New to forum

[pumita07]

Hello I live in southern California and I have a baby sulcata tortoise and was wondering for how long do we have to have them in the coconut coir or at what age do we put them in dry substrate? ??

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This is a picture of my tortoise his name is Marshall

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This is him

 

[sibi]

Hi Pulmita, and welcome to the forum. Marshall looks so cute. His shell (carapace) looks a bit dry. Do you soak your baby everyday? He should be soaked once or twice daily. All the care that sulcatas need are explained in Tom's threads. He is the leading expert here and he was so generous to write up care sheets for sulcata owners. As far as the substrate is concerned, Marshall needs his substrate to retain humidity for at least a year or two. Baby sulcatas can develop pyramiding on the carapace if he doesn't have at least 80% humidity in his enclosure. Tom's care sheets go into further details. I strongly suggest you read them all if you want to raise a beautiful, smooth, and healthy baby. There are other types of substrate you can use, but coco coir is one of the best because it holds humidity without molding.

I hope that helps you. Remember to read Tom's care sheets, and after that, if you need further help or you have more questions, that's what we are here for. I've got a couple of Tom's threads below my name. That thread is one of the most important thread and can save your baby 's life! Please read it.Thanks

 

[bouaboua]

Welcome and you will have lots of fun learning all the things that you need to know to rise Marshall.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome pumita.

There is no simple answer to your question. They are most vulnerable to pyramiding and dehydration when they are smaller, but even larger ones will benefit from humidity. I try to keep my hatchlings mostly indoors, but with short sunning sessions daily. As they gain size, I leave them out longer and longer each day, but they still come in and sleep in their humid closed chambers. Sulcatas in South Florida thrive and do very well. Our SoCal summers somewhat simulate a wild sulcata's dry season. South Florida or New Orleans Summers somewhat simulate a wild sulcata's rainy season. I would attempt to keep up the wet season simulation until you baby is at least 10-12". I try to make the transition more gradual. I don't go from wet to dry over night. Even once mine move outside, I still offer some humidity in their heated night boxes.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ. Good luck with your tort

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi pumita07, and welcome to the forum!!

I generally keep young sulcatas on moist substrate until they're big enough to go outside to live. With a sulcata, that's usually sometime in either their second or third year.

 

[pumita07]

Ok Thank you all very much

 

[diamondbp]

Welcome to TFO!