baby questions

[Linda Fry]

I have 6 hatchling sulcata's that are 9 & 10 days old, 7 eggs still incubating. I'm keeping the hatchlings in the incubator, in a shallow tray with wet paper towels, soaking them once a day. I've been dicing boc choy and broccoli. My local pet store sold me Mazuri Small Tortoise pellets and suggested I soak them in unsweetened apple juice and feed along with the diced veggies. The same guy assured me sand was safe to use in my 40 gallon reptile tank. The sand remark makes me think he has no clue what he's talking about. Is the apple juice soaked small tortoise Mazuri safe for my babies?

 

[Markw84]

I have 6 hatchling sulcata's that are 9 & 10 days old, 7 eggs still incubating. I'm keeping the hatchlings in the incubator, in a shallow tray with wet paper towels, soaking them once a day. I've been dicing boc choy and broccoli. My local pet store sold me Mazuri Small Tortoise pellets and suggested I soak them in unsweetened apple juice and feed along with the diced veggies. The same guy assured me sand was safe to use in my 40 gallon reptile tank. The sand remark makes me think he has no clue what he's talking about. Is the apple juice soaked small tortoise Mazuri safe for my babies?

Linda

As you have surmised, you got very poor information from the pet store. Broccoli is bad for tortoises and should not be fed at all. Bok Choy can be fed in small quantities, but must be only a small part of a better diet. Apple juice has way too much sugar for the digestive system of a sulcate, and should not be given at all. The Mazuri is fine, but most here have found that newer "LS" formula is not accepted well by sulcatas. Most of us use the regular formula Mazuri, which is their product number 5M21.

PLEASE read the threads posted by @Tom

How to house them:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

How to feed them:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

What not to do:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

That is the best info you can find anywhere on raising healthy sulcatas.

Please ask any questions you have on this forum. Start a new thread and show us your babies, and their enclosure you will keep them in. Love to see the mom too if you have the mom and hatched the eggs yourself.

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Linda, and welcome to the Forum!

I see you've been here for quite a while. I'm glad you've finally stepped out of lurking mode!

Quite a few folks on here like the coco coir (you buy it in compressed bricks and hydrate it), but I like small grade orchid bark for baby tortoises.

Here's what I do for my babies:

Walmart sells a product in their produce section called Artisan Lettuce. I chop this up into tiny particles along with whatever edible weeds are outside at the moment - fillaree, mallow, milkweed, miners lettuce, grape and mulberry leaves, prickly sow thistle, etc. I add a tiny bit of grated carrot, cucumber and zucchini, then I add a tiny bit of powdered calcium. I also use a bit of romaine and some endive and escarole. I stir it all up and store the leftovers in a tightly covered container in the fridge.

 

[Tom]

I have 6 hatchling sulcata's that are 9 & 10 days old, 7 eggs still incubating. I'm keeping the hatchlings in the incubator, in a shallow tray with wet paper towels, soaking them once a day. I've been dicing boc choy and broccoli. My local pet store sold me Mazuri Small Tortoise pellets and suggested I soak them in unsweetened apple juice and feed along with the diced veggies. The same guy assured me sand was safe to use in my 40 gallon reptile tank. The sand remark makes me think he has no clue what he's talking about. Is the apple juice soaked small tortoise Mazuri safe for my babies?

Hello and welcome. I can't word it any better than what Mark did for you. I've heard all sorts of bad advice from pet stores, but the apple juice is a new one… wow.

There is one more thread that I link for people who are hatching them, but given what you are doing with your babies, you may have already found it. Just in case, here it is: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/
This thread has all sorts of tips on how to start the babies and get them eating good.

 

[Linda Fry]

Thank you so much. I'll re-read the section about starting hatchlings. I'll also get some pictures. I've ordered a CHE and Temp Gun and am returning the Infrared Basking Spot and Reptile UVB light to Petco. I'll stay away from the Broccoli and Apple Juice! I appreciate your help!

 

[Yvonne G]

Trader Joe's is way over on the other side of town from me, so I don't go there very often. But when I do, I buy a couple gallon jugs of aloe juice. I use this to soak the Mazuri pellets in.