African sulcata help

dumbly

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i have been given a 7year old African sulcata ( he’s very big so I’m not sure she is accurate ) the previous owner said they did not have he time or space for him.
He’s done what I think is a brown wee... not sure if this is normal? He was fine all day but since the ‘brown wee’ he’s been very hissy and turning away.
Any advice on being a new tort owner would be great....
 

Maro2Bear

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Probably. Make sure you are soaking every few days and providing plenty of hydration/humidity. The brown uriniation and being abit offish probably not connected at all. Just your tort settling in to a new home.

You might want to provide a few more details and pictures when you can and your location. Up state New York or southern Florida makes a difference, housed outside, inside, normal food consumption etc.
 

wellington

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It could be from its food it was given. Give Soaks and a proper diet and keep a close eye on him. Be sure he's not straining to pee. The brown could also be a dried blood color, looking more brown then red. This would be if possible stones. So do soaks, proper diet and water available and keep closer eye on him until all seems fine.
 

Maro2Bear

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A lot depends on food intake for sure.. lots of fresh yellow dandelion blooms will easily darken urine coloration. Really nothing to worry about. You can do extra deeper water soaks to ensure hydrstion is good.
 

dumbly

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Thank you.
I’ve only had him one day, he spent yesterday outside as it was warm and sunny (I live in the U.K. so warm and sunny aren’t common!!) I’ve got the correct bulbs for inside and setting up a greenhouse in the garden for him for the colder days.
He’s 16” long and the previous owner said 11kgs and not to bathe him, he has a bowl with water for drinking.
I’ve provided hay, fresh grass and weeds inside.
My garden is massive and secure round the perimeter so with me keeping an eye on him he’s safe to free roam the whole thing.
I also have a 3 acre field with secure perimeter that he can move to when he outgrows my garden.
Even though I’ve only had him a day he’s very much loved and part of the family and I just want to get it right
 

katieandiggy

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You may want to check out the night box threads on here. I can tell you now it will cost you an absolute fortune to heat a whole greenhouse in winter. You need a much smaller, shorter night box. There are some good threads on here I’m sure somebody can link. Sorry I’m on phone and don’t know how to.
 

vladimir

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The "don't bathe him" advice seems wrong. Have you given him a soak / bath at all since you got him? Welcome to the forum BTW [emoji846]
 

dumbly

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The "don't bathe him" advice seems wrong. Have you given him a soak / bath at all since you got him? Welcome to the forum BTW [emoji846]
No not yet as they said not to but reading on here it says I should, so I’m concerned as to what to do
 

vladimir

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No not yet as they said not to but reading on here it says I should, so I’m concerned as to what to do
I've trusted what I've learned here and it has worked well for me. My sulcata is currently 8kg but we soak him 2-5 times a week. Fill up a plastic storage bin or some other container with 95F water, adding a few inches of water so he can soak comfortably.

Let him soak for 20-40 minutes, ensuring the water temp doesn't drop below 90F. If it does, replace the water with warm water as needed.

Sometimes a heat lamp helps with keeping the tortoise warm during the soak
 

dumbly

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I've trusted what I've learned here and it has worked well for me. My sulcata is currently 8kg but we soak him 2-5 times a week. Fill up a plastic storage bin or some other container with 95F water, adding a few inches of water so he can soak comfortably.

Let him soak for 20-40 minutes, ensuring the water temp doesn't drop below 90F. If it does, replace the water with warm water as needed.

Sometimes a heat lamp helps with keeping the tortoise warm during the soak
Thank you.

I will give him a soak later
 

ryan57

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Brown wee is normal when the sulcata is from about 2 lbs on. The tail is used to expel everything so when it pees it is inevitably pushing out other things from the tail. That is what the color is. How do I know?.. because I've been the sorry sucker pulling grass of tortoise tails a couple times. Tonight, Stump expelled urates after pooping and it was the same brown color that the "Brown wee" is. Actually, I have video of it:

Screenshot 2023-11-27 at 2.04.28 AM.png

The "hissing". This is the sound of them expelling air. If they're scared or don't want to be messed with they retract their head and can make a noise. Also, if I enter the room when Stump is taking a soak, he starts breathing heavy to communicate "Don't even think about draining the water or picking me up because I'm comfortable". If I DO drain the water, he throws a fit and bangs into the sides of the tank, grunts and breathes heavy until I fill it back up with clean warm water, then he goes back to normal. When I'm filling it back up he goes under the warm water and sits there in bliss (still pissed). I know he's ready to get out when he stands up. Until then, if I drain the water, there is a Category 3 wig out at least.
 

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