TonytheTortoise_

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Apr 22, 2022
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
Hey guys, so I recently got a Sulcata tortoise (Tony) from my boyfriend. A little background about Tony is that he was bought in Cali around 2020, lived with my boyfriend in Flagstaff, Az around late 2020 to early 2022, and now Tony is living with me in Yuma, Az. For timeline purposes, I got him on Monday (04/18), and this is his 5th day with me. According to my boyfriend, Tony is 2.5 yrs old, however, he is only 5.5 inches in length (including head and tail) --- which is concerning to me because I have been doing my research and some tort owners have bigger torts after having it over months only.

Tony's daily routine is basking and soaking him around 9:30 am with warm water --- I'm striving for 15-10mins but he keeps on trying to climb out the tub, so he would soak for less than 5 min., and then I would put him back to his enclosure since it seems like he's done hydrating himself whenever he climbs out. After the soak and Tony back to the enclosure, he would walk towards his food, eat some and he would take a nap after walking around his enclosure. His enclosure is left outside because I would bask him with natural sunlight and a busking bulb around the afternoon when the sun is not hitting him anymore. When it's 7:30 pm, I would switch with the heating bulb, spray his tank for moisture, and leave a wet towel hanging on the side of the enclosure (to simulate humidity) --- Nights in Yuma are usually 60F and rarely drops to the 50s. Once, 7:30 am comes, I would switch the heating bulb with the basking bulb, and turn off the basking bulb once the sun is hitting his enclosure, and I start soaking him again with warm water.

Right now, his enclosure consists of topsoil and coconut husk chunks. His diet mostly contains romaine lettuce and sometimes I would change it up with tort snacks. From the time I got him and how is now, Tony's movement and activity have increased greatly especially after soaking him with warm water and leaving him outside in the sun (for the shade, I put a whiteboard on top of his enclosure as we don't have a budget for a tort stone cave --- tho I was thought of buying a big plastic cup as a substitute). Tony is eating more now, sleeps less, and is drinking water. HOWEVER, I have not seen him poop or pee/excrete urates --- I'm concerned something is wrong with his urinary system. In terms of his respiratory system, I don't see any distress with breathing, his nose is mostly dry, and his eyes are not red or swollen.

I'm planning to get him checked up ASAP and change his lightbulb (and possibly change to a ceramic heating bulb) when me and my boyfriend can afford it but I'm a very anxious pet owner and I just want to know how to best improve my care for Tony.

ANY ADVICE WILL HELP AND IS APPRECIATED!

Here are some pictures of Tony:
 

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MenagerieGrl

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Don't worry, soak him for 30+ min, the activity in the "Tub" is good for them.
Top soil is not avery good substrate. I'm not sure of the coconut chunks, but Fine/Medium orchid bark is I believe one of the recommended substrates...
 

MenagerieGrl

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So, Welcome Tony's Parent. . .you have come to the right place....a lot of smart Tort folk's here.
A couple of thing's that I see for starters . . do you have a Temp/hygrometer in the tub? what is the humidity & temp? I typically add a couple of quarts of water to the substrate for my Torts to keep the humidity up. and Terra cotta (Clay Plant saucers) are recommended for water bowls, as they are easy to get in and out of.
 

MenagerieGrl

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So, here's some info/Care sheet related to your Sulcata.


BTW, what is the name of your buddy?

Marsha...
 

TonytheTortoise_

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Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
So, Welcome Tony's Parent. . .you have come to the right place....a lot of smart Tort folk's here.
A couple of thing's that I see for starters . . do you have a Temp/hygrometer in the tub? what is the humidity & temp? I typically add a couple of quarts of water to the substrate for my Torts to keep the humidity up. and Terra cotta (Clay Plant saucers) are recommended for water bowls, as they are easy to get in and out of.
As of right now, I've been just spraying his enclosure with warm water every now and then whenever I check up on him and leaving some water on his "pool" and leaving a wet towel on the side of the enclosure to stimulate humidity but I've been just eyeing it (so I'm not really sure if I am stimulating any humidity). In terms of the temp/hygrometer, that is something I forgot to mention that I will be buying in the future so I could actually know the temp and condition of his enclosure. I will definitely consider and buy the terra cotta plant saucers and the fine/medium orchid bark substrate as mentioned in your other reply! Though, do I have to be concerned about his size? But, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REPLYING! ^^
 

TonytheTortoise_

New Member
Joined
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Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
So, here's some info/Care sheet related to your Sulcata.


BTW, what is the name of your buddy?

Marsha...
His name is Tony but sometimes I like to call him "squirtle tony" ^^ and thank you again for sharing that link with me! Will be reading it ASAP.
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome,
This is the most up to date care sheet that will help you get Tony's living conditions right
It covers everything you need to know and if you follow that Tony should thrive. Please read it through but ask as many questions as you like.
If you post some pics of his enclosure and the lamps ,we'll be able to help you make sure everything is as safe as possible for him. Some bulbs aren't recommended because of damage they can do to shells and eyes and are best avoided - although pet stores continue to sell them for profit and because they know little about tort care.
Tony will need a much more varied diet because - while they love romaine it's not very nutritious - thankfully weeds should be about in abundance now and the caresheet will give you a list of good foods.
 

TonytheTortoise_

New Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
Hi and welcome,
This is the most up to date care sheet that will help you get Tony's living conditions right
It covers everything you need to know and if you follow that Tony should thrive. Please read it through but ask as many questions as you like.
If you post some pics of his enclosure and the lamps ,we'll be able to help you make sure everything is as safe as possible for him. Some bulbs aren't recommended because of damage they can do to shells and eyes and are best avoided - although pet stores continue to sell them for profit and because they know little about tort care.
Tony will need a much more varied diet because - while they love romaine it's not very nutritious - thankfully weeds should be about in abundance now and the caresheet will give you a list of good foods.
Hello! Thank you very much! I will read the care sheet ASAP but here are some pics of Tony's enclosure. I also changed up his soaking bath tub so he can at least move a little in it. I also included here the stuff I add on his food (theyre fr PetCo. and I think the are too)
 

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Lyn W

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Hello! Thank you very much! I will read the care sheet ASAP but here are some pics of Tony's enclosure. I also changed up his soaking bath tub so he can at least move a little in it. I also included here the stuff I add on his food (theyre fr PetCo. and I think the are too)
Hi again, there are some changes you could make which would improve things for Tony, it will sound a lot but something we've all had to do when we started out because of bad advice from pet stores or social media or other websites etc.
He could do with a bigger enclosure so that he has more floor space to wander, which he needs to do for digestion and for leg strength and with enough room for a hide (like an upturned tub with a door cut in it).
Red lights aren't recommended because they confuse torts and encourage then to eat things they shouldn't.
Is the white light basking or uvb or a combined mvb bulb?
The ornamental water dishes are a bit steep for little torts and could be tipping/drowning hazard, Many of us use cheap terracotta plant saucers sunk level with the substrate to make it easier for them to access and exit.
They only need a very small pinch of calcium once or twice a week - too much can cause problems, and the dried pellets are ok occasionally but the main diet should be as listed in the caresheet.
I think that about covers it but when you read the caresheet you'll be able to see changes you can make for yourself.
Hope that helps and isn't too overwhelming.
 

TonytheTortoise_

New Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
Hi again, there are some changes you could make which would improve things for Tony, it will sound a lot but something we've all had to do when we started out because of bad advice from pet stores or social media or other websites etc.
He could do with a bigger enclosure so that he has more floor space to wander, which he needs to do for digestion and for leg strength and with enough room for a hide (like an upturned tub with a door cut in it).
Red lights aren't recommended because they confuse torts and encourage then to eat things they shouldn't.
Is the white light basking or uvb or a combined mvb bulb?
The ornamental water dishes are a bit steep for little torts and could be tipping/drowning hazard, Many of us use cheap terracotta plant saucers sunk level with the substrate to make it easier for them to access and exit.
They only need a very small pinch of calcium once or twice a week - too much can cause problems, and the dried pellets are ok occasionally but the main diet should be as listed in the caresheet.
I think that about covers it but when you read the caresheet you'll be able to see changes you can make for yourself.
Hope that helps and isn't too overwhelming.
*the lights sre fr PetCo too

Yes! I'm working on making him a bigger enclosure though I'm not sure if i should buy another storage bin and connect the two or buy/diy a cube/rectangular tort table/plant box. The white light is a basking light according to my boyfriend, and we're on the process of replacing the basking light and buy him the all-in-one type of light --- and thank you for letting me know about the red light! I will change it ASAP, however, for the time being, whats the best way to give warmth for Tony during the night if I'll be taking away his red light? Also, I'll get the plate ASAP


...I say ASAP a lot as I am a broke nursing student ahaha, so it may take me sometime to fix the situation but I'll make sure to get them right once I can afford it (hopefully this following days or week)
 

Lyn W

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Pet shops rarely know about tort care but are happy to sell unsuitable/unsafe equipment for profit so before you buy anything else check on the forum - it could save you money and hassle.

The all in one lights have been found to dry and damage tort shells so they aren't recommended anymore, - - plus they are expensive, fragile and the uvb fades quickly. There is also a risk that any coiled and cfl types can damage eyes so they are also best avoided too.

Many of us use T5 HO UVB tube kits with a separate basking bulb, but if you are able to give Tony for some short, supervised outside time in a safe secure enclosure, a few times a week (with shade and water available) you may not need that yet.

Ceramic heat emitters (CHE) are great for night heat because there is no light (torts need darkness to sleep), but they must be run through a thermostat to make sure they don't get too hot and cause the tort to over heat.

I'll see if I can find a link to Tom's heating and lighting guide - that will explain things much better than me.
 

Lyn W

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I'll tag @Tom to ask him if he'll post his elements of heating and lighting guide for you and clarify what you need.
 
Last edited:

TonytheTortoise_

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Apr 22, 2022
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Yuma, Arizona
Pet shops rarely know about tort care but are happy to sell unsuitable/unsafe equipment for profit so before you buy anything else check on the forum - it could save you money and hassle.

The all in one lights have been found to dry and damage tort shells so they aren't recommended anymore, - - plus they are expensive, fragile and the uvb fades quickly. There is also a risk that any coiled and cfl types can damage eyes so they are also best avoided too.

Many of us use T5 HO UVB tube kits with a separate basking bulb, but if you are able to give Tony for some short, supervised outside time in a safe secure enclosure, a few times a week (with shade and water available) you may not need that yet.

Ceramic heat emitters (CHE) are great for night heat because there is no light (torts need darkness to sleep), but they must be run through a thermostat to make sure they don't get too hot and cause the tort to over heat.

I'll see if I can find a link to Tom's heating and lighting guide - that will explain things much better than me.
Ohhh Thank you so much, I almost made a purchase that I would regret, the youtube vid i saw made it seem like thr best thing in the world with the all-in one light. For the CHE, how can I regulate the heat of it throughout the night beside the thermostat? Should I run it with a socket that has a timer in it? Or one of plugs that can control the light setting (high or low)?
 

MenagerieGrl

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A couple of things, the fixture for the CHE has to be a High temp socket, made out of porceline they are made to take the high temps. Do NOT use a Metal type socket, not plastic, they are unsafe. Additionally, the nice thing about the CHE is that there is NO light at night so it allows your Tort to sleep in the dark. The Che should be run through the thermostat. so it regulates the temp 24/7
 

TonytheTortoise_

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Yuma, Arizona
A couple of things, the fixture for the CHE has to be a High temp socket, made out of porceline they are made to take the high temps. Do NOT use a Metal type socket, not plastic, they are unsafe. Additionally, the nice thing about the CHE is that there is NO light at night so it allows your Tort to sleep in the dark. The Che should be run through the thermostat. so it regulates the temp 24/7
Oohhh alright, thank you so much for explaining that to me 🥲☺️
 

Lyn W

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Ohhh Thank you so much, I almost made a purchase that I would regret, the youtube vid i saw made it seem like thr best thing in the world with the all-in one light. For the CHE, how can I regulate the heat of it throughout the night beside the thermostat? Should I run it with a socket that has a timer in it? Or one of plugs that can control the light setting (high or low)?
There is still a lot of old information being circulated, but the very experienced members here keep us up to date.
I just use the thermostat for the CHE. The one I use is quite simple - similar to this
1650792048687.png
One lead is for the mains supply, the other has a socket on the end for the CHE to be plugged into and the third is a probe which you position in the enclosure. You set the required temp on the manual dial and it will switch itself on and off as required. There are plenty of other designs and digitals models available.
 

DuckieGo

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My tort only poops and pees during soaks. 30 minutes always at least poops never fails haha. Misting soaking dampening the soil. Anytime I use anything involving water I will also treat with reptile water conditioning drops. Get those nasty chlorine and bad stuff out first. There may also be other ways to do this. My tort loves drinking from their soaking water while padding around. Hope that helps.
 

Maggie3fan

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I see he is developing some pyramiding, you'll need to really pay attention to what Tom wrote...he describes a "closed chamber and how to make it...tony needs more humidity, if you are broke...aluminum covering his habitat would suffice for a while...If you are close enuf, I might come help you...if you'd want...this is what you don't want...so you must change things around for Tony...100_2016.JPG
 

TonytheTortoise_

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My tort only poops and pees during soaks. 30 minutes always at least poops never fails haha. Misting soaking dampening the soil. Anytime I use anything involving water I will also treat with reptile water conditioning drops. Get those nasty chlorine and bad stuff out first. There may also be other ways to do this. My tort loves drinking from their soaking water while padding around. Hope that helps.
I will definitely try the water conditioning drop. Is there a site where you specifically get them or could I just purchase one on Amazon?

...So far, Tony has been willing to soak for 30min. and I've been misting his enclosure but he has not pooped or peed his enclosure or whenever I soak and bask him. He's been drinking and eating more though, so I hoping that he will poop or pee soon.
 
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