hello from Indonesia

[Fandy]

Hi everyone, I own a sulcata for nearly a year now since she was a juvenile, i tend to keep my sulcata inside a box of 120x60x25cm and she rarely got sun exposure due to my work commitment.

Recently i just notice that her eyes are watery but she still got lots of appetite for her food. I mainly feed her with collards, chicory, cucumber and carrot.
Any other tortoise owner have the same problem?

Cheers

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forums! there are some things that need to change with the care you are giving your sulcata. in a young sulcatas enclosure they need a moist and humid enclosure with water present at all times, replace the news paper with coco coir, orchard bark or cypress mulch all of theses substates work well when moist. her eyes of watery because she is to dry. there needs to be much more variety in her diet, grasses and nontoxic weeds should be most of her diet. do you use a UVB bulb? how often do you soak? whats her cage temps? read this entire care sheet and if you have any more questions we will be happy to help. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[crimson_lotus]

Without sunlight or UVB your tortoise will get Metabolic Bone Disease. Please read the care sheet, tortoises should not be kept on newspaper. Simple dirt would be 1000x better. You should also add a water dish as your tortoise is very likely dry and dehydrated in those conditions.

Also welcome to the forum!

 

[Fandy]

Hi all, thanks a lot for the informations. Yes I do use the solar glo uva+uvb bulb but only when it is raining outside as I do not want to overheat my sulcata. The normal temperature in our place is 28-35 degree C and it will get even warmer in the summer where air condition is a must in every room we are living.

I also put a basking stone and torto dish inside the box. For the torto dish, I only put vegtables on it as I thought by filling it with water will make the place humid.

I only soak my sulcata when i need to clean her up which is normally once a week for 15 minutes.

I notice there is a slight pyramiding her carapace, the pet shop guy recommend me to feed her with calcium supplement. May I ask for opinion?

Cheers

 

[stojanovski92113]

Very nice tortoise. Your tortoise most definitely needs a substrate of some kind so that he can burrow himself in and provide overall humidity for his health. Many use coco coir, mulch, sphagnum moss, but your tort needs something. Do you soak your tortoise daily in warm water?

 

[Fandy]

I soaked my sulcata about once a week with water from the sink which is at moderate temperature. After looking at the replies from fellow members and do a bit research i just realize that i have been wrong in understanding that sulcata need to live in dry environment rather than moist environment.

I am planning to cover the box with mini elephant grass (that is what its called in my country).
Is it ok to suddenly change its environment?

Cheers

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi all, thanks a lot for the informations. Yes I do use the solar glo uva+uvb bulb but only when it is raining outside as I do not want to overheat my sulcata. The normal temperature in our place is 28-35 degree C and it will get even warmer in the summer where air condition is a must in every room we are living.

I also put a basking stone and torto dish inside the box. For the torto dish, I only put vegtables on it as I thought by filling it with water will make the place humid.

I only soak my sulcata when i need to clean her up which is normally once a week for 15 minutes.

I notice there is a slight pyramiding her carapace, the pet shop guy recommend me to feed her with calcium supplement. May I ask for opinion?

Cheers

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Pyramiding isn't caused by food or calcium. It is there because the tortoise is living on newspaper. He needs a moist substrate. It's the moisture and humidity that helps the shells grow smoothly.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
It's good to have you here learning how to give your baby a happier life.
Take the advice given above and he will be much happier and so will you.

 

[Fandy]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Pyramiding isn't caused by food or calcium. It is there because the tortoise is living on newspaper. He needs a moist substrate. It's the moisture and humidity that helps the shells grow smoothly.

Hi Yvonne, I just knew about the moisture enclosure after joining this forum. When i first purchased my sulcata the shop owner told me it is fine to just put newspaper underneath as long as i do not feed my sulcata with any vegetables that are high in protein contained.

In the next few day I will try to fill the box with sand etc.

Cheers

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

No, not sand!!!
This can be very bad for the tortoise if it swallows it. Can make him very sick.
Look at the list of substrates listed by Stojanovski above.
Use packed earth if necessary, but not just sand.

 

[Fandy]

Yea, i mean packed earth where we normally plant crops, i jus could not figure out the word for it.

Cheers

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome. Looks like you are getting lots great advise here. Just follow it and your torts will be beautiful and health! ! !

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Welcome!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . Keep reading there is a lot of info. Here !

 

[pam]

Welcome