Just got a 8 lb 10 yr old Sulcata & he needs Help....

[lismar79]

Sorry in advance for the length of this but I am trying my best

I have recently been given an 8 lb, what I am told is a 10 year old...., Sulcata named Harley. His shell is sunken & pyramided. I have been perusing this site for a few days now (thank you all for such great info sharing!!!!) Trying to come up with the best environment for Harley, whom I have a big crush on.

This is what I got going on now:

Harley is about 12 inches long & he has a 54” x 34” table. I have a ceramic Infrared heat emitter & a UVB 150 bulb.

Currently using cypress & coir mix

Have a large (paint tray, it just seemed to work….) water dish & change daily

A hiding box with Moss was just built & has the approved misted moss in it (just got Harley two days ago)

Harley has a good amount of fresh hay down all the time & have given him dandelion, fresh grasses, & mulberry leaves. He is not a fan of hay, so I have hidden pumpkin chunks in to entice the appeal. The people who I got him from were just giving him Romaine every other day & putting him in the yard every few days to graze for about 30 mins.

I have Cuttlebones in with him & he seems to really like them.

I will be building him an outdoor paradise when winter is over & have plans to build him a “while the humans are at work” room in my basement, so that he can roam more. This will be in a secure heated room that is about 10x8. I do take him for supervised exercise in the house daily now & he scoots pretty well.

CONCERNS:

Harley has a large “shelf” bottom shell under his head. It hinders him from being able to eat flat leaves or short piles off the ground. Is this normal? I have seen pictures but it is hard to tell from many angles (I am attaching pictures of this area)

Heating his table- has become my challenge for the past few day, I was given two lamps with him one had the daylight uvb bulb & the other was a low heat bulb that did not do much. I just put the ceramic in & so far it is 75 degrees & rising. I am shooting for 85…? He has both a light & a dim area, plus his moist box I might add another heating lamp if the ceramic doesn’t heat this up. My lid is wood with a plastic metallic reflector backing (looks like bubble wrapped covered aluminum foil.) How do some of you heat large tables effectively? I like the idea of the ceramic so he can have night time & still have the heat.

And of Course his Shell….. I am misting him a few times a day & am going to soak him two times a week, should this be more? I am giving him calcium powder in his pumpkin twice a week as planned & he has his cuttlebones, which are hard for him to get at with that under growth under his head… I worry about the pressure that might be on him in the flat concaved area of his shell. It is not rounded at all, mostly flat- How can I help promote healthy growth? & is there a way at all to help this at this stage?????

Size- I am concerned that he is small for his age. Any tips on additional things to help him along would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance- Lisa & Harley from Ohio

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Sounds like you have everything going pretty darn good for him. I have t looked at the pics yet to comment on them. The temps you are getting are pretty good for his age. As long as you get a 95+ for basking. As for his pyramiding and shell problems. The only thing you can do at this point is the humid hide, the soakings are good, keep him hydrated, good diet and lots of sunshine when you can.

 

[T33's Torts]

His set up sounds great!! He's lucky to have come into your possession!

 

[wellington]

The gular under his neck is normal. I have seen pics of others that were a lot bigger. I would guess that his eating problem is due probably more to the shape of his shell. I also would assume he has MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) the shell deformity is the result. I would get him a bigger enclosure ASAP and if possible, outside for some sunshine as much as possible. At his age he should be able to go outside even in cooler temps as long as he can go into a shed or dog house to warm back up. I would assume he is probably under sized just because of the care he got before you.

 

[mikeh]

Did the UVB bulb come with him or is it new? If it came with the set up, dispose of it, it most likely is ages passed its lifetime of producing any UVB. Given the size of the enclosure I would go with long tube for most ideal UVB exposure, Zoomed 48" T5 HO fixture with 46" 10% T5 HO tube, mounted 12-15" above the top of his shell. It won't help his shell but will help his bones.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Lisa welcome to the TFO

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Lisa, job well done in not saying no! These are indeed noble critters that deserve proper care and devotion. I, too, have a female that is in the same state as yours. She was housed with one other as a hatchling, and never got the good food, or the good light, or the good heat. You're doing well asking questions and being willing to help this tort. out. I told the young man who passed mine on to me, that he did a good job manning up and knowing he couldn't care for the 2 torts any longer. Regular soaking, as you're doing, as well as high moisture content foods like cactus pads, or even zukes or crookneck squash will help. Offer good grass hay cut with scissors to the squash to help with roughage. Lucky tort to have you, and lucky you to have this tort. They are wonderful critters to help you decompress after work, school or what have you.

 

[lismar79]

Did the UVB bulb come with him or is it new? If it came with the set up, dispose of it, it most likely is ages passed its lifetime of producing any UVB. Given the size of the enclosure I would go with long tube for most ideal UVB exposure, Zoomed 48" T5 HO fixture with 46" 10% T5 HO tube, mounted 12-15" above the top of his shell. It won't help his shell but will help his bones.

Got him a new ceramic & a new bulb. Once I started reading up on him and what he needed I wanted tostart fresh because of his condition.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Ditto to what Ken said! I got to meet Ken's above mentioned Sulcata.
You are doing everything right, and I agree, make your next project a larger indoor enclosure and allow plenty of outdoor time. When weather is nice here, mine are out all day and come in when the temps drop below 60°

 

[lkwagner]

Wow my 2.5 year old is 8.5 lbs, good job rescuing him!!!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I forgot to attach a picture of the girl I've got. Sorry that. the second picture ISS the two of them together. Same age, same care. Hatchlings do not need friends.

 

[richybear]

Poor thing looks in a bad way . Thank god you saved him . I rescued 2 leopards that were seriously pyramiding . Now people comment on how bad they r but I still love them as you love yours

 

[lismar79]

I forgot to attach a picture of the girl I've got. Sorry that. the second picture ISS the two of them together. Same age, same care. Hatchlings do not need friends.

Her shell looks a lot like harleys. Thanks!

 

[lismar79]

My weekend project is turning a big room in my semi finished basement ito a Harley paradise. The table is what came with him but I want to give him as much room as possible. I have a big yard( couple acres) so this spring he will get a daytime pasture. Ohio winters are pretty cold so I don't want to do this just yet....thanks for all your help! I can use all the advise I can get!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lisa, and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sorry to say that the shell damage is not something that you're going to be able to overcome. Harley is suffering badly from MBD. He is in desperate need of calcium-rich foods and real sunshine. I realize that you probably don't have warm weather right now, so you'll have to make do with the next best thing, and that is an expensive UVB light. The light helps the body to make vitamin d3, which in turn helps the calcium to make strong bones and shell.

Is his shell nice and strong-feeling, or does it feel a bit soft and have 'give' to it?

 

[lismar79]

What foods (store bought)) do you recomend and how often. I bought pumkin and calcium powder have given a pinch on the pumkin last two days but have not found info on how much (a pinch or a teaspoon....) to give him or how often. Is mbd something we can over come or effectivly manage with time? I don't want him to be in pain.....

 

[lismar79]

Hi Lisa, and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sorry to say that the shell damage is not something that you're going to be able to overcome. Harley is suffering badly from MBD. He is in desperate need of calcium-rich foods and real sunshine. I realize that you probably don't have warm weather right now, so you'll have to make do with the next best thing, and that is an expensive UVB light. The light helps the body to make vitamin d3, which in turn helps the calcium to make strong bones and shell.

Is his shell nice and strong-feeling, or does it feel a bit soft and have 'give' to it?

I will check his shell strength when I get back home tomorrow and let you know....I was affraid to press it too hard, I got him this past sunday

 

[lismar79]

Hi Lisa, and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sorry to say that the shell damage is not something that you're going to be able to overcome. Harley is suffering badly from MBD. He is in desperate need of calcium-rich foods and real sunshine. I realize that you probably don't have warm weather right now, so you'll have to make do with the next best thing, and that is an expensive UVB light. The light helps the body to make vitamin d3, which in turn helps the calcium to make strong bones and shell.

Is his shell nice and strong-feeling, or does it feel a bit soft and have 'give' to it?

I will check his shell strength when I get back home tomorrow and let you know....I was affraid to press it too hard, I got him this past sunday

It does seem strong with no give