I’ve got a 3 month old sulcata at home that we got a few weeks ago. He seems great, he eats a lot and loves his morning baths, he burrows in the mulch, everything. The breeder I got him from told us to just feed him romaine/leaf lettuce for the first 5 months, but I wanted to double check. Is this okay or should I go ahead and start giving him a mix of greens? Or what else should I be feeding him?
Is just leaf lettuce okay?
- Thread starter Tortstrip
- Start date
Hi and welcome.
There is a caresheet for sulcata torts in the Species section which will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity substrate etc.
Romaine is OK in moderation but there is very little nutritional value to it and your tort needs a much more varied diet. to make sure he is getting everything he needs to thrive.
Find the caresheet asap and you may also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk helpful as a guide to safe plants.
There are many experienced sully keepers here and is you post pics they will help you ensure that you have the safest possible home for him.
There is a caresheet for sulcata torts in the Species section which will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity substrate etc.
Romaine is OK in moderation but there is very little nutritional value to it and your tort needs a much more varied diet. to make sure he is getting everything he needs to thrive.
Find the caresheet asap and you may also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk helpful as a guide to safe plants.
There are many experienced sully keepers here and is you post pics they will help you ensure that you have the safest possible home for him.
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...
tortoiseforum.org
Happytort27
Active Member
Please take a look at this thread as well:
tortoiseforum.org
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...
tortoiseforum.org
Unfortunately that is TERRIBLE advice. And this indicates that you bought from the wrong breeder and also got lots of other bad advice. I'm very glad you found us and I hope we can help get you and your baby on the right track.
Read those threads linked by Lyn and Happytort. Feel free to ask lots of questions. We are happy to explain all of these assertions that are contrary to everything else you've read and heard.
Well now I’m a little scared. I just ordered the African grazer seed mix from tortoise supply. Thank you so much. We’ve got our little Herbert in a 20 gallon tank with a basking bulb, UVB bulb, and ceramic heat emitter. I usually just leave the heat emitter on at night. He’s got cypress mulch that he buries himself in to sleep and I mist it all pretty much every day. I usually bathe him for about 15-20 minutes in the morning (he always poops in it). Other than the food is there anything I need to change? I attached a few pictures. Again thank you guys so much for the advice it’s greatly appreciated!
Looks like most of what you've got needs to be changed. You'v gotten all the typical wrong info. This happens to almost everyone until they find us. Its all explained in the care sheet.
-Tank is too small.
-Open tops don't work. You can't maintain the correct conditions.
-CHE needs to be on a thermostat.
-Basking bulb is probably a spot. Should be a flood.
-Compact fluorescent UV bulbs are ineffective, a sometimes burn their eyes.
-You need a humid hide.
-Those food and water bowls aren't the best.
I know this is not what anyone wants to hear, but my interest is in making your baby survive and thrive. It can't in the set up that you were told to get with the equipment you were told to get.
Another thing: Get that aquarium up off the floor. It's a lot colder down there than up on a table. It needs to be 80-85F degrees day and night. Pour a pitcherfull of water over the substrate and mix it up with your hand to wet the whole thing. Figure out a way to cover the whole top around the lights - maybe aluminum foil?
Greetings.
Agree with all of the above. Tom mentioned that you need your CHE hooked up to a thermostat.
Here’s a good, cheaper thermostat that many of us use.
➡️➡️ http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13882-zilla-500-watt-temperature-controller
✅ Why a thermostat you ask? By using a thermostat with a tethered temp sensor, you plug your CHE into the thermostat, and put the sensor down inside the enclosure at tort level. You get it set to the ambient temp you want/need for your Sulcata (80F). Then the thermostat stays on day and night regulating & controlling the temp inside your enclosure. It’s all hands free (and safe).
Agree with all of the above. Tom mentioned that you need your CHE hooked up to a thermostat.
Here’s a good, cheaper thermostat that many of us use.
➡️➡️ http://www.lllreptile.com/products/13882-zilla-500-watt-temperature-controller
✅ Why a thermostat you ask? By using a thermostat with a tethered temp sensor, you plug your CHE into the thermostat, and put the sensor down inside the enclosure at tort level. You get it set to the ambient temp you want/need for your Sulcata (80F). Then the thermostat stays on day and night regulating & controlling the temp inside your enclosure. It’s all hands free (and safe).
Melissacoop
Well-Known Member
I know how you feel. I was in the same boat you are in a year ago. Everything was wrong! Luckily I found this forum because my hatchling was rubbing his eyes and when I googled it I found this site. Thank god!!
They have literally helped me every step of the way. Please follow the advice you are given here. Don’t follow from people on Facebook. I get so upset reading some of the inaccurate advice people give out there.
Read the care sheets and ask questions!?
Here is a picture of a closed chamber with everything inside so you can get an idea.
They have literally helped me every step of the way. Please follow the advice you are given here. Don’t follow from people on Facebook. I get so upset reading some of the inaccurate advice people give out there.
Read the care sheets and ask questions!?
Here is a picture of a closed chamber with everything inside so you can get an idea.
Hamiltondood
Active Member
it shouldnt be clear
any plastic box (that's not clear) could be used.
im currently using a black tubberware box that i got from target, just cut a hole/opening in the box and you should be good to go
I use dishwashing tubs from Walmart. Less than $2. Flip it over and cut out a small door hole. Wet the substrate under it, and VOILA! Humid hide!
Melissacoop
Well-Known Member
Preferably not clear. I got bins from the Dollar Store. They have all colors. The semi clear one I have has blue painters tape all around it. Lol.
GMDVM
Member
A real cutie! Until you acquire a different enclosure perhaps you can get this on off the carpet so heat can circulate underneath and tent a clear plastic shower curtain over it in order to maintain humidity levels. Coiled UVB lights can cause eye disease- a straight bulb is better. The substrate may need to be deeper also.
Okay I found a black Tupperware tub that he seems to like. He won’t eat the grass though, should I just wait until he gets hungry enough or try to mix it with some lettuce and hope he eats it?
Also my humidity is at 90% is that too high?
Also my humidity is at 90% is that too high?
Happytort27
Active Member
Most baby tortoises do not like grass at first. You have to slowly introduce it into his diet and mix very little in at a time. Later, once he gets used to it, you can add more.
Your humidity right now is great as long as the ambient temperature is around/above 80 degrees, I believe. If it is too cold, your tortoise will be prone to a respiratory infection, which can be fatal.
I hope this helps!
Your humidity right now is great as long as the ambient temperature is around/above 80 degrees, I believe. If it is too cold, your tortoise will be prone to a respiratory infection, which can be fatal.
I hope this helps!
The thermometer says 85 right now, thank you!
Melissacoop
Well-Known Member
Take your lettuce that he likes and also some soaked grass. (I bought a bag of Orchard Grass from Amazon). Mince them both up very tiny and mix all together so he can’t pick anything out. You can also add something else he likes. I mix about four different things together. They like variety. Dandelion seems to be a favorite. Then feed in a moist pile. Gradually reduce amount of lettuce until he is eating mostly grass and approved greens. After he gets alittle bigger you can also add hay to the pile. ( I bought Timothy Hay from Amazon). By wetting it and mixing together he will be eating the grass because it is stuck to the lettuce. ?
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@Tortstrip thanks for taking the advice you've gotten seriously. I know it can be hard to hear that your setup isn't quite right, but just remember that it's never personal and we just want the best for the little baby torts 
Please continue to ask questions and we can come up with solutions for almost any situation. Welcome to the forum!
Please continue to ask questions and we can come up with solutions for almost any situation. Welcome to the forum!
