Hatching sulcata care

[lanemccabe1024]

How much should I feed him a day and how often do I most him and also is it okay is the humidity is not always at 80 % can it be around 60-70

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

You should feed him as much of the right foods as he will eat daily.

Misting does very little, but won't hurt anything.

Pyramiding will be more likely and more severe at lower humidity levels. 60-70% is not enough for me.

Give these a read through for more of the current care info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[lanemccabe1024]

Thank you

 

[lanemccabe1024]

I am feeding the tortoise tortoise food from the pet store but am soon buying some spineless prickly pair and and other edible plants for the lil guy we also have store bought substrate called eco earth I believe do you think it will be okay

 

[lanemccabe1024]

Also how do I keep the humidity at 80% or more and the substrate around the basking light is pretty dry is that fine

 

[TechnoCheese]

Also how do I keep the humidity at 80% or more and the substrate around the basking light is pretty dry is that fine

Could we see a picture of your enclosure? If it’s opened top, there’s no way to maintain humidity. It needs to be completely enclosed.

 

[daniellenc]

When you say food from the pet store you’re referring to pellets right? If so I’d start adding some weeds and grocery store greens now before you have a picky tort. Pellets are fine here and there but shouldn’t be his main diet.

 

[lanemccabe1024]

Okay thank you I’ll send a pic

 

[lanemccabe1024]

This is gonna sound stupid [emoji23]but I just got this app and idk how to send pictures ‍♂️

 

[Stuart S.]

This is gonna sound stupid [emoji23]but I just got this app and idk how to send pictures ‍♂️

When you hit reply, look just above the keyboard on your phone and you’ll see an image that looks like a mountain, click that and it should take you to your images

 

[TechnoCheese]

This is gonna sound stupid [emoji23]but I just got this app and idk how to send pictures ‍♂️

Sorry for the messy writing

 

[lanemccabe1024]

It’s not there for me

 

[lanemccabe1024]

Never mind I figured it out

 

[lanemccabe1024]

 

[lanemccabe1024]

So does anyone see anything that I could change to make my enclosure more suitable for my tortoise

 

[Tom]

So does anyone see anything that I could change to make my enclosure more suitable for my tortoise

Yes. All of it. All the info for the changes to make is in the threads that were linked for you. I know this is discouraging, but most people get it wrong the first time because most of the care info circulating around out in the world is wrong.

You need:

1. A closed chamber, not an open tub.
2. Different substrate and much more of it. Coir is too messy for sulcatas. Fine grade orchid bark works best.
3. A larger terra-cotta saucer sunk into the substrate for food and water.
4. A different lighting hood with a different bulb.
5. A different fixture with a florescent tube for UV, not a coil bulb.
6. A humid hide.
7. More accurate and reliable thermometer hygrometer. You can get a digital one for about $10.

Its all explained here:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Tom]

I just want to add that I did it all wrong for nearly two decades because I followed the typical wrong advice, so don't feel too discouraged. Imagine if you had beed doing it all wrong for 20 years before finally figuring this out. Now that is discouraging...

 

[lanemccabe1024]

How much will all this cost me

 

[TechnoCheese]

How much will all this cost me

Depends completely on where you get it. Likely around 100$ or more, unless you can find them or build them for cheap. Tortoises are expensive pets.

 

[lanemccabe1024]

Okay thank you I will make these changes