Hello from Texas

kevmyles

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Cedar Park, TX
Hello,
I'm Kevin. I'm a pet lover and I just got my 2 new baby sulcatas today. I'm looking forward to growing them so I can get them outside in my backyard.

IMG_20180922_124937.jpg IMG_20180922_122339.jpg IMG_20180922_122254.jpg
 

TechnoCheese

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Feb 20, 2016
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Lewisville, Texas
Welcome to the forum! There are a lot of things that need to be changed.

-your tortoises need to be separated. Tortoises, especially sulcatas, are solitary creatures that should never be kept in pairs. In pairs, there is always a dominant and a subordinate, and both tortoises are constantly stressed.

-that bedding is very dangerous. Not only is it much too dry, but it is a huge impaction risk. It needs to be changed to coco coir, peat moss, cypress mulch, or orchid bark. You need it to be very damp, and 3 or more inches deep.

-you need a water and food bowl. You can use large terra cotta saucers for these.

-that enclosure is too small for even one Sulcata. Instead of getting a bigger tank, go to your local Walmart and buy two of the biggest tubs you can find, one for each tortoise. I would recommend a Christmas tree bin. Cut holes in the lid for the heating/lighting, and line the holes with tin foil.

-I would put in more hides. Your enclosure is currently very open.

-you need 80% humidity minimum in the enclosure. To achieve this, you need to House the tortoises in a closed chamber, or a tub. You need to have as little ventilation as you can get.

Be sure that you’re soaking daily, and that the temps never fall below 80 in the coolest part of the enclosure day and night.

Please give these a read and come back with questions-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
 

kevmyles

New Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Cedar Park, TX
Thanks for your reply but this is only a temporary situation. I have read and read about what I need to do. I will also read the links you supplied :) The pics I posted were just hours after I got them.
I just got them today so what I have going on is okay for the short term. Thanks again for your advice.
 
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TechnoCheese

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Lewisville, Texas
Thanks for your reply but this is only a temporary situation. I have read and read about what I need to do. I will also read the links you supplied :) The pics I posted were just hours after I got them.
I just got them today so what I have going on is okay for the short term. Thanks again for your advice.

Alright, good to hear!
 

Yvonne G

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Welcome to the Forum, Kevin!

It has been my experience (although I must admit, I've never raised sulcatas from hatchling, only desert tortoises, leopards, YF and Russians) that baby tortoises seem to do a little better when kept more than one in an enclosure. Of course, more than two is better, but two can work out at first. It's a "competition for the food" thing. "I'd better hurry up and eat this before that other guy gets it." But if you notice that one is staying hidden, or not eating, or sleeping all the time, or one is growing while the other isn't, it's time to hurry up and separate them.
 

kevmyles

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Joined
Sep 22, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Cedar Park, TX
Thanks Yvonne! I am keeping them together for now. They are little guys are aren't aggressive towards each other at all yet. They are not competing for food yet either. When they time comes when one starts getting aggressive towards the other I will separate them for sure :) Mine do the same, one of them is a sleeper and the other is more active.
 
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