Baby Sulcata - Dents on Plastron

[Alecjb12]

Hello All,

I just noticed my baby Sulcata has some pretty deep dents on his plastron. I received him a couple weeks ago and haven’t noticed them before, but I could have just missed them as I don’t assess his plastron regularly, or at all. Please see the attached pictures and let me know if this is something I should worry about.

Setup:
Enclosure: 8ft x 4ft grow tent
Substrate: Cypress mulch topped with coco coir.
Temp - Ambient High: 83f-85f
Temp - Ambient Low: 80f-83f
Temp - Basking: 97f-100f
Humidity: 85-90
UV: 5+ hours in sun weekly
Diet: Grass, Clovers, Dandelions, Collards, Kale
Soak: Daily for 1 hr

 

[Alecjb12]

It might also be helpful to note that the tortoise’s plastron is pretty springy/soft.

 

[wellington]

@Tom
@Yvonne G

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Its normal for the plastron to be a lil springy and have some dents. Those ones in the back do look a lil deeper than ive seen though.

 

[TammyJ]

Experts have been called...hang on. It does not look so bad though, as far as I can see. Have you tried gently brushing with a baby toothbrush and water?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hopefully Tom and Yvonne can help here🙂sounds like you’ve set up a perfect starter for your baby❤all your levels are perfect!

 

[Tom]

Hello All,

I just noticed my baby Sulcata has some pretty deep dents on his plastron. I received him a couple weeks ago and haven’t noticed them before, but I could have just missed them as I don’t assess his plastron regularly, or at all. Please see the attached pictures and let me know if this is something I should worry about.

Setup:
Enclosure: 8ft x 4ft grow tent
Substrate: Cypress mulch topped with coco coir.
Temp - Ambient High: 83f-85f
Temp - Ambient Low: 80f-83f
Temp - Basking: 97f-100f
Humidity: 85-90
UV: 5+ hours in sun weekly
Diet: Grass, Clovers, Dandelions, Collards, Kale
Soak: Daily for 1 hr

View attachment 375844
View attachment 375845

Totally normal. Nothing to do or worry about. Your care parameters sound excellent. You will have a smooth healthy baby going forward.

Just some helpful conversation:
I don't like to feed kale or collards very often. Once in a while is fine. Better to favor endive or escarole from the store, and add amendments to all grocery store greens like soaked horse hay pellets, or dried leaf options, or the new Food Fixer, from tortoisesupply.com. There is nothing wrong with all the lettuce types if you are adding in the amendments. Also look for mulberry and grape leaves. Rose of Sharon leaves and flowers, squash leaves and blooms, and if you haven't already done it, start planting lots and lots of cactus pads now. Those are a GREAT food item as they get larger and start eating dry hay.

 

[Alecjb12]

Thank you all for your responses! I’m so glad to be back in the forum. I made my first account here in 2012, but lost access to the email that was linked to it unfortunately…but here’s my new one! I will definitely try to provide a more varied diet. My lawn consists of a variety of weeds, different wild grasses, etc, all of which I’ve been able to identify and deem nontoxic. I’ll look out for some of the foods that Tom stated and try to start growing my own wild cactus, thought it might be a little difficult in Arkansas!

@Tom @wellington @Chubbs the tegu @TammyJ @Littleredfootbigredheart