Just bragging…

Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Fredericksburg
Just bragging… Boulder, my Sulcata is my pride and joy. So, like any good tort mom I wanted to share these pics. I got him as a hatchling and now he’s 16 months old and has grown a lot!!
For Mother’s Day, my kids are having a tortoise table made kind of like the one in the picture. It will be 6’ X 3’. I’m soo excited ?

919A1367-0D54-4504-86C8-361E4A05917A.jpeg9AC6DFC5-3F62-43B7-B917-8FBB826B9748.jpeg2514E113-D931-4265-B976-48B18E5EB8DB.jpeg8DB3CDBC-5E2E-4F99-8961-CCC3DC9E7E94.jpeg6225E5A2-E02C-47C2-9677-3BC8D9D4578A.jpeg3FAF611B-E071-479D-86E5-BC8CA96A8AAB.jpeg
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Just bragging… Boulder, my Sulcata is my pride and joy. So, like any good tort mom I wanted to share these pics. I got him as a hatchling and now he’s 16 months old and has grown a lot!!
For Mother’s Day, my kids are having a tortoise table made kind of like the one in the picture. It will be 6’ X 3’. I’m soo excited ?

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We are all on this forum because we share a love of tortoises. When we see problems, we want to point them out to help the people and tortoises. The following is all constructive criticism. Not intended to make you feel attacked or like a bad tortoise owner. Only intended to help give you and your tortoise a better life together.

  1. That tortoise can't wait until May for a larger enclosure. It needs some thing now. Minimum 4x8 feet.
  2. Open tables don't work for sulcatas unless the whole room is 80+ degrees and 80+% humidity 24/7/365. You need a giant closed chamber.
  3. Those pebbles are an impaction waiting to happen. Get rid of those ASAP.
  4. Those ramped water bowls are not safe for tortoises. Get a terra cotta plant saucer instead, and sink it into the substrate.
  5. Tortoises need damp substrate under them. Reptile carpet is a "no go". Its too dry, its an impaction risk, and its a tangle hazard when the edges fray.
  6. No red bulbs. No colored bulbs at all for tortoises. Use CHEs or RHPs for ambient heat, and use white light bulbs for daytime basking.
All of this and more is explained here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Fredericksburg
We are all on this forum because we share a love of tortoises. When see see problems, we want to point them out to help the people and tortoises. The following is all constructive criticism. Not intended to make you feel attacked or like a bad tortoise owner. Only intended to help give you and your tortoise a better life together.

  1. That tortoise can't wait until May for a larger enclosure. It needs some thing now. Minimum 4x8 feet.
  2. Open tables don't work for sulcatas unless the whole room is 80+ degrees and 80+% humidity 24/7/365. You need a giant closed chamber.
  3. Those pebbles are an impaction waiting to happen. Get rid of those ASAP.
  4. Those ramped water bowls are not safe for tortoises. Get a terra cotta plant saucer instead, and sink it into the substrate.
  5. Tortoises need damp substrate under them. Reptile carpet is a "no go". Its too dry, its an impaction risk, and its a tangle hazard when the edges fray.
  6. No red bulbs. No colored bulbs at all for tortoises. Use CHEs or RHPs for ambient heat, and use white light bulbs for daytime basking.
All of this and more is explained here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

Wow, thank you for your concern, and this link as well! I am a 1st time tortoise mom and have read soo much, it can be overwhelming. I will make the appropriate changes (now) and begin a new tank search in the morning. Again, I truly appreciate your reply ?
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Fredericksburg
Welcome.
You're in good hands here

you three have made that completely obvious and I am so grateful for all of you. I will send you an updated picture of what’s going to be my “EARLY” Mother’s Day present!

For our indoor set up we are going with a 5 x 10 enclosure in our family room, with screened tops, right in front of the window, for natural light as well.
Our outside area for summer months is a one acre enclosure! I will start working on that in April.

Again, thank you all so much for your help. I’m sure I’ll have more questions ?♥
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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you three have made that completely obvious and I am so grateful for all of you. I will send you an updated picture of what’s going to be my “EARLY” Mother’s Day present!

For our indoor set up we are going with a 5 x 10 enclosure in our family room, with screened tops, right in front of the window, for natural light as well.
Our outside area for summer months is a one acre enclosure! I will start working on that in April.

Again, thank you all so much for your help. I’m sure I’ll have more questions ?♥
Keep in mind that that will be visual light only.
Window glass blocks over 90% of UVB light and just a screen top whacks another 40%. (ish)
Everything gets much easier once you get the hang of it.
I'm glad that you haven't gotten discouraged.
It's very disappointing and can get rather expensive to buy stuff over and over because of bad information.
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Fredericksburg
Keep in mind that that will be visual light only.
Window glass blocks over 90% of UVB light and just a screen top whacks another 40%. (ish)
Everything gets much easier once you get the hang of it.
I'm glad that you haven't gotten discouraged.
It's very disappointing and can get rather expensive to buy stuff over and over because of bad information.

Boulder is my baby! We have pet insurance on him and have already put him in my Will... lol! I love the support I get from this group and I don’t take constructive criticism personally. I know we all want what’s best for every tortoise & that’s what it’s all about! Thanks soo much fir your encouragement ?♥
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Fredericksburg
We are all on this forum because we share a love of tortoises. When see see problems, we want to point them out to help the people and tortoises. The following is all constructive criticism. Not intended to make you feel attacked or like a bad tortoise owner. Only intended to help give you and your tortoise a better life together.

  1. That tortoise can't wait until May for a larger enclosure. It needs some thing now. Minimum 4x8 feet.
  2. Open tables don't work for sulcatas unless the whole room is 80+ degrees and 80+% humidity 24/7/365. You need a giant closed chamber.
  3. Those pebbles are an impaction waiting to happen. Get rid of those ASAP.
  4. Those ramped water bowls are not safe for tortoises. Get a terra cotta plant saucer instead, and sink it into the substrate.
  5. Tortoises need damp substrate under them. Reptile carpet is a "no go". Its too dry, its an impaction risk, and its a tangle hazard when the edges fray.
  6. No red bulbs. No colored bulbs at all for tortoises. Use CHEs or RHPs for ambient heat, and use white light bulbs for daytime basking.
All of this and more is explained here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

My son-in-law began a 10 x 6 enclosure today and we wanted to know if this will be ok to use. He’s going to add a top with screens in it for lights to rest.
Also, do you use a heater for your tortoise 24 hours? Thanks again Tom, you’re amazing
 

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wellington

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My son-in-law began a 10 x 6 enclosure today and we wanted to know if this will be ok to use. He’s going to add a top with screens in it for lights to rest.
Also, do you use a heater for your tortoise 24 hours? Thanks again Tom, you’re amazing
Yes that is a good liner, I use it in my tortoise shed. Switch the screen on the top and use chicken wire or hardware cloth which is a type of fencing. The screen will block out too much of the uvb.
Your tortoise is beautiful btw.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Just bragging… Boulder, my Sulcata is my pride and joy. So, like any good tort mom I wanted to share these pics. I got him as a hatchling and now he’s 16 months old and has grown a lot!!
For Mother’s Day, my kids are having a tortoise table made kind of like the one in the picture. It will be 6’ X 3’. I’m soo excited ?

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Beautiful!!! Look how adorable that face is! I love your tort. He is so happy and content looking
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
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Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
Just bragging… Boulder, my Sulcata is my pride and joy. So, like any good tort mom I wanted to share these pics. I got him as a hatchling and now he’s 16 months old and has grown a lot!!
For Mother’s Day, my kids are having a tortoise table made kind of like the one in the picture. It will be 6’ X 3’. I’m soo excited ?

View attachment 319393View attachment 319394View attachment 319395View attachment 319396View attachment 319397View attachment 319398
Fantastic looking Sullie!
 

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