Greetings!

[Lopenator]

Greetings everyone. My name is Andrew. So recently I have upgraded my hatching sulcata to a larger enclosure. I've done a few things different such as substrate. He use to be on the little green mats so as to avoid eating anything I didn't want him to try. Plus it's easier to clean. As he grew I decided to make the substrate coco coir and cypress mulch mixed in. I saw my tortoise eat a piece of cypress mulch! Is this going to present a huge issue? When I lay food down inside, sometimes he'll mistake the mulch for food as well. But I saw him try a piece even without any food.

I thought cypress mulch was good for him. Do you think the piece he ate will kill him?

By the way he is 1 yr old now & I got him fresh out of the egg. He still had his yolk sac on him
He's never been on substrate like this before so it's all new to him


By the way, I been a lurker on the forum for quite some time.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the amino! For now, compare your care with these-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
Beginner Mistakes

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...rg/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
Your tortoise should be fine, but I would watch him to make sure he poops.
Sulcatas are burrowing tortoises, so they should never not have substrate unless they are sick and you have to use paper towels to keep it clean.
Are you not feeding on something to keep it off the substrate?
Welcome to the forum!

 

[Lopenator]

Welcome to the amino! For now, compare your care with these-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
Beginner Mistakes

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...rg/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
Your tortoise should be fine, but I would watch him to make sure he poops.
Sulcatas are burrowing tortoises, so they should never not have substrate unless they are sick and you have to use paper towels to keep it clean.
Are you not feeding on something to keep it off the substrate?
Welcome to the forum!

Wait you said they are burrowing animals, so substrate is bad? So cococoir and mulch is no good? No I feed him on a stone but sometimes he kicks substrate in his dish. And I even saw him try a piece randomly.
I would think since they are burrowing animals, the cypress mulch and cococoir is good

By the way I've read all that. Over and over a long time ago. I been on the form quite some time but never registered.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Wait you said they are burrowing animals, so substrate is bad? So cococoir and mulch is no good? No I feed him on a stone but sometimes he kicks substrate in his dish. And I even saw him try a piece randomly.

No no no, they should never NOT have substrate, as in they should ALWAYS have substrate. Sorry for wording that weirdly, lol

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings.... enclosure looks nice and humid, that’s a great plus.

To your question, eating a piece of that mulch won’t cause harm. You could get ur self a nice large terra cotta plant saucer and place the food in there. Or, place food on a large piece of tile/slate. This will help alleviate that problem.

Your sully’s Shell looks nice, smooth and well taken care of.

Good luck.

• Ps, you could always add or substitute fine grade orchid bark if the eating the cypress continues. When our Sully was young and in a similar enclosure, I used a mixture of coco coir, cypress mulch, orchid bark, and peat moss. The combo worked well for our Sully and her keepers.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Eating the substrate is normal. They’re trying to get minerals and vitamins. What do you feed, and do you use a reptile vitamin?

 

[Lopenator]

Eating the substrate is normal. They’re trying to get minerals and vitamins. What do you feed, and do you use a reptile vitamin?

I feed him all the weeds I know are good in my yard especially grass. Since it is winter time here, I need to be creative. Once a week I sprinkle vitamins on red leaf lettuce. Twice a week he gets mazuri mixed with lettuce. Once a week gets squash with cactus. And all other times it's grass that I grow

I know lettuce isn't good for them, but it's also no bad. I need fillers in winter time you know? It's hard this season. But I still give him the vits he needs as best as I can

 

[TechnoCheese]

I feed him all the weeds I know are good in my yard especially grass. Since it is winter time here, I need to be creative. Once a week I sprinkle vitamins on red leaf lettuce. Twice a week he gets mazuri mixed with lettuce. Once a week gets squash with cactus. And all other times it's grass that I grow

Your diet doesn’t sound bad, and I don’t think it should be a problem. I know mine went through that phase when he was a year old, lol

 

[Lopenator]

Thank you for your opinion on him eating the mulch. I been freaking out all morning waiting for my account to get approved haha. Just need to keep my eye on him though. But really thank you. I guess now I'll see him poop a piece of mulch.

You definitely alleviated some stress for me.

 

[Yvonne G]

He looks great! I love the closed chamber you made.

 

[Lopenator]

He looks great! I love the closed chamber you made.

Thank you! I put so much effort into making him happy

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome, good looking sulcata you’ve got there.

 

[Lopenator]

Welcome, good looking sulcata you’ve got there.

Thank you ever so much!

 

[Destben]

I feed him all the weeds I know are good in my yard especially grass. Since it is winter time here, I need to be creative. Once a week I sprinkle vitamins on red leaf lettuce. Twice a week he gets mazuri mixed with lettuce. Once a week gets squash with cactus. And all other times it's grass that I grow

I know lettuce isn't good for them, but it's also no bad. I need fillers in winter time you know? It's hard this season. But I still give him the vits he needs as best as I can

I found a great dried filler mix i put on my veggies from tortoise supply. It smells amazing!!
https://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay
I also put this in my torts food regularly
https://www.tortoisesupply.com/Dandelionleaf

 

[Lopenator]

I found a great dried filler mix i put on my veggies from tortoise supply. It smells amazing!!
https://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay
I also put this in my torts food regularly
https://www.tortoisesupply.com/Dandelionleaf

Definitely going to order this! Thanks for the info!

 

[Destben]

Great looking baby the shell is so smooth!!!! I use repti bark for my substrate I know you can find it cheaper at the hardware store though.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Andrew

 

[Lopenator]

Hi Andrew
View attachment 230979

Thank you for the warm welcomes!

 

[DamJoe08]

How did you make the enclosure?

 

[Jay Bagley]

Greetings everyone. My name is Andrew. So recently I have upgraded my hatching sulcata to a larger enclosure. I've done a few things different such as substrate. He use to be on the little green mats so as to avoid eating anything I didn't want him to try. Plus it's easier to clean. As he grew I decided to make the substrate coco coir and cypress mulch mixed in. I saw my tortoise eat a piece of cypress mulch! Is this going to present a huge issue? When I lay food down inside, sometimes he'll mistake the mulch for food as well. But I saw him try a piece even without any food.

I thought cypress mulch was good for him. Do you think the piece he ate will kill him?

By the way he is 1 yr old now & I got him fresh out of the egg. He still had his yolk sac on him
He's never been on substrate like this before so it's all new to him
View attachment 230927View attachment 230928View attachment 230929

By the way, I been a lurker on the forum for quite some time.

Welcome, your tortoise looks super healthy and happy!! I had problems with mine too eating cypress mulch. I caught him eating a piece once, and thought it was an isolated incident. But then I started to see pieces in his stool. I ended up changing my substrate to the orchid bark, and switching my brand of mineral to Mineral all and haven't had any more issues since. I like your enclosure to.