Getting a star tomorrow

[tortoise5643]

I'm supposed to pick up a small Sri Lankan Star Tortoise from a Craigslist breeder tomorrow morning. It's a species I have always wanted and I came across a good deal for it. I'm very excited. Wanted to ask if keepers had any tips for keeping them or could attach a good care-sheet. Here is a picture of the "female" (they incubated for female, but who knows).
I have read online caresheets, but those often differ from the recommendations by y'all. I trust this site more, but couldn't find a caresheet for them here.

 

[Tom]

I house stars exactly the same as leopards and sulcatas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

It works great and they thrive in monsoon conditions. Stars like it hot, so don't be afraid to let the ambient climb into the 90s during the day. Mine will still bask under the heat lamp when ambient temp is in the low 90s.

 

[Markw84]

The care for stars is identical to the care for leopard tortoises. This care sheet is the best way to raise a healthy star.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/

I know you are a long time member here so please don't be offended it I suggest you be cautious about buying a star tortoise from an unknown breeder. The investment in a star is more substantial, but any tortoise is going to be with you a very long time. The way a baby tortoise is started is so vital to the longterm health of a tortoise, that one should really investigate how a tortoise is started and get one that is started right. One started dry is so often going to soon show signs of poor weight gain, possible kidney issues, etc, etc. Unfortunately I'm sure you've seen how common the issues are with people who get a new baby tortoise only to find out that despite their best efforts, nothing can be done to overcome the way it was started.

With a star, as they are so beautiful, a smooth shell with minimal pyramiding is most beautiful. It is also a sign the tortoise is well hydrated, and kept humid and most likely to thrive. The picture above of the tortoise shows one already starting to pyramid badly. That is a sign it is being raised and started dry and should be a big red flag. It might be just fine as there are plenty of healthy pyramided tortoises. But it does show it is being raised dry when it is that obvious, that young. Since you are the buyer, and you get to pick, why not start out with a tortoise with as much as possible pointing towards the best start possible?

Before you go get the tortoise tomorrow, read this thread if you have not had a chance yet.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/

I would not buy a very young star that was being kept in an open enclosure like a tortoise table.
I would make sure the tortoise had been soaked daily since hatching.
I would want to be sure it was not kept outdoors more than an hour a day, and kept in a humid and warm enclosure the rest of the time.
I would look to be sure it was not being kept on pellets, or sand, or dry wood chips. I would look for a substrate that is moist and holds moisture well.
I would ask what it is being fed and what it is eating and look for one that was offered a good variety of our lists of leafy greens from the day it hatched.

When purchasing a young tortoise, a good deal because it is less money, is often not a good deal at all. A tortoise is a long-term comminttment and the little difference in possible cost to ensure you are buying from a breeder who understands and follows the advice in the posts linked above is an investment you will be glad you made for some time to come...

 

[tortoise5643]

I house stars exactly the same as leopards and sulcatas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

It works great and they thrive in monsoon conditions. Stars like it hot, so don't be afraid to let the ambient climb into the 90s during the day. Mine will still bask under the heat lamp when ambient temp is in the low 90s.

Okay thank you.

 

[tortoise5643]

The care for stars is identical to the care for leopard tortoises. This care sheet is the best way to raise a healthy star.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/

I know you are a long time member here so please don't be offended it I suggest you be cautious about buying a star tortoise from an unknown breeder. The investment in a star is more substantial, but any tortoise is going to be with you a very long time. The way a baby tortoise is started is so vital to the longterm health of a tortoise, that one should really investigate how a tortoise is started and get one that is started right. One started dry is so often going to soon show signs of poor weight gain, possible kidney issues, etc, etc. Unfortunately I'm sure you've seen how common the issues are with people who get a new baby tortoise only to find out that despite their best efforts, nothing can be done to overcome the way it was started.

With a star, as they are so beautiful, a smooth shell with minimal pyramiding is most beautiful. It is also a sign the tortoise is well hydrated, and kept humid and most likely to thrive. The picture above of the tortoise shows one already starting to pyramid badly. That is a sign it is being raised and started dry and should be a big red flag. It might be just fine as there are plenty of healthy pyramided tortoises. But it does show it is being raised dry when it is that obvious, that young. Since you are the buyer, and you get to pick, why not start out with a tortoise with as much as possible pointing towards the best start possible?

Before you go get the tortoise tomorrow, read this thread if you have not had a chance yet.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/

I would not buy a very young star that was being kept in an open enclosure like a tortoise table.
I would make sure the tortoise had been soaked daily since hatching.
I would want to be sure it was not kept outdoors more than an hour a day, and kept in a humid and warm enclosure the rest of the time.
I would look to be sure it was not being kept on pellets, or sand, or dry wood chips. I would look for a substrate that is moist and holds moisture well.
I would ask what it is being fed and what it is eating and look for one that was offered a good variety of our lists of leafy greens from the day it hatched.

When purchasing a young tortoise, a good deal because it is less money, is often not a good deal at all. A tortoise is a long-term comminttment and the little difference in possible cost to ensure you are buying from a breeder who understands and follows the advice in the posts linked above is an investment you will be glad you made for some time to come...

Thank you. I definitely wouldn't be offended to receive any advice. I will definitely bring up a lot of those (soaking, foods, humidity, outdoor time, 4 cage temps) when I meet them tomorrow. They did breed it, so they have some knowledge, but that doesn't say much since many people breed sulcatas and stick the babies on dry sand with no soaking.

 

[tortoise5643]

Soaked him and put him in front of food.

The lady said she soaks him, keeps him on bark (not great, but not sand), and feeds him leafy greens. She did say she doesn't keep it that humid in the cage, but that she doesn't keep it dry. He seems healthy and the pyramiding isn't as bad as it looked in the picture she sent me.

 

[tortoise5643]

He's now munching down on the romaine. Will try grass soon.

 

[Markw84]

Congratulations! I love the stars! Please keep us updated as your tortoise grows.