i have had my sulcata, bunny, for a little less than a year now. although i keep a number of other reptiles and should have enough experience to know better, i made the mistake of following the advice of the reptile store where i got him. i did do research before buying him, the usual google searches, and had a relatively hard time coming up with consistent answers. i live in northern florida and soon after i brought him home i called the place he was purchased from and asked them if i should take him in for a fecal. the owner of the store recommended against it.
i changed bunny to a playsand substrate soon after we got home. in the reptile store he lived on alfalfa pellets. after 10, 000 nervous calls from me one of the stores employees stressed that romaine lettuce would be a perfectly fine diet, with apples, carrots and calcium supplements. i did more research and added collards to his diet as well as petals from my rose bush. tonight i found your forum and i have debated on even posting for fear of being flamed or criticized for not doing the proper amount of research. i know i have criticized people myself for this concerning other reptiles.
currently bunny lives in a 20 long aquarium and his lights are about the only thing i have gotten right. he is still on playsand. he has a flower pot hide. i soak him once a week for thirty minutes in warm dechlorinated water. his diet consists of rose petals, collards, occasional romaine and very few apples and carrots. thus far i have not noticed any pyramiding and actually dragged him out at 4:32 am to compare him to the pictures i found online and on here. on sunny days i place him in my backyard in a rubbermaid container for sunshine.
what can i do ASAP to improve his conditions? my yard is pesticide-free but i have no idea what the grass is. it is also especially weed-y. i have no problem at all purchasing what it will take to make his life a better one. i think pitching the 20 long will be a step in the right direction and i could purchase a rabbit cage like to the one i saw on here in just about a week. as for a grazing-type cage... i suppose i could flip the top on the rabbit cage and allow the grass to poke through....
part of me thinks the best thing to do would be find a better home. i feel woefully inadequate and incredibly ashamed.
thank you for any and all help.
i changed bunny to a playsand substrate soon after we got home. in the reptile store he lived on alfalfa pellets. after 10, 000 nervous calls from me one of the stores employees stressed that romaine lettuce would be a perfectly fine diet, with apples, carrots and calcium supplements. i did more research and added collards to his diet as well as petals from my rose bush. tonight i found your forum and i have debated on even posting for fear of being flamed or criticized for not doing the proper amount of research. i know i have criticized people myself for this concerning other reptiles.
currently bunny lives in a 20 long aquarium and his lights are about the only thing i have gotten right. he is still on playsand. he has a flower pot hide. i soak him once a week for thirty minutes in warm dechlorinated water. his diet consists of rose petals, collards, occasional romaine and very few apples and carrots. thus far i have not noticed any pyramiding and actually dragged him out at 4:32 am to compare him to the pictures i found online and on here. on sunny days i place him in my backyard in a rubbermaid container for sunshine.
what can i do ASAP to improve his conditions? my yard is pesticide-free but i have no idea what the grass is. it is also especially weed-y. i have no problem at all purchasing what it will take to make his life a better one. i think pitching the 20 long will be a step in the right direction and i could purchase a rabbit cage like to the one i saw on here in just about a week. as for a grazing-type cage... i suppose i could flip the top on the rabbit cage and allow the grass to poke through....
part of me thinks the best thing to do would be find a better home. i feel woefully inadequate and incredibly ashamed.
thank you for any and all help.