help. I have been a part of many forums for many different things and this is by far the most helful community I have been a part of yet!!!

 

[bikerchicspain]

Don't you just hate neighbors......

Im sure you find grumpy a new home soon.
Just make sure they know that he is going to grow into a 100kilo grumpy

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Seth:

Get rid of the coil bulbs immediately! In their place you can just use a regular old incandescent bulb until you can afford to buy a better UVB. Two or three hours a week of real sun is all that's needed for your sulcata, however, if the pancakes don't ever get outside, you will eventually need to replace the incandescent bulb with a MVB.

 

[Napalmseth]

They will all get to go out side after this weekend. I'm buying tubs to fill with grazing weeds and plants to sit out with them in my back yard. I'm also designing a really nice tortoise table for the pancakes.

 

[DocNezzy]

Good for you on the buld. Coil ones are bad bad. I was told the MVB ones go bad after 6 months or so. Anybody else heard that?

 

[bikerchicspain]

I have read up on the MVB and they are ok for up to about 10,000 hours or something like that,
I have had mine for the second year running now and touch wood they are fine.

They do go outside more in the summer though..

I would like to see others opinions on this also.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I don't think they have any UVB left after 6 months. The bulb may still be shining a light, but it's not sending any UVB out...

 

[coreyc]

Do you have a meter? Like Maggie said they still will work but will not put out any UVB . What kind of bulbs do you use ?

 

[dmmj]

HOA's gotta love em. (sarcasm)