My baby Sulcata is on drugs.

ccjcc81

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I've had this guy for almost 2 weeks, and I've never seen him so active. He was zooming around for at least an hour this morning. I don't know why he has so much more energy this morning, but he's never done this before. He almost seemed frantic. It was entertaining. I captured some of it on video:

 

TammyJ

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I've had this guy for almost 2 weeks, and I've never seen him so active. He was zooming around for at least an hour this morning. I don't know why he has so much more energy this morning, but he's never done this before. He almost seemed frantic. It was entertaining. I captured some of it on video:

It's interesting how he goes around the same basic track every time, doing the same things! Like he is beating out a path for himself. Also looks like he could use a nice dark hide. Just cut a "door" into a dark colored plastic bowl and sink it half way into the substrate. He looks healthy if slightly pyramided to me. Quite energetic!
 

Tom

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The activity level seems normal to me.

The baby is pyramiding because it is too dry. Humidity needs to be above 80% all the time.

The Timothy hay that is scattered everywhere is going to mold and cause problems. Hay is for older sulcatas. Little babies need tender young grass, or soaked grass hay pellets that are crumbled and mixed with the greens.
 

ccjcc81

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I'm having a hard time keeping the humidity up. I spray the substrate 2 or 3 times a day with a water bottle, but that doesn't seem to be doing it. Got any suggestions?
 

Tom

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I'm having a hard time keeping the humidity up. I spray the substrate 2 or 3 times a day with a water bottle, but that doesn't seem to be doing it. Got any suggestions?
Spraying doesn't work, as you have seen. They need to be in a closed chamber so your heat and humidity isn't escaping out and into the room. Keeping the substrate damp helps too. You have to dump water into it, not just spray the surface. How much water to dump and how often will vary tremendously from enclosure to enclosure. Do it by feel. You want it damp, but not sopping wet all the time. I frequently dump the water bowl into the substrate (if there is no poop in it), wipe it out, rinse it and then refill it sloppily. All that extra water is usually enough to keep the substrate damp. Some open enclosures need more. In my outdoor heated night boxes with substrate, I set my hose to "gentle shower" and spray the inside of the box for 20-30 seconds to saturate it here in my dry climate.
 

Tom

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Humidifiers should not be used over tortoises. Its not good for them to be breathing those little water micro droplets, and this is not the same as humidity. You don't need a humidifier if your enclosure is set up correctly.

You can use a humidifier in the room, away from the tortoise enclosure to try to bring ambient humidity up a little and slow the loss of humidity from the enclosure. I used to do that, but it doesn't work very well in an already dry environment. Heaters in winters and AC in summer, will defeat your efforts. A closed chamber is the only way I have found to do it.
 

ccjcc81

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Ok, skipping the humidifier. I replaced the substrate and nixed the hay. I originally built an open "table" for him based on the recommendation of the pet store owner, and bought a bunch of stuff that contradicts what's recommended in your guide. In my defense, I did spend some time researching this before bringing the little guy home. Apparently I just did the wrong research. No problem, I'm getting it straightened out.

I replaced the table with a "quasi-closed chamber." I was in a hurry and on a budget, so I didn't buy glass doors, I bought some plastic to hang and I have it vecro'd on the sides. I'll finish velcroing the bottom to try to seal it better to prevent humidity loss. I think that with some tweaks here and there I can make it more humidity proof and stop losing it. I soaked the substrate pretty strongly when I put the new stuff in, and I got the humidity up to 90% for a little while. I'll try to keep it high.

Tom, Let me take the time to thank you for your guide. I wish I had found it before buying the tortoise. It would have saved me a lot of time and energy.

Thanks for the advice, guys. You're doing Jerry Larry a tremendous service.
 

ccjcc81

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This is what I've got. 5 walls and a sheet of plastic. Will this be sufficient, or can you recommend enhancements? I'll be sealing the bottom of the plastic tonight to help with heat and humidity retention.
 

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Maro2Bear

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This is what I've got. 5 walls and a sheet of plastic. Will this be sufficient, or can you recommend enhancements? I'll be sealing the bottom of the plastic tonight to help with heat and humidity retention.

Thats really looking much better. Fully enclosed viv like this helps stabilize & maintain heat & humidity. Now, get that filled up with some nice orchid bark & a nice humid hide.
 

Lyn W

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I've had this guy for almost 2 weeks, and I've never seen him so active. He was zooming around for at least an hour this morning. I don't know why he has so much more energy this morning, but he's never done this before. He almost seemed frantic. It was entertaining. I captured some of it on video:

You could try putting some small amounts of food (e.g. on slate) in different parts of the enclosure so that he can graze as he's wandering. My tort tends to stick to the same path when he's outside in the summer.
 

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