New to the fam

Chiefintay

New Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, Ca
Hello everyone, my name is Tay.. I’m new to the tortoise parenting club, I have a baby sulcata tortoise name “Bowser”. I have had it for a few months(been weighing to keep track of growth) Not sure if it’s a boy or girl tho..... but anywho, I have an open enclosure that I built... I’ll post pictures
Wondering if I can get any tips on raising my buddy
 

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Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA

Best thing is to move away from open enclosure to a fully enclosed one where you can fully control both heat & humidity. Ive added the care guide (above) in case you have yet to locate it here in the Species section.

good luck
 

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 everyone, my name is Tay.. I’m new to the tortoise parenting club, I have a baby sulcata tortoise name “Bowser”. I have had it for a few months(been weighing to keep track of growth) Not sure if it’s a boy or girl tho..... but anywho, I have an open enclosure that I built... I’ll post pictures
Wondering if I can get any tips on raising my buddy
You've got several problems there and at least a couple of them are very dangerous.

The pebbles/gravel has to go. That is a major impaction risk. I'd remove those ASAP.

Looks like you have some soil in there? I see little white flecks. This is probably perlite, and that can be deadly to them. They always eat it and it messes up their GI tract.

The clamps on your lamps always fail. This could burn your whole house down. Hang your bulbs from over head.

Read that care sheet. Come back with all your questions. We are here to help. Ask us to explain any of this. I'm glad you found us, and your tortoise will be too. :)
 

csheikh

New Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
28
Location (City and/or State)
Lahore
You should remove the pebbles and small rocks as Bowser might eat them, or even if one gets stuck to his food. He can choke on them. I think the light is too low, l would keep it higher so he doesn't get annoyed by it either. Otherwise l think you're doing good! Bowser seems healthy, and if you want to find out his/her gender, look at their backside notch, if it's U-shaped it's a female, and if it's a V-shape its a male.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
You should remove the pebbles and small rocks as Bowser might eat them, or even if one gets stuck to his food. He can choke on them. I think the light is too low, l would keep it higher so he doesn't get annoyed by it either. Otherwise l think you're doing good! Bowser seems healthy, and if you want to find out his/her gender, look at their backside notch, if it's U-shaped it's a female, and if it's a V-shape its a male.
Only a thermometer is going to be able to tell if the lamps are at the correct height.

You can't tell their sex at 125 grams. They have to be around 14-15 inches for the secondary sexual characteristics to begin to show.
 

Chiefintay

New Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, Ca
Thanks to everyone for their advice I will b Making a little changes so Bowser can have better environment. I really appreciate all the help and comments ..
 

Chiefintay

New Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, Ca
The hot side of the enclosure reads 90-100 and humidity 90-80, and the cool side reads at 75-90(no higher than 90 degrees) and the humidity reads 55-70...I spray bowser’s environment everyday, and I try to soak everyday or every other day. Also the rocks are not small enough to eat (I most def made sure of that) I also put a cam recorder to watch while I’m away frm home, b/c my wife came home one day and found bowser on his back, I figured he was trying to climb his hideout.... Thanks to everyone for their advice I will b Making a little changes so Bowser can have better environment. I really appreciate all the help and comments .
 
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