New sulcata owner

[tculpepper50]

Hello! We are going to pick out our newest family member Wednesday and I just want to double check we have everything we need!

We have the enclosure, heat lamp, UVB bulb, we are using timothy hay and aspen for substrate since we live in Houston and it it high humidity, two thermometers, a timer for the lights, two hides (one for cool and one for warm areas), rep-cal, a water dish, and food dish. Is there anything else we are missing???

 

[T33's Torts]

Sounds good! May I ask where you're getting your sulcata?

 

[tculpepper50]

A breeder in Alvin, Texas

 

[wellington]

If it's a hatchling, or under two years, you don't want hay as a substrate, too drying. Also, the humidity should be 80% day and night with temps all over no lower then 80. Be sure not too use the coil type bulbs, they still cause eye problems. You may also need a ceramic heat emitter for night time heat on those cooler days or nights so the temp does not dip below 80. Be sure to read Toms threads below in my post for raising and healthy, smooth sully.

 

[tculpepper50]

If it's a hatchling, or under two years, you don't want hay as a substrate, too drying. Also, the humidity should be 80% day and night with temps all over no lower then 80. Be sure not too use the coil type bulbs, they still cause eye problems. You may also need a ceramic heat emitter for night time heat on those cooler days or nights so the temp does not dip below 80. Be sure to read Toms threads below in my post for raising and healthy, smooth sully.

What substrate is best to use? It won't let me click on the link.

 

[wellington]

My fave is coconut coir, holds humidity great and won't mold. You can also use orchid bark, cypress mulch or plain dirt.

 

[T33's Torts]

Cool. Breeders are much more reliable! Mine are rescues.

 

[tculpepper50]

My fave is coconut coir, holds humidity great and won't mold. You can also use orchid bark, cypress mulch or plain dirt.

Where can I purchase that? I've read to use bed a beast and play sand as well.

 

[tkoehle]

Congratulations, the best thing I can tell you is to read toms threads in and out. I have read them probably three times already. What ever is on his threads you should have. Here are a list I threads he posted....http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-35317.html

 

[wellington]

My fave is coconut coir, holds humidity great and won't mold. You can also use orchid bark, cypress mulch or plain dirt.

Where can I purchase that? I've read to use bed a beast and play sand as well.

No on the sand, bad can cause impaction, does not hold humidity. The bed a beast is good.

 

[tculpepper50]

My fave is coconut coir, holds humidity great and won't mold. You can also use orchid bark, cypress mulch or plain dirt.

Where can I purchase that? I've read to use bed a beast and play sand as well.

No on the sand, bad can cause impaction, does not hold humidity. The bed a beast is good.

I ordered the coconut coir

 

[Tom]

Hello! We are going to pick out our newest family member Wednesday and I just want to double check we have everything we need!

We have the enclosure, heat lamp, UVB bulb, we are using timothy hay and aspen for substrate since we live in Houston and it it high humidity, two thermometers, a timer for the lights, two hides (one for cool and one for warm areas), rep-cal, a water dish, and food dish. Is there anything else we are missing???

Hi and welcome to the forum. PLEASE read this: ( http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-23493.html )before you buy! Most breeders do not start sulcatas correctly. They start them dry and dehydrated as if they are desert animals, when in fact the babies in the wild hatch in the rainy season when its hot, humid, rainy and marshy. The resulting chronic dehydration damages their internal organs and they often die weeks or months later. Its all explained in the thread. Do not be afraid to back out of this sale if the breeder starts them dry, on a dry substrate, and only soaks "once a week". There are plenty of people here on this forum who sell well started healthy babies that aren't going to drop dead in a few weeks.


Then read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
Its a full care sheet explaining all the products you need, how to set it up and why to set it up that way.


To answer your questions directly:
1. What sort of heat lamps and UV bulbs? It makes a difference.
2. What size and type enclosure?
3. Hay and aspen are both unsuitable. My favorite for hatchling sulcatas is orchid bark, but coco coir (Bed-a-Beast) will work too. But no sand. Sand in any quantity is a potential skin and eye irritant and impaction risk.
4. Digital thermometers, or stick on dial types?
5. Two hides is good. Are they proper humid hides?
6. What sort of food and water bowls? Terra cotta plant saucers work best. The typical ramped water bowls sold at pet shops are literally death traps for tortoises.
7. What are you doing for night heat?

 

[tculpepper50]

Hello! We are going to pick out our newest family member Wednesday and I just want to double check we have everything we need!

We have the enclosure, heat lamp, UVB bulb, we are using timothy hay and aspen for substrate since we live in Houston and it it high humidity, two thermometers, a timer for the lights, two hides (one for cool and one for warm areas), rep-cal, a water dish, and food dish. Is there anything else we are missing???

Hi and welcome to the forum. PLEASE read this: ( http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-23493.html )before you buy! Most breeders do not start sulcatas correctly. They start them dry and dehydrated as if they are desert animals, when in fact the babies in the wild hatch in the rainy season when its hot, humid, rainy and marshy. The resulting chronic dehydration damages their internal organs and they often die weeks or months later. Its all explained in the thread. Do not be afraid to back out of this sale if the breeder starts them dry, on a dry substrate, and only soaks "once a week". There are plenty of people here on this forum who sell well started healthy babies that aren't going to drop dead in a few weeks.


Then read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
Its a full care sheet explaining all the products you need, how to set it up and why to set it up that way.


To answer your questions directly:
1. What sort of heat lamps and UV bulbs? It makes a difference.
2. What size and type enclosure?
3. Hay and aspen are both unsuitable. My favorite for hatchling sulcatas is orchid bark, but coco coir (Bed-a-Beast) will work too. But no sand. Sand in any quantity is a potential skin and eye irritant and impaction risk.
4. Digital thermometers, or stick on dial types?
5. Two hides is good. Are they proper humid hides?
6. What sort of food and water bowls? Terra cotta plant saucers work best. The typical ramped water bowls sold at pet shops are literally death traps for tortoises.
7. What are you doing for night heat?

Where can we find a good breeder on the site?

---

Hello! We are going to pick out our newest family member Wednesday and I just want to double check we have everything we need!

We have the enclosure, heat lamp, UVB bulb, we are using timothy hay and aspen for substrate since we live in Houston and it it high humidity, two thermometers, a timer for the lights, two hides (one for cool and one for warm areas), rep-cal, a water dish, and food dish. Is there anything else we are missing???

Hi and welcome to the forum. PLEASE read this: ( http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-23493.html )before you buy! Most breeders do not start sulcatas correctly. They start them dry and dehydrated as if they are desert animals, when in fact the babies in the wild hatch in the rainy season when its hot, humid, rainy and marshy. The resulting chronic dehydration damages their internal organs and they often die weeks or months later. Its all explained in the thread. Do not be afraid to back out of this sale if the breeder starts them dry, on a dry substrate, and only soaks "once a week". There are plenty of people here on this forum who sell well started healthy babies that aren't going to drop dead in a few weeks.


Then read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
Its a full care sheet explaining all the products you need, how to set it up and why to set it up that way.


To answer your questions directly:
1. What sort of heat lamps and UV bulbs? It makes a difference.
2. What size and type enclosure?
3. Hay and aspen are both unsuitable. My favorite for hatchling sulcatas is orchid bark, but coco coir (Bed-a-Beast) will work too. But no sand. Sand in any quantity is a potential skin and eye irritant and impaction risk.
4. Digital thermometers, or stick on dial types?
5. Two hides is good. Are they proper humid hides?
6. What sort of food and water bowls? Terra cotta plant saucers work best. The typical ramped water bowls sold at pet shops are literally death traps for tortoises.
7. What are you doing for night heat?

Thank you so much for all your help I have gone through your link and am now changing a lot of what I had originally purchased as far as light sources!

 

[Tom]

I spend hours and hours typing all that stuff up, proof-reading it, having others check it and give input... It really makes me happy when someone finds the info useful, and it helps their tortoise.

Please feel free to ask lots of questions. There is a lot of info in all those links, but sometimes more specific explanation is needed. It has been apparent in the past that if you are wondering about something, there are lots of other people wondering the same thing.