New mom in Charlotte NC needs help!

Male or female/age

  • Male 1-3 years old

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Female 1-3 years old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Male 4-6 years old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Female 4-6 years old

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Male 7-10 years old

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Female 7-10 years old

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    2

RachaelnRoxy

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Charlotte, N.C.
Hello. I recently adopted an African Sulcata from a friend who decided she was too much responsibility. I have wanted one my entire life. I am a turtle and tortoise enthusiast. I just visited a turtle hospital on Topsail island and "adopted" a sea turtle. My donation will go to his food and care. They will call me before his release and I will be invited to see him return to the sea. Clearly, I'm excited. But back to my reason for being here, Jet... I need help with her. After reading a few posts on this forum, I'm not sure I'm doing anything right. I'm concerned with light requirements, humidity/temp requirements, diet, sex, age, pyramiding, and overall health. I keep her environment at roughly 80 degrees, with humidity between 60-90%. She has a heat source light and a broad spectrum UVA/UVB light source. Her bedding is a mixture of hays and grasses. She moves her things around her cage, she likes everything a particular way. She flipped herself over quite frequently at first, but she stopped that. She has a "pool" she can get in and drink from. I clean it daily, sometimes several times a day. She is in a high traffic area and seems to enjoy it. She is very social. I feed her greens mostly. She was not given hay and grasses from my friend and doesn't seem to want to eat them. I cut them up like confetti and wash greens then mix the two together so she is "forced" to get some grasses and hays. But I'm afraid she is eating too much kale, spinach, celery tops (leaves) and dandelions. Once in a blue moon she gets a piece of baby carrot, half a strawberry, watermelon (she LOVES watermelon,) my mom recently baby sat for me and gave her avocado. She apparently LOVED that too. But I'm thinking it may be too fatty. I've only had her about 4 months, but I'm afraid she may be pyramiding. Can anyone confirm her sex? Or age? Does she look 3-4 years old? Is she a healthy size? Any information I can get would be appreciated. I plan on having her a VERY long time and I want to give her the best. I'm invested and committed to being a responsible mom to the baby I always wanted. Thanks in advance for any help you can give! Love Rachael and Jet!!DSCN4634.JPG DSCN4634.JPG DSCN4636.JPG
 

Attachments

  • DSCN4642.JPG
    DSCN4642.JPG
    3.4 MB · Views: 10
  • DSCN4647.JPG
    DSCN4647.JPG
    3.3 MB · Views: 8
  • DSCN4648.JPG
    DSCN4648.JPG
    3.5 MB · Views: 8
  • DSCN4649.JPG
    DSCN4649.JPG
    1.3 MB · Views: 8

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Salutations.
Clear shots of the underside will help the sexperts, but I think at that size they would just be guesses.
 

WillTort2

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
1,250
Welcome to the forum.

Yes, I believe you do have some pyramiding starting. But with proper diet and humidity I believe the shell will grow much more smooth in the future.

You should read Tom's sheet on raising Sullies.

Good luck.
 

Saleama

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Messages
1,501
Location (City and/or State)
Irving Texas
Read the care sheets. Your desire to do right by her/him is the first step. Changing the substrate and the diet will be a huge part towards getting her/him what is needed. My little ones are a year old this month and three are much bigger than yours while two are somewhat smaller than yours. S/he looks like s/he has received a good ammount of outside time. Keep doing that and s/he will more than likely get plenty of grass in her/his diet. Beautiful little animal you have there by the way! Love the color.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hello and welcome. Here are some threads to help you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

There is no way for us to know the age. Could be 10 months or 10 years.

It does not seem likely that you are getting 60-90% humidity with a dry hay substrate in an indoor enclosure. How are you measuring that?

I'd skip the fruit and avocado entirely. Its not needed and its not good for them.

A pic showing the tail and anal scutes will give us the best chance to guess the sex, but it will just be a guess at this size.
 

RachaelnRoxy

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Charlotte, N.C.
I have a sensor that measures temp/humidity. I use a spray bottle to mist water to keep the humidity up. It's a chore. Thanks for all the advice everyone. Looks like I have a LOT more to reading to do. I'll definitely start with the links posted. Again, thanks BIG for all the advice!!!
 
Top