Help me design an enclosure

[hobie237]

I'm planning to buy a Sulcata, most likely a hatchling, to raise. I'm working on an indoor enclosure design for the little bugger. While I'm not sure exactly what length and width I'll use, I was planning to make it 3-4 feet deep, so that I can fill it 2-3 feet deep with sand, since I know they like to dig. Basically, I'd like to make it as close to a natural habitat as possible.

Now, Home Depot sells bags of sand for $3 each, 50 lbs each, but that's only 1/2 cubic foot. I figure I'll need at least 20 cubic feet of sand, as a bare minimum, so that'd be a half ton of sand (wow), and 40 of those bags would add up really fast ($120). For that price, I may as well drive down to the beach and shovel a pile of sand into the bed of my truck.

So, is this a bad idea? What's this I hear about it being bad for them if they live in sand? Would beach sand be bad because it can introduce parasites or whatever?

I'm just a confused n00b, take it easy on me!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm planning to buy a Sulcata, most likely a hatchling, to raise. I'm working on an indoor enclosure design for the little bugger. While I'm not sure exactly what length and width I'll use, I was planning to make it 3-4 feet deep, so that I can fill it 2-3 feet deep with sand, since I know they like to dig. Basically, I'd like to make it as close to a natural habitat as possible.

Now, Home Depot sells bags of sand for $3 each, 50 lbs each, but that's only 1/2 cubic foot. I figure I'll need at least 20 cubic feet of sand, as a bare minimum, so that'd be a half ton of sand (wow), and 40 of those bags would add up really fast ($120). For that price, I may as well drive down to the beach and shovel a pile of sand into the bed of my truck.

So, is this a bad idea? What's this I hear about it being bad for them if they live in sand? Would beach sand be bad because it can introduce parasites or whatever?

I'm just a confused n00b, take it easy on me!

100% sand is a bad idea! For one thing, you say you want the tortoise to be able to dig. The sand would just keep collapsing and wouldn't hold shape to allow for digging. Another thing, if they should happen to get sand on their food then eat it, it might cause impaction. I have seen sand impaction on hatchlings and its not something they recover from. Ron Tremper (Curator of Reptiles at the Fresno Zoo) wrote a paper on sand impaction on hatchling desert tortoises, which included radiographs. All of the babies he wrote about died. Sorry I couldn't find it in a GOOGLE search for you to read also.

You can buy Playsand at Lowe's or any home improvement store. Playsand is sterilized and cleaned for children. You mix the Playsand 50/50 with coconut coir or top soil. Quite a few tortoise keepers use this substrate.

I prefer to use Cypress mulch or Orchid bark. You can moisten it and it stays moistened underneath, but the lights quickly dry out the top layer. You want a bit of humidity in your baby's habitat to help his carapace grow smooth and not pyramid. You also need to have a large enough space so he can exercise...another factor in pyramiding.

If you want a truly large habitat for a baby, think about using an old 4 shelf book case. Take out the shelves and lay it on its back. Line it with some sort of water proof liner then add your substrate and decorate it to your heart's content. Add your hiding places and lights and voila!

It really isn't necessary to make the substrate as deep as you mention in your post. They aren't going to dig that deep as hatchlings. And if you don't want your 100lb sulcata to dig to China, don't encourage him when he's a hatchling to learn to dig! If you provide a couple nice hiding places, he won't need to dig to feel safe.

Yvonne

PS: Beach sand is salty...another bad idea.

 

[purpod]

Sounds like yvonne has gotcha covered ~ It's good to see one asking for advice and asking questions before the purchase ~ that's quite pleasing.

Bestest wishes,
Purpod

 

[hobie237]

That's the type of information I need, thanks!

It really looks like I'm overthinking things since I'll almost certainly be getting a hatchling to start out, although my girlfriend and I plan to build an "animal intensive" backyard- a pond, some tortoises, all sorts of things. She's really into fish, so I have to accomodate that, but it means I get pretty much free range with the type of enclosure I build, since I put up with her fish tanks!

So my new plans are to make something, maybe 4'x3', with a mixed substrate of playsand and topsoil (easiest to come by)- I saw mentions of blending in peat moss? Any thoughts on that?

When the little guy is real little (say, under a year) should I cut out the sand entirely? I don't want to take any chances I don't have to. I hadn't thought about the "not teaching them to dig" before, but it makes sense. I just want the bugger to be happy and healthy.

 

[Laura]

Instead of buying a hatchling, ( they can have issues,, lots of people losing them lately. :-( )
have you considered going thru a rescue and giving one in need a new home? Lots of them out there..
And when it comes time for that outdoor area.. be carefull with ponds.. Sulcatas can drown. A shallow wading area is all they need.

 

[hobie237]

I am seriously considering a rescue, if I can find a small enough tortoise through one, but it seems that people only put them up for adoption when they get really big. Right now I'd like to raise a smaller one to a bigger size.

 

[purpod]

I don't think you are over-thinking things at all! Intelligent thought into the creation of your home will make it accessible, interesting, healthy and it will be something that can accomodate and grow for time.

For my baby & juvenile leopard torties, they have a good sized area {roughly 5' x 10'}, but I have only given them half of the space available at this time.. I don't want someone getting lost, and when they are small, it's not difficult, lol.

Xllnt idea, too, Laura.

Bestest wishes to you and your GF in your endeavors.
Purpod