New Member!!! Hey

[jenkins2728]

Hey everyone. I am Josh. I live in Indiana. I have two baby African Sulcatas coming tomorrow morning. I am real excited because this is what I have wanted for such a long time. It is my first tort. I am wondering and asking anyone who can help, if I am doing everything right so far. I have a great sized enclosure. The substrate is the terranium liner under a layer of ecosoil type of stuff. I also have a little mound of alfalfa meal in the corner to where they can burrow and play. I have a couple of "hiding" spots as well. The light is a UVB bulb. I also have a thermometer and humidity reader. Lastly, I have the dry tortoise food.

Am I missing anything or is there anything I can do to make things go smoothly. I saw some threads with torts passing at a young age. I want to take every precaution. I also wanted to ask one more question. Should I handle torts with gloves to avoid germs?

I appreciate whatever there is to tell me. I am happy to be apart of the tort family. I am excited for the future.

 

[JohnathanO]

Welcome to the forum!!

Check out this thread, It'll answer all your questions

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

try to post some pics soon

 

[Kristina]

Gloves really aren't necessary. Just don't over handle them - reptiles are different than dogs or cats, and over handling can stress them out. That doesn't mean that you can't EVER pick them up, it is good for them to be socialized - just don't over do it.

Babies can be tough to start. Just keep a close eye on them, and give them lots of calcium and water. If you have questions, don't ever be embarrassed or hesitate to ask.

What kind of light is your UV light? And what do you have to provide heat? They need to be kept very warm as well, and should not be allowed to get any cooler than 80* while young.

Also, what is "dry tortoise food?" Really you should be feeding greens. I know it is hard to find weeds right now where you are, but I would go to the grocery store and get some spring mix to start. I wrote an article on feeding, you can find it here - http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Nutritional-Considerations-for-Tortoises-The-Balanced-Diet-Revealed

You can get seeds and grow weeds and grasses indoors for them to graze on as well.

And, of course, welcome to the forum!!!

 

[jagsrule100]

Like Kristina said, you don't need gloves to avoid germs. After i handle my tortoise, after a soak or something, i wash my hands which is what you should do after handling.

Also what i have learned from this forum is to have the lights facing straight down and not on clamps or on an angle as it could possibly hurt their eyes. And on those cold nights up their i would have a black or red light for night time.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Livingstone]

I congradulate you sir, welcome to the forum.

With that being said...
100watt Zoomed mercury vapor bulb.
Zoomed ceramic brooder fixture.
Eco Earth bed a beast
Hygrometer. Aim for 80%
Dandelion, spring mix, mazuri, and turnip greens.
Soak daily for 15 minutes in warm water with the lid on.

Don't over handle baby tortoises. That tortoise has no idea you mean it no harm, its going to take it many years to trust you. If you scare it by handling it, you will make it sick (stress and trauma).

If you need any help we have some really great, and progressive keepers on this forum.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Its my opinion that MOST of the time when those little hatchlings don't live, its because they babies were kept too dry, and inappropriately in other ways, in the weeks right after hatching. They will live for weeks or months after the damage is done.

How were the babies YOU are getting treated right after hatching?

... almost sounds like the "What's in YOUR wallet?" commercials...

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the TFO Josh looking forwad to seeing some pic's after they get settled in

 

[jenkins2728]

In response to all, I am wondering about the humidity, should it be high or low?
I bought dry tortoise food that is labeled TRex dry tortoise formula. I am going to buy spring mix today. Can they eat the dry formula for now.
I bought a UVB bulb but I am buying a heat bulb because I need the temps to be higher.
How do you avoid keeping turtles dry? Let them lay in some warm water.
I apologize for all of the questions. Im just trying to do the best for these torts.

 

[RV's mom]

welcome to the board. You'll get lots of good advice, and pictures of your babies are always welcome!

teri

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Josh:

Welcome to the forum!!

If you read that first link that was given to you all of your questions should be answered.

In my opinion, you can use up that pelleted food, but don't buy any more. The only pelleted food that I use is Mazuri. This one was formulated for Galapagos tortoises and is a pretty good one. There are a couple members here on the forum that sell it. You can look for it in the 'for sale' section. Even so, greens are the main staple with only a bit of pelleted food on top of the greens.

 

[jenkins2728]

I should have pictures up later this afternoon. All this help is making me feel prepared to take on the role of parenting these torts.

 

[tobibaby]

hello,

just read tom's thread on baby hatchlings and u r set to go , im a first time tort mommy to a BEAUTIFUL sulcata baby.. i have done everything that tom had suggested.. get the seeds for sulcatas and grow his greens for him and try to give him weeds as much as u can of course not the toxic ones.. i love tobi so much he has made our lives joyous
enjoy every minute

 

[jenkins2728]

Soaking... Now do these torts soak as long as they want or should I keep watch of it?
My humidity level is only 55%. Do I wet the substrate to increase it?
Would putting a rock in the enclosure help the torts warm up?
When I turn the lights off at night, is that mean both the basking n uvb or what? Just darkness until morning?
I appreciate everyones help. I wish I knew more so I could help everyone.

Update: The babies are doing great. They are being active and already started eating spring mix lettuce. I am just wanting to make sure they are warm and humid.

 

[Yvonne G]

Josh:

Be sure to read...

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies/

It will answer all your questions.

1. Yes, wet the substrate
2. A flat rock under the light is sometimes helpful
3. All light should be turned off at night, however, some heat source should remain on to keep them warm at night...just not a "light."

If you buy a Mercury Vapor Bulb, you are killing two birds with one stone. It provides UVB plus basking heat.

 

[Laura]

dont forget the calcium!
and spray the torts with water bottle...

 

[DeanS]

You should invest in a Ceramic Heat Emitter...and you want to soak them at least twice a day (in warm water) for at least a half hour each session...plus the mistings in between (I shoot for every hour-and-a-half). Find a good cactus (opuntia) source...I recommend www.rivenrock.com this will take care of your calcium needs (plus a cuttlebone wouldn't hurt, either).

Other than that, just check out Tom's How To Guide (as mentioned in post #2), and you can't go wrong!

Plus, we'd like to see pics of your torts and their enclosure

...and WELCOME!

 

[chairman]

What part of IN are you in? I'm currently living in Jeffersonville, though I plan to move to Corydon shortly.

 

[jenkins2728]

Chairman. I live in Greenwood.

If the cactus thing is hard to find, what is a simple calcium riched food?

Toms information is my bible of tortoises haha

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome and I wish you the best.

 

[jenkins2728]

I am going to put up pictures of my two torts, but are the spots on their shells completely normal? One has a spot on every carapace on their top shell. And the other one has some. I was just wondering what it was. Seems pretty normal, but had to be the worry wort as I have been the past couple of days. I am just overwhelmed with excitement.