help!? What substrate for baby sulcata?

Priscilla Tirado

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Hi everyone,
I need help with my new baby, this is my first Sulcata tortoise; he is a new-born about 3" long. I'm not sure what bedding I should get. Petco recommended the "Desert Blend Ground English Walnut Shells", but he is eating it all! Is that fine?
I would also like to know about the lights; right now I have a UV light and a heat lamp 50W on a 10 gallon tank. Are those lamps good enough for the tank size? How often should I leave them on?

Thank you all in advance,
Priscilla
 

Jodie

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The care guide is excellent. Coco coir is the best choice for babies. It is not ok he ate the substrate. Make sure you soak this baby every day for at least 20 minutes. Per stores are awful. They over charge for all the wrong stuff. If they sold you a coil UVB light, do not use it. These cause eye damage, and blindness.
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your baby.
 

Yvonne G

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Welcome to the Forum, Priscilla!
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome.

I'm glad that you've found us because now everything will hopefully be okay. I'm sorry to have to tell you that you have gotten all the typical wrong pet store advice. After you sort through all this stuff and get it all figured out, I ask that you go and educate the people who sold you all the wrong products and gave all the wrong info.

Start by reading all of these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Then come back with all your questions.

It sounds like they sold you all the wrong stuff. Not one element was correct. When you return all the stuff they sold you, it will help the next customer if you take some time to explain why it was wrong and why you are returning it. Invite the employees and manager to come here and join our community. I have to friends that manage two different Petcos near here. They can network and check references. If two other Petco managers will vouch for me, maybe it will carry some weight with the manager of your Petco. I hate to see people and tortoise go through what you are now going through. Its so easy to do it right, if you just get the right info from the start.

Good luck to you and hope to hear back.
 

MPRC

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If I were you I would toss out those ground walnut shells immediately. They are a huge impaction risk due to their jagged edges and the fact that they cannot be digested. Even if this means putting your baby on paper towels until you can get something suitable like coco coir it is in his/her best interests.

Unfortunately pet store employees aren't always well educated (they see a lot of different critters and it can be hard to know them all) and they are encouraged to sell the products that the store carries. I get 95% of the supplies for my pets from the hardware and grocery store. The only thing I purchase from dedicated pet supply companies are UVB bulbs. (If they sold you a coil bulb take it out ASAP as well, they are garbage and can hurt your baby).

Good luck and welcome, if you stick around here long enough you'll become a tortoise expert. There are tons of great folks and great resources!
 

Priscilla Tirado

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Thank you so much for all your comments, I feel so much better and secure. could you please tell me where to bay the coco coir?
thanks again :)
 

Jodie

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You can boy it online. I buy mine at a local garden store. Hopefully someone in FL will chime in.
 

Tom

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Thank you so much for all your comments, I feel so much better and secure. could you please tell me where to bay the coco coir?
thanks again :)

You can find it much cheaper in bulk at any local garden center, but I find that fine grade orchid bark works better and is cheaper too. A 2.0 cubic foot bag will cost your about $6 at the garden center while the bulk coir will cost $12-15.

Or you can go to the pet store and pay $10 each for 4 or 5 tiny bags.
 

Priscilla Tirado

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You can find it much cheaper in bulk at any local garden center, but I find that fine grade orchid bark works better and is cheaper too. A 2.0 cubic foot bag will cost your about $6 at the garden center while the bulk coir will cost $12-15.

Or you can go to the pet store and pay $10 each for 4 or 5 tiny bags.

thank you so much
 

Tom

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what happens if he eats the coco coir?

They usually don't unless there is a problem. Accidental ingestion of small amounts stuck to the food should not be an issue either as its non-toxic and easily passes through.

This is another reason I prefer orchid bark. The pieces are too big to swallow and don't stick to the food as much.
 

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