i don't know how to title (or "new here with sneezing baby")

[Roiffalo]

Greetings from mid-PA. I am Roi, and for about five months to the day have had a baby sulcata in my care. I've been raised with many animals including cats, dogs, sheep, rabbits, ducks, and geese, but this is my first time fully committing to a tortoise. With lots of help from various sources I like to think I'm off to a good start, but I worry a lot and doubt I'm doing all I can. Hence why I am here.

My first question; is it normal for them to make little sneezing noises?
This was cute at first, but they're starting to get a little too numerous. I suspect it might be from the sand in his enclosure.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Roi

 

[hingeback]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[DandR]

Hi and welcome! The 2 sulcatas I rescued were originally kept in an enclosure with sand. I learned from the Sulcata section, that using sand as a substrate can be detrimental to them. I followed everything in the link below to improve their conditions and they're on the road to better health.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

More knowledgeable members will be along soon to help guide you. Hope your baby gets better soon.

 

[dmmj]

an occasional sneeze here or there is not anything to worry about but if they are increasing there might be problems. What are the temperatures for him?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Can you show us how it is kept? (The enclosure, lighting, substrate, etc.)

 

[Paul M Jones]

Hi and welcome

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the forum!

The sneezing problem could very well be from sand. Sand is an irritant. There are other, better substrates you can use.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !

 

[Cali tortoise]

Welcome!

 

[chondroaddict]

Hi. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Roiffalo]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Apologies for my absence. I've been sick.

an occasional sneeze here or there is not anything to worry about but if they are increasing there might be problems. What are the temperatures for him?

32.9c currently. I don't know why the thermometer doesn't read Fahrenheit.
(S)he also has a heat rock that I acquired since making my first post. I dunno if the thermometer takes that into consideration too but I'd like to think it makes it a little warmer for him/her.

Hi and welcome! The 2 sulcatas I rescued were originally kept in an enclosure with sand. I learned from the Sulcata section, that using sand as a substrate can be detrimental to them. I followed everything in the link below to improve their conditions and they're on the road to better health.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

More knowledgeable members will be along soon to help guide you. Hope your baby gets better soon.

Where was this topic when I was scrambling to get things together for him, wow. Thanks for the link. 8)

Can you show us how it is kept? (The enclosure, lighting, substrate, etc.)

Welcome to the forum!

The sneezing problem could very well be from sand. Sand is an irritant. There are other, better substrates you can use.

What would you recommend using for bedding? Tokka loves to dig so I'd like to be able to give him something he can safely dig in.

 

[Roiffalo]

BUMP

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The heat rock is something that most of us do not use. (Tortoises need heat from above.)
Do you have something like coconut fiber or mulch available?
It looks like dust laden sand. Pour out all the sand in a suitable place outside.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Also.
I don't want to be too critical, but that enclosure is already too small for your ever growing freind...

 

[Speedy-1]

Here is a Care Sheet for Sulcatas ! http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/african-spurred-tortoise-sulcata-care-sheet.52524/

 

[Roiffalo]

Replaced the sand with a mulch mix. We followed a recommended bedding on this site, http://zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=29&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=5
But I'm considering taking it all out and trying again anyway. After a few days it just got dry and dusty again. More mulch this time.

I know his tank is small. After getting the mulch replaced, I've taken out the heat rock and rearranged his water and food dishes, so he has a little more space. It's finally gotten warm again, so I've been taking him outside a lot to spend the day in the sun (with a shelter option). I want to get him a bigger tank after I get a new job, but I'm considering skipping that and building that indoor box enclosure my family has been discussing. He's getting big so fast.


New concern though...
He didn't eat anything today and that's not usual for him, and he looked like he was in his shelter sleeping the whole time too. I noticed one of his lights got turned off for a while (did turn it back on when I noticed), would that have something to do with it? I was told he was active this morning.

 

[Roiffalo]

Here is a Care Sheet for Sulcatas ! http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/african-spurred-tortoise-sulcata-care-sheet.52524/

Thank you for this! I'll be going over it with a fine toothed comb so to speak. 8)