New Sulcata Tortoise

[MikeCCD]

Just got my first Sulcata and first tortoise at that. Substrate is a mix of coco fiber, peat moss and reptisand to make a homemade loam soil substrate. For heating he has a Powersun 100 watt and basking spot gets 85-88 degrees dependingly. Cool side stays around 75 degrees. On the cool side is a humid/night hide box. Inside is a forest moss that is always moist.
Inside the cage he has 2 shallow bowls, one always has fresh water in it (change it about 3 times a day) and another bowl to keep his food in.

Here it is:

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Mike. You may have to move your light down just a bit to get that spot directly under the light up to about 100F degrees. Nice job with the enclosure. Looks like it is quite suitable for a baby sulcata. Only thing I don't like is the sand, however with the mixture you've made, it will probably be ok.

 

[MikeCCD]

Welcome to the Forum, Mike. You may have to move your light down just a bit to get that spot directly under the light up to about 100F degrees. Nice job with the enclosure. Looks like it is quite suitable for a baby sulcata. Only thing I don't like is the sand, however with the mixture you've made, it will probably be ok.

100 degrees? Really. I was reading Sulcata Station's caresheet and it was saying no more than 85.

The mixture is broken down to about 45% EcoEarth, 35% Organic Peat Moss and 20% Reptisand. I thought about getting clay but didn't trust outdoor clay (I'm in NC) and the ZooMed clay was wayy to overpriced. I think I might be able to get some at whole sale prices and might add that in to the next batch.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. totally agree with emysemys, the basking has to be hotter as she stated. Also the cool, which you said has a humid hide, should not be lower then 80. Check out Toms threads below, in my post. They will help you a lot on the temps and humidity, and for raising a smooth, healthy sulcata.

 

[Laura]

I see that he needs a better diet... Most babies wont eat hay,, and that colored pellet stuff is not the best..
Try a variety of dark greens, Spring mix and weeds..
Have you seen him eat?

 

[MikeCCD]

I see that he needs a better diet... Most babies wont eat hay,, and that colored pellet stuff is not the best..
Try a variety of dark greens, Spring mix and weeds..
Have you seen him eat?

He will mow down anything dark green. The hay he will take alittle here and there. The Rep Cal pellets are part of the variety.

I am trying stuff out on him.
Right now I have:
Rep Cal pellets
Zoo Med Grassland Food
Mazuri
Western Timothy hay
Orchard Grass
Bok Choy
Enchive
Collard Greens
Mustard Greens
Turnip Greens
Spring Mix
And I'm starting to grow Kentucky Blue and Bermuda Grasses.

 

[LuckysGirl007]

So he will actually eat the pellets? I bought them in the beginning before I learned everything I have learned and mine wouldn't touch them. I thought they would love the colors...but nothing.

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome. You have gotten some great advise, and yes, basking needs to be at least 100 for sulcatas and humidity of 80. Below my signature also there are threads for raising healthy, smooth sulcatas. I'm sure Tom will be chiming in soon. He has lots of knowledge in sulcatas.

 

[Tom]

Hi Mike. Welcome to the forum and welcome to the wonderful world of sulcatas!

Every website is created by people. Every person has their own opinions. This forum is full of people who are currently experimenting and learning and trying out new and better ways of doing things. I disagree with much of the conventional wisdom that is "out there" because most of it never worked for me. For 20 years I tried and failed, and watched everyone else fail too, but none of the experts, breeders or book authors could explain this. It took me almost 20 years to figure it out, and I'm still learning today. The problem is that most people assume things about the sulcatas habitat that are false, or based on incorrect assumption. The truth is that no one knows much about what wild babies do, where they hang out or what they eat. What I do know is; what works and what doesn't work in our North Amercian homes and backyards. Babies hatch in the rainy season over there. Everything is green, it's hot, humid, rainy and there are puddles and marshes all over the place. This is the environment I try to simulate in my enclosures. NOT a desert.

It sounds like you are on the right track. It is clear that you have done considerable research and that is commendable. Here are a few things that I would change, based on my opinions:

Don't use the sand next time around. It is a real impaction risk, even as part of a mixture. Some people use it and like it. I don't. I've seen too many problems from it.

Your basking spot does need to be warmer. I like mine around 100, but let your tortoise be your guide.

I think your cool side should be warmer too. No lower than 80, especially with a humid hide over there. Night time too.

Sounds like you have a good handle on the diet info, but babies don't usually eat dry hay, and the "fruity pebbles" are probably fine if you are feeding a good variety of the other things you mentioned.

 

[MikeCCD]

Thanks for everything guys!
I raised the basking spot to 110 with a slate tile for him to bask on (the tile temps vary from 102 to 109). He is loving it. Also went out and bought a CHE and put it on the cool side, so that bumped up the coldest spot to 78 degrees.
Should I lessen the humid hide down to a 6 qt instead of a 16 qt (what I have now)?
Also Tom would you recommend clay instead of sand of just stay away from it all together?

Now I just gotta get this grass growing! That will be my weekend project. haha

Tortoises are new to me. At the breeding facility we keep burms, a retic, bull snakes, a jungle carpet python, gtps, corn snakes, a boa, ornate uros, a cyclura, banana phase pectinatas, green iguana, red iguana, a caiman lizard and we breed bearded dragons (Carolina Classic Dragons aka CCD).
I just been wanting a tortoise for a LONG time now and finally pulled the trigger when one of the vendors who buys dragons from us had a guy vending, with a clutch for sale. The babies were CBB and the parents are owned my the vendor.

Here is the little guy!

 

[ColorfulTortoise]

Welcome to the forum!! Beautiful Sulcata, I love the photo. Are you planning on giving him an outdoor enclosure for warmer weather? Sunlight is very crucial for them. My RT Shorty LOVES outside time more then anything. He thrives in his 8 x 4 outdoor enclosure.

 

[Moozillion]

Welcome! He's a beaut!!! Congratulations to you, on your new baby and congratulations to him for picking out such an attentive, caring owner/companion!!!!

---

What's his name??? Cool torts gotta have cool names!!!

 

[MikeCCD]

We have a outdoor enclosure for the dragons that we will rotate and give them a few hours in real sunlight, in the warmer months. I will do the same for this little guy, but for the most part he will be indoors until a indoor enclosure can't hold him anymore. Then he will have a backyard to play in.
It's (as I don't know the sex) name is Crush, I love this little tort.

 

[jtrux]

I agree with Tom, you've obviously done your research, and that's awesome. I feed the little fruity pellets occassionally and my Leopard tortoise loves them. I would also make the hide smaller like you've already mentioned.

 

[sibi]

Wow! What a beauty! Crush can have a beautiful, smooth, round shell IF you keep his environment humid and warm. His diet also has to be a variety of greens, weeds, hibiscus flowers and leaves, calcium supplements, and plenty of sunshine. When there isn't sun, you should have a uvb bulb in his enclosure too; but, remember that uvb bulbs need to be swapped out every 6 months because they lose their effectiveness after that. So, welcome to the forum.

 

[pennyw]

welcome mike, lots of good info and good people on this forum.
i soak my babies once a day and mist them twice a day. with the same temps as tom told you and they are so smooth,
good luck!