Am I doing this right?

[Kassandrapilcher]

So, I am a brand new mom. I just got Squirt yesterday and was completely unprepared. I stayed up all night reading, watching videos and today changed her setup. Am I doing ok? This is only a temporary setup obviously. We will be building her a larger enclosure and an outdoor enclosure next year. I was told that she was 6 months old, again I am a new, unexpected mom so I am not sure. She currently has a mixture of grass, and grape leaves for dinner tonight and a piece of cuttlebone. Looking for advice from the experts Thank you.

 

[Joshualee67]

So, I am a brand new mom. I just got Squirt yesterday and was completely unprepared. I stayed up all night reading, watching videos and today changed her setup. Am I doing ok? This is only a temporary setup obviously. We will be building her a larger enclosure and an outdoor enclosure next year. I was told that she was 6 months old, again I am a new, unexpected mom so I am not sure. She currently has a mixture of grass, and grape leaves for dinner tonight and a piece of cuttlebone. Looking for advice from the experts Thank you.

My sulcata is about 6 months old and isn’t quite that big yet lol.

 

[Blackdog1714]

That face says I want a neck rub! Google plaintain weed and pick some. Hibiscus blooms and leaves are awesome too. Check out the sulcata care sheet that is pinned under African tortoises in the sulcata area! Good luck and welcome to TFO- remember “Torting ain’t easy” but we are here to help

 

[Tom]

So, I am a brand new mom. I just got Squirt yesterday and was completely unprepared. I stayed up all night reading, watching videos and today changed her setup. Am I doing ok? This is only a temporary setup obviously. We will be building her a larger enclosure and an outdoor enclosure next year. I was told that she was 6 months old, again I am a new, unexpected mom so I am not sure. She currently has a mixture of grass, and grape leaves for dinner tonight and a piece of cuttlebone. Looking for advice from the experts Thank you.

Hello and welcome.

Constructive criticism to help you out:

1. Stop researching and watching videos. Most of the care info out in the world for this species is wrong and it will only confuse you.
2. Those stick-on dial type thermometers and hygrometers are not reliable or accurate, and you need to be able to measure the temp and humidity in multiple p[laces. Get a digital unit from Home Depot for about $10-12.
3. Your enclosure is WAAAAAAAAYYYYY too small. 4 ties that size would be a good minimum.
4. This baby is already pyramided. You need a warm humid closed chamber to stop the pyramiding.
5. I only see one light source. There are four elements to heating and lighting:
   1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs.
   2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
   3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
   4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.
   
   Here is the correct care info all in one place. Read these and you'll save yourself a LOT of heartache:
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Your questions and conversation are welcome.

 

[Kassandrapilcher]

Hello and welcome.

Constructive criticism to help you out:

1. Stop researching and watching videos. Most of the care info out in the world for this species is wrong and it will only confuse you.
2. Those stick-on dial type thermometers and hygrometers are not reliable or accurate, and you need to be able to measure the temp and humidity in multiple p[laces. Get a digital unit from Home Depot for about $10-12.
3. Your enclosure is WAAAAAAAAYYYYY too small. 4 ties that size would be a good minimum.
4. This baby is already pyramided. You need a warm humid closed chamber to stop the pyramiding.
5. I only see one light source. There are four elements to heating and lighting:
   1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs.
   2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas or leopards. I like this thermostat: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller. Put the probe in the coolest corner away from all heating elements. You may need more than one heating element to spread the heat out for a given enclosure.
   3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb.
   4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.
   
   Here is the correct care info all in one place. Read these and you'll save yourself a LOT of heartache:
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
   https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Your questions and conversation are welcome.

So Tom, when saying I have been reading it was almost all forums from this site most from things you have posted. Can you I guess explain closed chambers better to me? The top was originally screen and I put the wood insert into it so that there was less area for air/humidity to escape. I definitely want to provide what is right for her. I am currently talking with someone who is going to build her a larger enclosure for indoors but they said it will be about a month so I have to try to make the best out of what I have at the moment....I have to tons of questions but I'll start here...

 

[Tom]

So Tom, when saying I have been reading it was almost all forums from this site most from things you have posted. Can you I guess explain closed chambers better to me? The top was originally screen and I put the wood insert into it so that there was less area for air/humidity to escape. I definitely want to provide what is right for her. I am currently talking with someone who is going to build her a larger enclosure for indoors but they said it will be about a month so I have to try to make the best out of what I have at the moment....I have to tons of questions but I'll start here...

A closed chamber needs to be larger and taller and the lights all need to be inside. This keeps it much warmer and makes it easy to maintain humidity. It also tremendously reduces the amount of electricity needed to keep the temperatures where you want them.

Here is an example:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-stack-of-animal-plastics-closed-chambers.165626/#post-1600958

 

[Kassandrapilcher]

A closed chamber needs to be larger and taller and the lights all need to be inside. This keeps it much warmer and makes it easy to maintain humidity. It also tremendously reduces the amount of electricity needed to keep the temperatures where you want them.

Here is an example:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-stack-of-animal-plastics-closed-chambers.165626/#post-1600958

Tom were did you order your enclosure?

 

[Tom]

Tom were did you order your enclosure?

These guys are the best, and reasonably priced, but they take months to deliver and you need something right now.
https://apcages.com/collections/terrestrial-cages

Try getting a 2x4' one from Reptile Basics and that will hold you over for a few months while you wait for the giant one from Animal Plastics to arrive.
https://www.reptilebasics.com/reptile-cages/2x4-15-cage-ships-flat/