Looking for the truth on sulcata care!

[scienceguy]

So I made an investment in this baby sulcata for my science classroom. I have researched on the internet and have found a lot of information, but many of the ideas conflict. I am looking for answers on substrate, food, and vitamin supplement.
I currently have the little guy/gal on a substrate of alfalfa pellets. There is lots of conflicting advice on that subject, from soil/hay mixture, to coconut husk, to the alfalfa. Are these just opinions or is there a definitive answer that is best? Then there is the food issue. Fresh greens as a baby? Grasses and hay? What to do?? Add calcium daily? Soak daily? Soak in baby food/water? I dont want to do anything that would jeopardize this little things well being. Any thoughts on how to sort out the information? I currently have him/her in a low profile aquarium, heated on one end with uv light. What is the best habitat to build? He/she is the size of a medium orange. Does it need something to burrow in? Need lots of humidity at this age?

 

[Laura]

Read this forum and you will be granted your answers..
Some things work better for some people,,

 

[Chucky]

Glad you're researching scienceguy. I would not use the pellets as a substrate just because of mold and attracting bugs. There's a lot of good info here and also here
http://www.ivorytortoise.com/caresheets/sulcata_&_leopard_tortoises.html
in which is the one I go by.

I would also like to suggest that sine this is going to be in a science room with kids I presume, I would make it so it can be locked up. No matter how good the kids are (or even adults), they tend to want to pick them up or feed them which could be very bad for the young tortoise.

 

[scienceguy]

Thanks for the advice. These little 7th graders are pretty excited about our new addition and I have made the tortoise "hands off". We have 14 other animals (reptiles and mammals) that they can play with!!

 

[Laura]

Does your school have outdoor area? Or do you plan to take it home or adopt out in a few years when it gets too big for the classroom?

 

[scienceguy]

my school has an outdoor area right next to my room and I have windows and a door for access. I will take it home with me in the summer (I have acreage). Plenty of room in the classroom to build a habitat for the winter months. Need ideas on building one, plus what type of habitat it needs now. Does it need to burrow when its the size of an orange?

 

[TKCARDANDCOIN]

Whatever you use just make sure you keep it clean(spot clean daily).The eco earth mixed with sand works really well.Give him a 5.0 uvb bulb or greater for 8 to 10 hours a day and feed him dark leafy greens while he is young.Dust his food a couple times a week with calcium (reptocal)and once a week with a multivitamin(reptolife).Give him a hiding spot and soak him a few times a week in luke warm water, keep the water level just below his neck.
Alost every sulcata owner does something a little different but just remember to keep him/her warm, well fed and hydrated and keep the enclosure clean and you should not have any problems.By the way,
I raised my sulcata on alfalfa pelletts and I never had any problems.Good luck with the little one, tom.

 

[Yvonne G]

So I made an investment in this baby sulcata for my science classroom. I have researched on the internet and have found a lot of information, but many of the ideas conflict. I am looking for answers on substrate, food, and vitamin supplement.
I currently have the little guy/gal on a substrate of alfalfa pellets. There is lots of conflicting advice on that subject, from soil/hay mixture, to coconut husk, to the alfalfa. Are these just opinions or is there a definitive answer that is best?

It has been proven that young, growing sulcatas require a moist habitat in order to grow a smooth (as opposed to pyramided) shell. You can't moisten alfalfa pellets. In fact, when they get wet, they mold. You don't want your baby breathing mold spores.

Then there is the food issue. Fresh greens as a baby? Grasses and hay? What to do?? Add calcium daily? Soak daily? Soak in baby food/water? I dont want to do anything that would jeopardize this little things well being.

Fresh greens definitely! You eventually want your baby to eat grasses and weeds (dried grass hay too), but the babies have a hard time with that, so you go the greens route for the first couple years. I like to use the packaged baby greens called Spring Mix. You can place a cuttlebone (bird section of the pet store) in the habitat and when he feels the need for calcium, he will nibble on it. You can also sprinkle calcium powder over his greens a couple times a week. Danny (our resident expert) soaks his babies every time in bird vitamin water. You can buy the liquid bird vitamins in the pet store, then put three or four drops in the soaking water, and soak every day. I use the baby food soaks, but I only use them if I notice the eyes are starting to swell or he's not eating.

Any thoughts on how to sort out the information? I currently have him/her in a low profile aquarium, heated on one end with uv light. What is the best habitat to build? He/she is the size of a medium orange. Does it need something to burrow in? Need lots of humidity at this age?

There are many different ways to care for tortoises. What you read here on the forum are the ways that have proven to work for us. An aquarium isn't the best habitat because its hard to get a temperature gradient in an aquarium. A tort table or a large plastic under-the-bed storage container works well. If you use the coconut coir/play sand or dirt 50%/50% mixture, you can keep it slightly moist and make it deep enough that he can burrow down. He needs a hiding place too. Babies are prey and feel insecure when out in the open. I really don't like keeping a tortoise indoors all the time. They do best when they can have some outside time. In your case, my suggestion would be for you to build an outdoor habitat at your home, and take the baby medium sized orange home on the week-ends for some outside time.

Thanks for joining our group. It will be nice to be able to check on "orange's" progress from time to time.

Yvonne

 

[scienceguy]

Thank you Tom and Yvonne. I really appreciate your input!