Download Speed

[Runnergirl31]

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forums but not tort ownership. My parents has two sulcata's when I was in my early 20's and I was able to learn a lot from them before we had to re home them (my father couldn't keep them due to his transplant and their potential for salmonella). I have always been a huge fan of torts and have always wanted one but wasn't quite ready to make the commitment. I sufficed to get tort tattoos vs real ones. Well fast forward to my bridal shower yesterday and my mother got me a baby sulcata! He/she is about 8-6 weeks old and is literally the cutest thing I've ever held, I cried when I saw her/he. Since we dont know the sex yet I names her Scout, after To Kill a Mockingbird. Since then I have been shopping and downloading information into my brain at alarming rate. I am determining Scout's daily diet and what fruits and what quantity of fruits he/she should have. I have been using this forum a lot and its providing such amazing contextual information! Anyway thats my introduction thread. I look forward to getting to know everyone and learning as much as I can about my newest baby.

Thank you!

MK

 

[EllieMay]

Welcome!!! I look forward to following your progress!! I am raising two baby Sulcatas as well. This forum has been instrumental in getting me going. Let’s compare notes please

 

[Runnergirl31]

YES!! I so need that! my mother gave me a tank and coconut husk? that you add water too for the substrate. How old are your's ?

 

[EllieMay]

There is a link on here for enclosures specifically for the Sulcatas.. I certainly won’t be offering advice as I am to busy gathering it myself, lol. My hatch date is supposedly 4/10... but the guy I got them from won’t answer my calls or texts so I don’t know if anything I was told is true.. I didn’t know that you couldn’t House two together until joining here. Since, I made a second enclosure out of a 4’ Rubbermaid and some plexi Glass Pickles and Crusher seem to be doing very well though. They recognize my voice and greet me but hide for others

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

Get the idea of fruits out of your head. Sulcatas shouldn't be fed fruit. You can give him a bite as a very special treat but not part of his regular diet.

I'm not saying anything bad about your dad and the way he cared for his tortoises, but you should probably forget all about that too. Taking care of sulcatas has come a long way in recent months and sulcata care is a whole new ballgame. . . especially baby sulcata care.

Please read the stickies pinned at the top of our sulcata section for the latest info.

 

[Runnergirl31]

Hi, and welcome!

Get the idea of fruits out of your head. Sulcatas shouldn't be fed fruit. You can give him a bite as a very special treat but not part of his regular diet.

I'm not saying anything bad about your dad and the way he cared for his tortoises, but you should probably forget all about that too. Taking care of sulcatas has come a long way in recent months and sulcata care is a whole new ballgame. . . especially baby sulcata care.

Please read the stickies pinned at the top of our sulcata section for the latest info.

I see that my writing left some room for interpretation. I know very well that fruits are a treat and not a diet staple. My father also knew this so no worries there. That being said I have been googling types of fruit to avoid etc. Everything I read says to let them just eat backyard grass, mine is untreated and completely my own so I know whats in it thankfully. I am kind of worried that Scout will eat something bad for him, is that a founded worry or am I being just silly? How much a day should Scout be eating and how long should I take him outside to wanted and eat? ( I am working on a summer/outside shelter but for now supervised visits will have to do.

I think its interesting that you said things have changed a lot in recent months** what do you think has changed/ what have you changed about your tort care? I am all for information so no risk of hurting my feels I just want to make sure I am giving the best most informed care to Scout.

 

[drew54]

I see that my writing left some room for interpretation. I know very well that fruits are a treat and not a diet staple. My father also knew this so no worries there. That being said I have been googling types of fruit to avoid etc. Everything I read says to let them just eat backyard grass, mine is untreated and completely my own so I know whats in it thankfully. I am kind of worried that Scout will eat something bad for him, is that a founded worry or am I being just silly? How much a day should Scout be eating and how long should I take him outside to wanted and eat? ( I am working on a summer/outside shelter but for now supervised visits will have to do.

I think its interesting that you said things have changed a lot in recent months** what do you think has changed/ what have you changed about your tort care? I am all for information so no risk of hurting my feels I just want to make sure I am giving the best most informed care to Scout.

Did you by chance get your questions answered?

 

[Yvonne G]

I think its interesting that you said things have changed a lot in recent months** what do you think has changed/ what have you changed about your tort care? I am all for information so no risk of hurting my feels I just want to make sure I am giving the best most informed care to Scout.

@Runnergirl31 - I'm sorry for answering so late, I didn't realized you had asked a question until I re-read the thread just now.

What has changed is the way we set them up. In the old days we used to put down 3 or 4 inches of alfalfa pellets for substrate and hang a hot light over the enclosure.

We have recently learned that that way of taking care of sulcata and leopard babies is the reason we have so many pyramided sulcatas and leopards in the pet trade today.

Our new knowledge tells us that sulcatas and leopards hatch out during the monsoon season in Africa. This means that they hatch out to a warm, humid, lush green world, not the desert type environment we've been keeping them in.

So now-a-days we advise folks to keep their babies in a "closed chamber." This is a totally covered enclosure where you can wet the substrate (wet, not sprinkle) and keep the whole enclosure a steady 80-85F degree temperature.

You can learn more about this by reading the stickies pinned at the top of our Sulcata section.

(Thanks @drew54 for bumping this thread!)

 

[TechnoCheese]

Here are some good links to read
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome and good luck with Scout. If you haven't read it yet daily soaks in warm water is a must and don't let it cool down. Keep as deep to where top and bottom shell meet. Some people like morning soaks to help warm up their blood. Not sure Oklahoma weather but after Scout grazes in the sun you should soak Scout also . Don't want dehydration. The container I use Opo has almost outgrown for soaks. I soak Opo for at least 1/2hr. and to keep water warm I have a large white sock full of dry rice. After trail and error without Opo in the container. I figured out how long to put sock in microwave. So to keep water warm for a good 1/2 hr and not overheat Opo's underside. Here is a pic of tub and sock.I just set tub on top of sock

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome and good luck with Scout. If you haven't read it yet daily soaks in warm water is a must and don't let it cool down. Keep as deep to where top and bottom shell meet. Some people like morning soaks to help warm up their blood. Not sure Oklahoma weather but after Scout grazes in the sun you should soak Scout also . Don't want dehydration. The container I use Opo has almost outgrown for soaks. I soak Opo for at least 1/2hr. and to keep water warm I have a large white sock full of dry rice. After trail and error without Opo in the container. I figured out how long to put sock in microwave. So to keep water warm for a good 1/2 hr and not overheat Opo's underside. Here is a pic of tub and sock.I just set tub on top of sock

If anyone is wondering about the sock with dry rice. I gave Opo my old one. I use it for heat therapy on myself. Works great and holds heat for a good period of time