New mama in AZ

[Lfbx]

Hello everyone! After reading a large number of threads with great information on this site I decided I should probably sign up and participate. Thank you all for the education thus far! I am the new mama to what I believe is a baby sulcata. Some friends found him in their irrigation ditch about a week ago so I took him home...and then had to figure out what to do for him. His name is Houdini. He's about 1.5 inches in diameter.

He is in a 2'x3' rabbit cage type enclosure - solid and opaque on the bottom, cage on top to keep him in and the dog out. He has Eco Earth substrate, small rubber/plastic saucers for food and water, rocks and one hide area. I'm working on getting a second, wood hide for him. So far, he likes eating wheat grass, dandelion greens, turnip greens, hibiscus flowers and leaves, globe mallow flowers and leaves, and rose petals. All pesticide free.

I live in Arizona. Daytime temps are currently about 85-90 so he sits outside on a patio table, half in the sun, half shaded. I spray his substrate with water before putting him outside. At night, he's in our guest bathroom, temps around 76-78 with a humidifier and the door shut. I've read a lot about humidity and pyramiding and with our dry climate, I thought the night time humidifier would be beneficial. I also soak him for about 10 minutes every day, trying to accommodate our dry climate.

He walks around quite a bit, sleeps a lot, but also tends to end up in the corners of his enclosure, in what looks like an effort to escape. Hence the name Houdini.

Any thoughts or advice on our set up are more than appreciated.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Hello and welcome! Would you happen to have a picture of your tortoise? Some of the experts on the forum may be able to 100% identify him for you.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forums! by your profile picture it looks like you have a desert tort. can you post some close up pics?

 

[Lfbx]

 

[Lfbx]

Here's an up close photo taken when he was found.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

View attachment 123016

yea he's a CA desert tortoise.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

you need a permit to own one. once they are taken from the wild it is now illegal to release it.

 

[ascott]

Hello everyone! After reading a large number of threads with great information on this site I decided I should probably sign up and participate. Thank you all for the education thus far! I am the new mama to what I believe is a baby sulcata. Some friends found him in their irrigation ditch about a week ago so I took him home...and then had to figure out what to do for him. His name is Houdini. He's about 1.5 inches in diameter.

He is in a 2'x3' rabbit cage type enclosure - solid and opaque on the bottom, cage on top to keep him in and the dog out. He has Eco Earth substrate, small rubber/plastic saucers for food and water, rocks and one hide area. I'm working on getting a second, wood hide for him. So far, he likes eating wheat grass, dandelion greens, turnip greens, hibiscus flowers and leaves, globe mallow flowers and leaves, and rose petals. All pesticide free.

I live in Arizona. Daytime temps are currently about 85-90 so he sits outside on a patio table, half in the sun, half shaded. I spray his substrate with water before putting him outside. At night, he's in our guest bathroom, temps around 76-78 with a humidifier and the door shut. I've read a lot about humidity and pyramiding and with our dry climate, I thought the night time humidifier would be beneficial. I also soak him for about 10 minutes every day, trying to accommodate our dry climate.

He walks around quite a bit, sleeps a lot, but also tends to end up in the corners of his enclosure, in what looks like an effort to escape. Hence the name Houdini.

Any thoughts or advice on our set up are more than appreciated.

Irrigation ditch, that would make sense....if that tortoise has not been exposed to any other tortoise it should be returned to where it was taken from...you live in an state that this species is native to.....and if the tortoise is returned to the exact spot I bet there will be signs of where it came from....too bad it was taken from the wild...

 

[Lfbx]

I feel terrible now. I had no idea. And I'm sure my friends didn't know either. How would he have survived in a residential area? What do I do now?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I feel terrible now. I had no idea. And I'm sure my friends didn't know either. How would he have survived in a residential area? What do I do now?

around 95% of babies die before adulthood but thats life. you going have to keep him.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

desert tortoise care and sulcata care is about the same.

 

[ascott]

I feel terrible now. I had no idea. And I'm sure my friends didn't know either. How would he have survived in a residential area? What do I do now?

I apologize if my posting made you feel terrible....I simply was sharing that unfortunately people have been wired these days to feel that they are "saving" wild animals by removing them....residential area---what surrounds the residential area? Arizona Desert? See, that species of tortoise are often found near the base of alluvial fans ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alluvi...ni_Alluvial_Fan_Imprinted_with_Footprints.jpg )...as this is a place in which they are driven to for water---since water is so unreliable in the desert.....and drainage ditch likely was the closest "like" place...

So, here you are with the responsibility of the care for that little one....you will be fine for 2 or 3 years before you need to legally permit the tortoise....please do read up and ask questions each and ever time you have them in regards to the care other provide for the tortoise of this species in their care....from many peoples set ups you will have knowledge to customize to this little on in your care in your location.....the deed is apparently done and you are now responsible....oh, and absolutely lovely tortoise....

Please do offer the baby a couple of long warm water soaks to assure it has a chance to take in water...water intake is very important...what type of enclosure to you have set up?

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome! !

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Slightly unfortunate situation, but what's done is done and now you have to make the most of it.
It's a beautiful baby you have there and once he's settled in you'll soon fall in love with him.
Send some photos of the enclosure so that those in the know can tweak it a little and ensure the new addition to your family gets the best life possible.
Good luck

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ also . Desert torts rule !

 

[Lfbx]

I called my friends about the situation. We live in a suburb of Phoenix. No desert nearby. But what was nearby was other desert torts. My friends' neighbor has 2 or 3 older torts. The neighbor had hatchlings about 6 months ago and thought he'd given them all away. They called him and he's happy to let me keep this last one. Which makes me happy. How he got into our friends' yard is a mystery to everyone. I read some older posts from Yvonne G and Tom with links to desert tortoise care so I'll make some adjustments to his care. Here's a pic of his enclosure. He's in the guest bathroom right now with a humidifier on. He'll be outside tomorrow mostly in the shade with a forecast temp of 88.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I called my friends about the situation. We live in a suburb of Phoenix. No desert nearby. But what was nearby was other desert torts. My friends' neighbor has 2 or 3 older torts. The neighbor had hatchlings about 6 months ago and thought he'd given them all away. They called him and he's happy to let me keep this last one. Which makes me happy. How he got into our friends' yard is a mystery to everyone. I read some older posts from Yvonne G and Tom with links to desert tortoise care so I'll make some adjustments to his care. Here's a pic of his enclosure. He's in the guest bathroom right now with a humidifier on. He'll be outside tomorrow mostly in the shade with a forecast temp of 88. View attachment 123018

It was probable that it was those big black birds with the long tails they are a pane

 

[ascott]

I called my friends about the situation. We live in a suburb of Phoenix. No desert nearby. But what was nearby was other desert torts. My friends' neighbor has 2 or 3 older torts. The neighbor had hatchlings about 6 months ago and thought he'd given them all away. They called him and he's happy to let me keep this last one. Which makes me happy. How he got into our friends' yard is a mystery to everyone. I read some older posts from Yvonne G and Tom with links to desert tortoise care so I'll make some adjustments to his care. Here's a pic of his enclosure. He's in the guest bathroom right now with a humidifier on. He'll be outside tomorrow mostly in the shade with a forecast temp of 88. View attachment 123018

Please be careful of humidity without proper controlled temps ...if you are going to use the closed chamber high constant humidity set up for this species please do not let the day and night temps drop ever below 80 degrees....that is a recipe for an ailing tortoise, especially with this species....good luck.

 

[Lfbx]

I'm not using a closed chamber or high constant humidity. He's outside in an open-air enclosure during the day (about 12 hours) with partial sun and partial shade and in a semi-humid bathroom at night. He also gets soaked just about every day for 10 minutes.

Thanks everyone for helping to identify my little guy and for all the advice!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Laura, and welcome to the Forum!

Grandpa Turtle said it first, but I want to remind you - when your baby is outside, protect him from birds. One of the killers of baby tortoises in the desert is crows.