New please help

[Bryan_Ugarte]

Hey everyone I'm so glad I found this forum! So I just rescued this sulcata

From what I know he/she was soaked 3 times a day when he was a baby and for the last year they were only soaking him once a week. They told me the only water it was getting to drink was when he was being soaked. Don't know the size of enclosure he/she was in. Also told me all they feed him/her is high end greens with cal the whole time they had it.
They had a 150 watt power sun on for 11 hr a day.

They said he's about 3 years old. Any info will help. I was looking at the care sheets but none of them were for juvenile or adults was wondering if I should follow that or is it different now that he/she is 3 years or older

Here are some baby pics they gave me

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
That should cover you

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Wow! Even the guys hands were dry.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Hi Bryan,
I've only had a sulcata for a TINY amount of time and have known nothing about tortoise-keeping. (I consider myself in tortoise diapers!) I just wanted to let you know that I have found SO MUCH help on this forum. There are tons of older threads that have answered a lot of my questions and there are a lot of really knowledgeable members who are eager and happy to help anyone who genuinely wants to improve the well-being of a tortoise. My tortoise has showed VAST IMPROVEMENT in an extremely short amount of time by listening to what members here have shared and spending lots of time reading this forum.

I understand the confusion you mentioned, because a lot of the sulcata care sheets do appear to be mainly for babies, but with some closer inspection and reading a few threads, you can get a good idea of what an adult needs. To my (very untrained) understanding the biggest difference I have seen is that older tortoises really need to be outside as much as possible and need HUGE amounts of space to walk and graze, while providing a moist, warm, shaded hideaway. I noticed you're in Jersey and I'm in the freezing dry north. The squirrels that live in the trees surrounding my house froze to death in their nests last year!!!-Not exactly the greatest location for tortoise keeping. It seems the biggest challenge you and I will face is providing them the proper heat, lighting, humidity, and SPACE through the freezing long winters. I'll attach some threads that I found really helpful. Happy reading!!!...

Tom's raising a sulcata thread
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Deans raising a sulcata thread
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/african-spurred-tortoise-sulcata-care-sheet.52524/

This is a random thread where a newby was asking for advice and members like Yvonne posted some amazing photos of their outdoor spaces.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-sulcata-and-need-help-advice.100211/#post-944659

Tom's Beginner mistakes -really helpful in advising what exactly you should put in your enclosure
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Tom's closed chambers ---This post shows closed chambers for babies, but I am attempting to build the BIGGEST POSSIBLE version of this to house my sulcata during bad weather.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

I was given tons of really great advice on my first very naive "I need help!" thread, which I will post here in case you want to see what members shared with me...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...z-help-identify-have-calcium-concerns.101100/
Good luck and welcome to the most helpful forum in the universe!

 

[lismar79]

Hi & Welcome! I am about to over load you with info since I was in your shoes last year with a rescue too
Your guy is pyramiding but its not too bad yet, you can still fix this ( you can help it come in smoother with the new growth) I am guessing he was kept in a dry small enclosure & feed mostly store greens...again this is a guess. He doesn't seem very large for a three yr old. I have a 13 month old that is 8" & 3 lbs raised humid & I still follow those care sheets because they work.
If this were mine this is what I would do:
You will need a big enclosure for the winter - your climate is like mine so I am guessing you do not have the safe heated outdoor set up yet. A recommended 8x10 is norm size but as big as you can fit would be a good place to start. I kept mine in my basement since I had a lot of room there & it was a good short term starting place. You need to be able to keep this warm & humid. Humidity is what will help get his shell back to smooth growth. 80% humidity is a good place to aim. You can do this by using an enclosed chamber style habitat & by picking a bedding that holds moisture like coco coir. Temps should be between -No lower than 80 on the cool side and a basking are of 95-100. Cold & damp will make for a sick tort so keep an eye on temps. Use a GOOD uv light source. I like Powersun bulbs myself since they have heat and UV in one. UV, humidity, calcium, & diet help make a healthy tort so do your research there to start.
You need a water dish big enough for him to fit into so he can soak himself if he chooses. Soak him yourself every other day. Diet, at his age, should be mostly grasses and you could start slowly introducing him to hay (cut up small pc & mix with his fav foods so he gets a taste for it) this will be a big help to you for correct winter feedings. You can find timothy grass hay cubes in the pet stores. These work well for me since you can re hydrate them & mix with other items.
Calcium is also a big thing. I give mine a pinch twice a week. I also leave a cuttle fish bone in the enclosure all the time. You can get calcium with D3 in it for winter but when they are getting good old fashion natural sun you do not need the D3 & you don't want to over do it.

Ways to save $-
Do not buy those ridiculous over priced pet store food & water dishes. Terra cotta plant saucers (the dish you put under the pot) are cheap & work great!
If you want to put your lights on a timer - get a power strip timer from a home improvement store. They are about 10 to 20 bucks
Temp gauge- again, the pet ones are really expensive. I got mine in the outdoor section at walmart for $10 & it gives me temp & humidity levels.
Enclosure- Build a box High enough for a lid to hold moisture. Line it (to water proof) with a plastic shower curtain!
Do Not go cheap on your UV light though....
a temp gun is also a good thing to get & these are $15-30 on amazon.
All of this is just my opinion,
Good Luck & dont be afraid to ask a ton of questions

 

[ascott]

That tort looks pretty good...sure, some less than stellar care but none the worse for wear....lovely rescue and absolutely adorable tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Bryan, and welcome to the Forum!

Ya did good, kiddo! That's a pretty nice-looking sulcata tortoise. We have some wonderful articles to help new tortoise keepers. So take a stroll though the threads that have been linked for you up above. Happy Reading!!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Welcome and nice job on this rescue! The above posters have provided you with a ton of invaluable information. Read and employ it all for the good health of your new tort! Keep us posted, ask questions, and keep the photos coming in often.

 

[TortyTom]

Nice rescue! Get him/her livin the warm humid life and all will be good!

 

[Alaskamike]

I just did the same thing recently. They told me mine was 2 yrs old , but only about 2.3 lbs which is very small for a Sulcata of that age. I see you are in New Jersey so the outside care will be only summers. You'll need a good inside environment for him when temps dip.

Hope things go well. !

 

[Alaskamike]

What is the size ( straight length of shell ) and weight of your new baby?