New mama in AZ

[Cowboy_Ken]

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.

And Ravens, and blue jays, any of those birds that use the beak to do things other than collect seeds.

 

[tortdad]

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!

You say your not using the high humidity set up but also say you use a humidifier in that bathroom. That's most likely going to make it get sick with a upper respiratory infection. Do not let it get below 80 at night if your humidify that room.

I wouldn't use the thermostat from your house as a guide to the temps either. Heat rises and cold falls so it my be 78 at the t-stat on the wall but could very easily be 73 or lower in the bottom of that tank. Controlling night heat is best done with a CHE set up on a reptile thermostat. Check out the closed chamber set ups. They make maintaining humidity levels a breeze.

 

[Lfbx]

Thank you! The cage top to his enclosure, while open to the air, seems to be a small enough grid to keep the birds out. Unless he's sitting with me in the front yard or taking a soak, he's in his enclosure. I'd never leave him unattended outside of his enclosure. Thanks for all the helpful advice. I read more information on the AZ Game and Fish website today specific to desert torts and that was helpful.

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome