Meet Dane!

[Dane]

Hi Guys!
I have been hanging out on the forums for a few weeks now just reading, not posting. Today I will change that!

I would like to introduce to you my yearling Sulcata named Dane.
I bought Dane from a breeder in Florida who had him and his clutch-mate for sale after deciding not to keep them for himself. He said that by the way they were growing that he thought Dane was a male because he was so much bigger than the other one. I know its still to early to tell, but went with the very masculine name Dane anyway!

He loves to eat prickly pear cactus pads, grass, dark leafy greens (mustard, turnip, kollard, etc), squash, pumpkin puree and an occasional blueberry or strawberry.

He also loves to go for walks around the apartment and leave me little 'gifts' to clean up.

He weighs 13 ounces and measures 4.5 inches straight across.

Well, here he is!
The first picture is his FedEx box that he came in. Then a picture of his home and then finally the little man himself!

Thanks for looking!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He's beautiful! Welcome to the forum...

 

[ChiKat]

He is so cute! What a sweet face

 

[Tom]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum.

I'm always trying to learn about the whole pyramiding thing. Do you know how the guy in Florida was keeping him for the first year? Specifically: Indoors or out? What substrate? Humid hide box or not? Was he raised in an air conditioned house? What did he feed? Would he mind you passing on his contact info, as I don't mind asking him myself.

 

[terracolson]

cute!

 

[Dane]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I know the pyramiding situation of Dane's shell isn't perfect...but it isn't bad, correct?

As for the breeder, his name is Saltycity on Kingsnake. His real name is Leonard and his email is [email protected].
From talking to him it sounds like he mostly fed them romain with a few carrots here and there. He said that he kept them very dry because they are from Africa, so I assume minimal soaking occurred. They were kept indoors with a UVB/UVA light, and a basking temperature near 100. And, by the pictures of his other hatchlings on kingsnake, it looks like he had them on rabbit pellets.

Obviously I changed all that when I got Dane. Dane gets soaks every-other day, if not everyday. I keep the coir by his half log constantly moist. His basking temperature is about 85, and down to 68 on the cool side.

Thanks again!

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the replies guys!
I've had him for a little over a month now. I know the pyramiding situation of his shell isn't perfect...but it isn't bad is it?

Roachman, I bought him on Kingsnake from Saltycity. I think he was feeding them mostly romaine. He also told me that he keeps them very dry (since they're from Africa!). I think minimal soaking occurred. I'm pretty sure he was housed indoors and by the pictures of some other hatchlings he was selling, I'm pretty sure it was on rabbit pellets. The breeders name is Leonard and his email is [email protected].

I obviously changed the diet, substrate and the humidity situation for Dane. He has soaks every other day, if not everyday, and the coir around his half log is always damp.

Wow, thank you. Its obvious you've been doing your home work and you probably know us all pretty well from our posts. I was very curious because I had a really hard time finding a pyramided tort in FL or New Orleans, unless they were raised indoors, in the A/C on something dry and didn't go outside much, if at all.

Yours is not bad at all, but it is a little. I was just surprised to see that from Florida.

You seem to have a pretty good handle on things, but I'll give you one tip, since I just can't help myself. Build him a big outdoor enclosure and get him as much sunshine as you can. Very beneficial in many ways.:

And Yvonne will probably tell you to be careful with those lamps clamped to the side like that. I don't recommend it either.

Okay. That's it for now, I swear. If you want anything else, you'll have to drag it out of me by asking in a post. BTW, did I mention that sullies are my favorite tortoise?

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Welcome to the forum!

Dane is a handsome little guy and has some impressive "quads" on those front legs!

I am glad you are here because this forum has reliable, tested Sulcata advise to keep Dane (or Dana ) healthy and strong while he grows to be the full-size bruiser he's destined to be.

 

[Dane]

Thanks for the advice.
I totally understand about the clamp lamp. Since the pictures I posted I've gone back to school and have the clamp lamp a bit more secure. It's pretty firmly attached to a metal rod now.
And as for the great outdoors- I wish I could get him out but I live in central Wisconsin and go to school in Minneapolis. Rest assured though that this summer he will have lots of time to be outside on Tortoise Pasture Mix from sulcatafood.com. (I currently grow it in pots in my apt.)

 

[Maggie Cummings]

If you don't mind me saying...I would up the basking temps closer to 95. And I would keep all of his substrate moist not just by his hide. If you look around the forum you will come across pictures of Bob...he is mine and you can see that he also is slightly pyramided. You can keep Dane's from getting any worse by managing 4 important things...an ambient humidity around 80%, lots of exercise, good (especially in your case) UVB and a good diet with a wide variety of foods.
I keep an 80 pound Sulcata in the Pacific North West so I know you can raise a decent tortoise in Wisconsin, you need to provide those 4 things and he'll do fine...

 

[Dane]

I don't mind your suggestions at all Maggie! I just pointed the ceramic heat emitter closer to the bottom of the enclosure and added more water to the coir although our apartment is infamous for keeping in moisture.

And...I have seen pictures of Bob! He is a cutie!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "Dane":

to the forum!!

 

[TortieGal]

Wow its great to see someone just starting out doing such a great job! Very cute tortoise. Just my two cents I would add a few fake plants or maybe a rock or two. It's good to feed them on slate and a shallow water dish that he can wade in and get a drink anytime he wants. Welcome to the Forum!

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Welcome! Your Sulcata looks beautiful!

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your little one He is a real cutie!

 

[goReptiles]

So cute! How hold is Dane?