Hello from Washington State!

SweetKaykes

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Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
Yesterday I became a proud mommy of a little baby African Spurred tortoise. I have been researching these guys for months to make sure I was as prepared as possible. I just joined this group so I could learn from people who have raised these guys from hatchlings. If anyone has experience with these little guys and has anything interesting to share, I would love to hear it!

image.jpg
 
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pguinpro

Guest
Yesterday I became a proud mommy of a little baby African Spurred tortoise. I have been researching these guys for months to make sure I was as prepared as possible. I just joined this group so I could learn from people who have raised these guys from hatchlings. If anyone has experience with these little guys and has anything interesting to share, I would love to hear it!
I would recommend using one of these and saving that water dish for when your tort is bigger.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pennington-8-in-Terra-Cotta-Clay-Saucer-100043039/100333374 Also you could simply use a coffee container lid or something like that.
 
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pguinpro

Guest
Also I would reccomend getting an enclosure, tub/chest/bookshelf with acrylic or glass over the top, because he needs the humidity and right now in WA it is definitely not humid.
 

TechnoCheese

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Welcome to the forum! There are a lot of changes that need to be made to your enclosure.

-that sand needs to be removed ASAP. It’s a huge impaction risk as well as an eye, nose, skin, and cloaka irritant, and can’t hold the humidity your tortoise desperately needs. It’s especially dangerous because it appears that you’re feeding him on it.

What is the other substrate?

-that water bowl is a flipping and drowning hazard, and it needs to be replaced with a terra cotta saucer.

- open topped enclosures make it impossible to hold the 80-100% humidity you need. You need an entirely enclosed enclosure with little to no ventilation to keep in humidity and make it easier to sustain proper temps.

Please give these a read and make changes-
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/
 

TechnoCheese

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Welcome to the forum! There are a lot of changes that need to be made to your enclosure.

-that sand needs to be removed ASAP. It’s a huge impaction risk as well as an eye, nose, skin, and cloaka irritant, and can’t hold the humidity your tortoise desperately needs. It’s especially dangerous because it appears that you’re feeding him on it.

What is the other substrate?

-that water bowl is a flipping and drowning hazard, and it needs to be replaced with a terra cotta saucer.

- open topped enclosures make it impossible to hold the 80-100% humidity you need. You need an entirely enclosed enclosure with little to no ventilation to keep in humidity and make it easier to sustain proper temps.

Please give these a read and make changes-
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/

Unless that’s not sand and I’m just blind? Please correct me if it isn’t.
 

SweetKaykes

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
Also I would reccomend getting an enclosure, tub/chest/bookshelf with acrylic or glass over the top, because he needs the humidity and right now in WA it is definitely not humid.

I will definitely look into a new water bowl, I saw another comment about this as well. As for the humidity, he is in his own room in the house and we keep the humidity and temperature of the room controlled. My husband is an indoor gardener for a big business so he was able to set up this room so that it holds humidity well. And we have a thermostat that reads humidity and temperature and so far it has been able to remain consistent.
I read about this sand and I read that it helped them become strong, I feed him on the rocks though to keep sand out of his food. I also read that rocks will help him become strong as well.
The other side is organic cocoa. That is where I plan to plant his food so he will be living in his own garden. We will get the seeds in a couple days, we ordered them.
All this is just from stuff I’ve read and researched, please let me know if I am wrong about any of this.
 

SweetKaykes

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
Welcome to the forum! There are a lot of changes that need to be made to your enclosure.

-that sand needs to be removed ASAP. It’s a huge impaction risk as well as an eye, nose, skin, and cloaka irritant, and can’t hold the humidity your tortoise desperately needs. It’s especially dangerous because it appears that you’re feeding him on it.

What is the other substrate?

-that water bowl is a flipping and drowning hazard, and it needs to be replaced with a terra cotta saucer.

- open topped enclosures make it impossible to hold the 80-100% humidity you need. You need an entirely enclosed enclosure with little to no ventilation to keep in humidity and make it easier to sustain proper temps.

Please give these a read and make changes-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/How-To-Raise-A-Healthy-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/

I just realized I replied to the wrong comment about your suggestions. Lol.
I posted a picture of the sand I am using, but I feed him on the rocks. Could this still be a problem?
I will definitely get him a new water bowl as I saw another comment about this.
The other substrate is organic cocoa that I was planning on planting seeds for his food. For right now I’m feeding him what I have been reading about. Dandelion greens, kale, etc. what all do you feed yours?
I wrote on the other comment about the environment. My husband is an indoor gardener so we keep this whole room at a consistent temperature and humidity. If this is still wrong please let me know.
I will attach a photo of the other substrate.
 

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TechnoCheese

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Lewisville, Texas
I just realized I replied to the wrong comment about your suggestions. Lol.
I posted a picture of the sand I am using, but I feed him on the rocks. Could this still be a problem?
I will definitely get him a new water bowl as I saw another comment about this.
The other substrate is organic cocoa that I was planning on planting seeds for his food. For right now I’m feeding him what I have been reading about. Dandelion greens, kale, etc. what all do you feed yours?
I wrote on the other comment about the environment. My husband is an indoor gardener so we keep this whole room at a consistent temperature and humidity. If this is still wrong please let me know.
I will attach a photo of the other substrate.

Walnut shells are actually worse than sand because, while it still impacts, is a skin, eye, nose, and cloaka irritant, and doesn’t get very damp, it’s actually very sharp little granules that have caused internal bleeding when eaten. Even when feeding on rocks, tortoises drag their food everywhere.

Coconut coir is fine, but I doubt you’ll be able to grow plants in it. It doesn’t have much nutrients for them.

For food, be sure to read the “for those who have a Young Sulcata” link.
 

TechnoCheese

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Joined
Feb 20, 2016
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Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
I read about this sand and I read that it helped them become strong, I feed him on the rocks though to keep sand out of his food. I also read that rocks will help him become strong as well.
Where did you hear that? How would it make them strong?
 

SweetKaykes

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
Walnut shells are actually worse than sand because, while it still impacts, is a skin, eye, nose, and cloaka irritant, and doesn’t get very damp, it’s actually very sharp little granules that have caused internal bleeding when eaten. Even when feeding on rocks, tortoises drag their food everywhere.

Coconut coir is fine, but I doubt you’ll be able to grow plants in it. It doesn’t have much nutrients for them.

For food, be sure to read the “for those who have a Young Sulcata” link
Walnut shells are actually worse than sand because, while it still impacts, is a skin, eye, nose, and cloaka irritant, and doesn’t get very damp, it’s actually very sharp little granules that have caused internal bleeding when eaten. Even when feeding on rocks, tortoises drag their food everywhere.

Coconut coir is fine, but I doubt you’ll be able to grow plants in it. It doesn’t have much nutrients for them.

For food, be sure to read the “for those who have a Young Sulcata” link.

Thank you! I was actually reading this earlier. Cactus, mizuri, and the leafy greens are what we are feeding and that seemed to match with that post. Although there are a lot on that list That I didn’t know. I have copied it all down for reference.
 
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Yvonne G

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I will definitely look into a new water bowl, I saw another comment about this as well. As for the humidity, he is in his own room in the house and we keep the humidity and temperature of the room controlled. My husband is an indoor gardener for a big business so he was able to set up this room so that it holds humidity well. And we have a thermostat that reads humidity and temperature and so far it has been able to remain consistent.
I read about this sand and I read that it helped them become strong, I feed him on the rocks though to keep sand out of his food. I also read that rocks will help him become strong as well.
The other side is organic cocoa. That is where I plan to plant his food so he will be living in his own garden. We will get the seeds in a couple days, we ordered them.
All this is just from stuff I’ve read and researched, please let me know if I am wrong about any of this.

Here's a quote from your first post:

" If anyone has experience with these little guys and has anything interesting to share, I would love to hear it!"

And so, THAT's what the members above have been sharing with you - their experience in raising baby sulcatas. Yet you've argued back with each of them.
#1 - is your room 80 to 100% humidity? That's what a baby sulcata needs in order to grow a smooth shell
#2 - sand helps him become strong? My experience is the total opposite of that statement. Walking on sand that constantly slips away from the foot may cause the legs to splay out (called spraddle leg in birds). Sand is also harmful to their eyes, and might cause impaction if ingested.
#3 - Walnut shells make horrible substrate for most reptiles since the pieces tend to be too jagged and if swallowed, it might get stuck in the digestive tract. Crushed walnut shell, Sand, and similar tend to cause fatal impactions to turtles and tortoises in captivity.

I appreciate that you don't just blindly accept our statements. But if you would read the threads shown in the links above by technocheese, all will be explained for you. These were written by a very experienced member who actually performed experiments on clutches of his own baby sulcatas, and kept experimenting until he had the care down pat. He posted the results of his experiments here on the forum, and if you search way back you can read about them to help you understand.
 
Last edited:

SweetKaykes

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
Here's a quote from your first post:

" If anyone has experience with these little guys and has anything interesting to share, I would love to hear it!"

And so, THAT's what the members above have been sharing with you - their experience in raising baby sulcatas. Yet you've argued back with each of them.
#1 - is your room 80 to 100% humidity? That's what a baby sulcata needs in order to grow a smooth shell
#2 - sand helps him become strong? My experience is the total opposite of that statement. Walking on sand that constantly slips away from the foot may cause the legs to splay out (called spraddle leg in birds). Sand is also harmful to their eyes, and might cause impaction if ingested.
#3 - Walnut shells make horrible substrate for most reptiles since the pieces tend to be too jagged and if swallowed, it might get stuck in the digestive tract. Crushed walnut shell, Sand, and similar tend to cause fatal impactions to turtles and tortoises in captivity.

I appreciate that you don't just blindly accept our statements. But if you would read the threads shown in the links above by technocheese, all will be explained for you. These were written by a very experienced member who actually performed experiments on clutches of his own baby sulcatas, and kept experimenting until he had the care down pat. He posted the results of his experiments here on the forum, and if you search way back you can read about them to help you understand.

I’m sorry if you thought I was arguing with them. But if you read my above comment you will see that I read the links that were posted and I told the person who posted them that they were right and that I appreciated their help.....
I was asked how sand would help them become strong and I was simply repeating what I had read. The sand is already gone thanks to the helpful comments I received. I have also replaced the water bowl.
I am here to learn how to beat care for my baby and I am very appreciative of the help I have received.
 
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pguinpro

Guest
I’m sorry if you thought I was arguing with them. But if you read my above comment you will see that I read the links that were posted and I told the person who posted them that they were right and that I appreciated their help.....
I was asked how sand would help them become strong and I was simply repeating what I had read. The sand is already gone thanks to the helpful comments I received. I have also replaced the water bowl.
I am here to learn how to beat care for my baby and I am very appreciative of the help I have received.
No worries, good call on replacing the water bowl & sand. Are you doing daily soaks in warm water too? How's the temps, humidity, and diet?
 

SweetKaykes

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Joined
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Messages
77
Location (City and/or State)
Bellingham, WA
No worries, good call on replacing the water bowl & sand. Are you doing daily soaks in warm water too? How's the temps, humidity, and diet?

I am soaking him once or twice a day for about 20 minutes in lukewarm water. If he doesn’t poo the first time I do it again later.
The temperature of the whole room is 80f and the humidity stays around 89%. His basking spot stays between 98 and 100f.
His diet is mostly greens right now. We ordered cactus from tortoise town.com. And we got Mazuri also, although I keep reading inconsistent information on how often to feed it to him. Is this a once a week thing or every couple days?
 

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