mfoust1980
New Member
Help me too! I just got a baby Sulcata, I was told it’s “a couple months old” and it hasn’t ate since Sunday and sleeps all the time!
doesn't eat
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mfoust1980
New Member
I have the basking area at 100 degrees. I have the cooler at 80. I have a hide, I’ve tried carrot soaks. He is hardly moving, slow to open his eyes, and not eating.
What is your humidity?
What is the overnight low temp and how do you maintain that?
Any colored bulbs? What type of UV bulb?
Where did you get the baby and how was it started? Wet or dry routine?
mfoust1980
New Member
The humidity is 70-80%. I’ve honestly done everything listed. I am afraid that it’s dehydrated. Unfortunately it was trial and error to get to the point were are at with him and I think it’s been to late.
mfoust1980
New Member
We unfortunately didn’t know anything about the guy we got the baby from. The overnight temp is about 70-75%. No bulbs on. We have a repti sun 10 bulb on during daylight as well as a 75 watt heat bulb.
mfoust1980
New Member
The guy we got it from said keep him extremely moist and his enclosure of course. He was transported in a container with a soaked paper towel.
70-75 degrees at night is much too cold. It needs to be no lower than 80 in the coldest part of the enclosure at night. A ceramic heating element or a radiant heat panel, run through a thermostat should do it.
What kind of reptile-sun bulb? The long tube type or a cfl type?
mfoust1980
New Member
The cfl type
I'd turn it off ASAP. They are not an effective UV sure and some of them burn tortoise eyes. If you have one of the bad ones, it might hurt his eyes to walk under it, so he stays hidden from the pain.
Either way you need a different and better UV source. The long tube type are better.
mfoust1980
New Member
Ok. 10.0 or 5.0?
5.0 bulbs produce almost no UV at all. Regular 10.0 bulb produce very little. The newer HO bulbs are the way to go. ZooMed makes a 10.0 HO bulb that is good, but I like the Arcadia 12% HO tubes. I get them here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com
At 20" above my beast would you still recommend that one for a redfoot, would it be too intense, or could I shorten the time it's on to more of the middle of the day?
Jamie
I just don't know enough about redfoots Jamie. I haven't kept enough or done any sort of experimentation with what works best for them. I've read that they like it dimmer and not too bright, but I've also read that is not true at all. I'd rather have an experienced RF keeper advise you.
Welcome @ZEROPILOT might have the answer to your lighting questions.
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Ive used a 5.0 florescent strip lamp for UV in my somewhat limited time keeping only very tiny Redfoot indoors. I have no hard data that convinces me that my 5.0 tubes were adequate. I simply don't keep babies(or adults) indoors very long.
It's been my experience that Redfoot avoid bright lights and high heat. They feel more comfortable in heavy plant cover with temperatures in the low 80s.
Mine live outdoors and go to great lengths to stay in the shadows when it's very sunny out and they generally can't be found when it gets near 90 degrees. Preferring to only venture out at daybreak and late afternoon.
If it rains, they go nuts. They LOVE a nice thunderstorm. And can also be found soaking or swimming if it gets particularly hot. Or they just stay hidden.
I can give a lot of help for keeping Redfoot outdoors. But not so much for keeping them indoors. Or with setting up a micro climate for them.
Making an enclosure indoors that is both large enough...And warm enough. With the correct humidity and a good UV light is so much more difficult than what I'm doing here.
I'm in awe of some of the enclosures that I've seen to compensate for keepers not living in the "tropics" or not able to keep Redfoot outdoors for other reasons like space.
It's been my experience that Redfoot avoid bright lights and high heat. They feel more comfortable in heavy plant cover with temperatures in the low 80s.
Mine live outdoors and go to great lengths to stay in the shadows when it's very sunny out and they generally can't be found when it gets near 90 degrees. Preferring to only venture out at daybreak and late afternoon.
If it rains, they go nuts. They LOVE a nice thunderstorm. And can also be found soaking or swimming if it gets particularly hot. Or they just stay hidden.
I can give a lot of help for keeping Redfoot outdoors. But not so much for keeping them indoors. Or with setting up a micro climate for them.
Making an enclosure indoors that is both large enough...And warm enough. With the correct humidity and a good UV light is so much more difficult than what I'm doing here.
I'm in awe of some of the enclosures that I've seen to compensate for keepers not living in the "tropics" or not able to keep Redfoot outdoors for other reasons like space.
Thanks for the feedback and info ... Darwin and I are stuck with indoor confinement for the next month or two anyway, so I'll endeavor to make it better for him.
I think I'll adjust the timer on the uv bulb to be in for just a few hours at midday, and leave the other light (and heat) source on 12/12, and see how that does.
Thanks again,
Jamie
I think I'll adjust the timer on the uv bulb to be in for just a few hours at midday, and leave the other light (and heat) source on 12/12, and see how that does.
Thanks again,
Jamie
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