New inexperienced sulcata owner

[Tortoisenewb]

Hello everybody, I have found myself with a Sulcata, 15 years old and about 90 pounds. I’m finding conflicting information on how to keep him. I’m hoping you can all answer my questions.

1. I don’t have grass. I have artificial turf and dirt. Will this be okay? I know they like to graze but I have 3 mini pigs and they destroy anything I plant.
2. He will be fully outdoors. Is a Kane heating pad in a dog house sufficient warmth? I live in Northern California.
3. How do I soak him? I have kiddie pools out all the time but how do I make sure he gets soaked each week for enough time if I can’t lift him into a container?
4. Does he need a hide box? If so, what does the entail/consist of?
5. Is straw good for bedding? Or what should I use in his dog house?
6. Is humidity a thing I need to worry about? Should I keep a thermometer in his house to know how warm it is?

I am feeling so overwhelmed with all of this information and things I need to do. The person I got him from pretty much said I didn’t need anything but as I started researching I’m realizing that I need to do a lot more than I had anticipated. I apologize for how inexperienced and uneducated I am about these creatures. I just want to make things right and give him the best life possible. Any and all advice is welcome!

 

[jeff kushner]

Welcome to the club, the first sticky in this folder will give you a wealth of info till the talent wakes up and can help you!

jeff

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Hello everybody, I have found myself with a Sulcata, 15 years old and about 90 pounds. I’m finding conflicting information on how to keep him. I’m hoping you can all answer my questions.

1. I don’t have grass. I have artificial turf and dirt. Will this be okay? I know they like to graze but I have 3 mini pigs and they destroy anything I plant.
2. He will be fully outdoors. Is a Kane heating pad in a dog house sufficient warmth? I live in Northern California.
3. How do I soak him? I have kiddie pools out all the time but how do I make sure he gets soaked each week for enough time if I can’t lift him into a container?
4. Does he need a hide box? If so, what does the entail/consist of?
5. Is straw good for bedding? Or what should I use in his dog house?
6. Is humidity a thing I need to worry about? Should I keep a thermometer in his house to know how warm it is?

I am feeling so overwhelmed with all of this information and things I need to do. The person I got him from pretty much said I didn’t need anything but as I started researching I’m realizing that I need to do a lot more than I had anticipated. I apologize for how inexperienced and uneducated I am about these creatures. I just want to make things right and give him the best life possible. Any and all advice is welcome!

Welcome aboard!!!!
Put your big girl pants on cuz it’s gonna be a looong bumpy ride!!!!
You’re gonna LOOOOVE IT!! 🤭🤭

Let me wake the vampires….

@Tom
@Yvonne G
@ Zovic
@Maggie3fan
@ZEROPILOT
@TammyJ
@wellington

The list goes on…and on….😂

You will get GREAT help and answers to ALL of your questions.
When you do as they say…
Your life (eventually) will be much easier and you will love having a sully.
I am sooo glad you came HERE for help!!
I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Good luck 👍🍀 and best wishes!!!

❤️ chef

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello everybody, I have found myself with a Sulcata, 15 years old and about 90 pounds. I’m finding conflicting information on how to keep him. I’m hoping you can all answer my questions.

1. I don’t have grass. I have artificial turf and dirt. Will this be okay? I know they like to graze but I have 3 mini pigs and they destroy anything I plant.
2. He will be fully outdoors. Is a Kane heating pad in a dog house sufficient warmth? I live in Northern California.
3. How do I soak him? I have kiddie pools out all the time but how do I make sure he gets soaked each week for enough time if I can’t lift him into a container?
4. Does he need a hide box? If so, what does the entail/consist of?
5. Is straw good for bedding? Or what should I use in his dog house?
6. Is humidity a thing I need to worry about? Should I keep a thermometer in his house to know how warm it is?

I am feeling so overwhelmed with all of this information and things I need to do. The person I got him from pretty much said I didn’t need anything but as I started researching I’m realizing that I need to do a lot more than I had anticipated. I apologize for how inexperienced and uneducated I am about these creatures. I just want to make things right and give him the best life possible. Any and all advice is welcome!

Hello and welcome!

To have a "sudden sulcata" is challenging but don't worry we'll help to sort out anything

Probably the first thing to consider is building a heated nightbox: these giants should be kept no lower than 80F at nights. Kane mat is fine but you will need overhead heating as well. Nightbox design and equipement are described here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/single-tortoise-night-box.181515/ Dog houses are often lack required insulation and too tall to be heated efficiently.

For bedding in nightbox Tom uses just plain yard dirt around Kane mat - easy to scoop the poop and refresh.

Thermometer and thermostat in the nightbox are important. Correct temperatures are critical for reptiles wellbeing and you don't want to "walk in the dark". Some thermostats have temperature displays.

Humidity for a 15-year old sulcata is not critical. Usually, no special actions is needed.

To soak him, probably you will need to lure him in a kiddy pool (until he realize how to use it on his own).

No grass in the yard and mini-pigs running around is not good. He will eat their poop and depending on personality might ram them for fun. If you can make him a section in the yard with fresh grass, no other animals - this will be the best. At 15 years old he can also eat orchard/bermuda/timothy grass hay. Additions of weeds (like mallow, alfalfa, lavatera) and green leaves (mulberry, hibiscus, grapes and so on) are also fine. More details here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

1. I don’t have grass. I have artificial turf and dirt. Will this be okay? I know they like to graze but I have 3 mini pigs and they destroy anything I plant.

You are not going to keep the pigs and the sulcata together, right?