Baby sulcata too fat?

[kkwonger14]

Hi everyone,

My kids were gifted a baby sulcata....which means it's my new pet....

I've read all the posts here...such amazing info.

Just wanted to post a picture and see what the general census was on if I'm doing a good job.

His mouth has always been black and as hea gotten bigger it's more black....is he eating poop or is that just his color?

Also, he looks fat to me.

 

[wellington]

Could be his color, could be he is eating poop. When you soak him, take a soft tooth brush and brush it softly and see if it will come off. He doesn't look fat. A tortoise doesn't get fat if given the right foods and has enough room to roam around.

 

[kkwonger14]

Could be his color, could be he is eating poop. When you soak him, take a soft tooth brush and brush it softly and see if it will come off. He doesn't look fat. A tortoise doesn't get fat if given the right foods and has enough room to roam around.

Thanks!! I gave him a couple pellets of mazuri, spring mix salad, grass and weeds from the yard. I put a couple succulents in his tank and he ignores them. I'm looking into getting a bigger enclosure since he's growing so fast. Got any suggestions for an affordable enclosure?

 

[wellington]

What size is he in now?

 

[kkwonger14]

What size is he in now?

8-9cm

 

[wellington]

The enclosure size?

 

[kkwonger14]

The enclosure size?

24 x 18 x 18 terrarium....I think. My brother gave it to me.

 

[wellington]

Yeah that's a bit small. Because they do grow pretty fast, yet needs a closed chamber to properly grow and to grow smooth, I would either get a couple large storage tote boxes, the largest ones available and make one enclosure out of the two or buy a pop up portable greenhouse. I will enclose a picture of the one I would and have used.

 

[wellington]

 

[kkwonger14]

Yeah that's a bit small. Because they do grow pretty fast, yet needs a closed chamber to properly grow and to grow smooth, I would either get a couple large storage tote boxes, the largest ones available and make one enclosure out of the two or buy a pop up portable greenhouse. I will enclose a picture of the one I would and have used.

Yes my brother mentioned getting large, long totes. I live in southern California....when should I move him outside?

 

[Tom]

Yes my brother mentioned getting large, long totes. I live in southern California....when should I move him outside?

He looks great. Not fat at all.

Totes are too small. Get a Smart Enclosure from @Markw84 , or contact animal plastics if you don't mind waiting 8 months. You need a large closed chamber and it needs to be made of expanded PVC plastic so it doesn't rot.

1 hour of access to sunshine per inch of tortoise for babies. Outside all day in nice weather at around 6 inches, but still sleeping in the closed chamber the rest of the time. Keep it inside as long as you can, and move it outside full time with a heated shelter at around 10-12 inches.

More here:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

The enclosures Tom is talking about are great but not inexpensive for most, around 2 to 3 hundred. The totes are fine if joining two together as I mentioned. The green house is even better and there are several sizes available. I would get at least the 3x6 but a larger one would for sure last until he could live outside 24/7.

 

[kkwonger14]

Hey y'all.....we've had my new makeshift enclosure for the last 2 months and he seems to like the extra space. Got 2 large totes and glued/taped them together....put the kids on top so that it was a closed enclosure as best we could.

How's he looking?

 

[Tom]

Hey y'all.....we've had my new makeshift enclosure for the last 2 months and he seems to like the extra space. Got 2 large totes and glued/taped them together....put the kids on top so that it was a closed enclosure as best we could.

How's he looking?

The new growth is looking good.

 

[kkwonger14]

Hi everyone,

My kids were gifted a baby sulcata....which means it's my new pet....

I've read all the posts here...such amazing info.

Just wanted to post a picture and see what the general census was on if I'm doing a good job.

His mouth has always been black and as hea gotten bigger it's more black....is he eating poop or is that just his color?

Also, he looks fat to me

 

[Pák]

How is your sulcata?