Hatchling sulcata

[keanucutting42]

Hi I am based in uk I have a 7months old sulcata all healthy ect but his development a squeak the pet store I got him from has said they will exchange for another hatchling sulcata from another batch of hatchlings as they have never had this happen before so here goes my questions

Bedroom temp I got is 70f-75f

Ambient temp is 80f-85f

Basking area is 95f-100f

Humidity I’ve been told just leave it alone in tort table so that’s what I have done

Bathing every 3 days for 30mins a time water is 80-85f and i put it half way up first scutes

Also I have him in a tortoise table which I am now being told is wrong and I need a Viv or closed chamber enclosure so I am looking at a 36x15x15 for first year or 2 off the new sulcata tortoise I will be getting

1st picture is bedroom temp

2nd picture is top is ambient temp middle basking and bottom humidity

3rd picture if u look behind his eyes u will see a water mark where he crys and rubs the tears with his legs and he makes a squeak noise I do have a video off this but can’t post for some reason

All info in this is what pet store has given me so please no hate I know people will read this and hate me for exchanging for another hatchling sulcata but this has now been going on for the past 13wks and driving a hour here and there to pet store so they can look at him they even took him for 2wks and said nothing is wrong 3 days later after bringing him home he squeaks for all 3 days


Thanks in advance for all help and info u all give to me

 

[wellington]

Temps should never be below 80F day and night with the basking of 95-100.
80% humidity in a closed chamber enclosure.
The enclosure you are looking to get is too small. He will out grow it in a year of less with correct care and diet
Likely cold temps caused the squeak. Upping the temps to the correct level would have fixed it most likely

 

[keanucutting42]

Temps should never be below 80F day and night with the basking of 95-100.
80% humidity in a closed chamber enclosure.
The enclosure you are looking to get is too small. He will out grow it in a year of less with correct care and diet
Likely cold temps caused the squeak. Upping the temps to the correct level would have fixed it most likely

I have upped the temps cold side is now at 80f on habistat so if it drops below this it turns heat mats that are sellotaped to ceiling on and this isn’t a closed chamber this is a tort table with a piece of 18mm ply on top

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome!

Few things to address, first off, when you say ‘bedroom temperature’ are you referring to the section the tortoise sleeps in? If so that is way too cold, temperature shouldn’t be dropping below 80 in any part of the enclosure day or night. If he’s been repeatedly exposed to temps in the 70’s at night, that could explain the squeaking.

Ambient and basking temp is fine.

Humidity needs to be maintained 80+ all over 24/7, which will only be possible in the closed chamber you’re planning, but still needs appropriately maintaining. The size you’re thinking won’t last you anywhere near 2 years.

Hatchlings need soaking daily, water temperature being 85-95f.

All the information the store has given you is wrong, which is so common unfortunately, they are 100% lying to you if they say they’ve not had these issues before if this is how they’re raising their sulcata hatchlings, no baby tortoise should be housed in an open topped wooden tortoise table.

I think you’ll hopefully find this thread useful to look through, I go over correct kinds of equipment, appropriately maintaining humidity, there’s a helpful link for diet! Along with lots of visual examples for everything

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for this guy until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give you some ideas! I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to...

tortoiseforum.org

I think you’ll find this one handy too, it’s good to look through to avoid the wrong bulbs(lots of stores recommend the wrong ones) the wrong materials etc

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Give them a read and let us know if you have further questions!

 

[wellington]

I have upped the temps cold side is now at 80f on habistat so if it drops below this it turns heat mats that are sellotaped to ceiling on and this isn’t a closed chamber this is a tort table with a piece of 18mm ply on top

Yes I understand it's a table but it needs to be a closed chamber ASAP, with the temps and humidity I mentioned.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

These will also be a good read!

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Tom has lots of hands on experience with this species.
I am curious how you plan to house a sulcata appropriately in the uk thoughmany aren’t unfortunately once they’re bigger