New to the Sulcata life :)

[DawnR]

Nice to meet everyone! On the East Coast of Florida. Have two Sulcata babies, both from the same clutch, but purchased about 3 weeks apart. (Prepared to separate if necessary) Meet Mufasa and Tortellini. They are both thriving, eating well and gaining weight consistently.

We have outdoor time to get some sun in the mornings and afternoons, then a soak and a mix of grasses and weeds "salad" My outdoor enclosure is made with tall and short plants that are edible, but is made to replicate the humid areas they are in when hatched in the wild. Someone is always with them, not only because they are fun to watch, but also because they often tip over and still have a bit of trouble getting out of the water dish.

I'm enjoying reading the posts and seeing the pictures.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Welcome to the forum! I would separate your torts immediately. Following is chasing, sleeping together is crowding, and eating together is taking charge of the best food. Pairs never work out for tortoises, groups sometimes, but never pairs. Read this care sheet...

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[DawnR]

Thank you Golden Greek Tortoise 567. I had read Tom's care sheet prior to getting my tortoises so i could set them up properly. I appreciate your advice about separating them now, and for the most part they do spend a lot of time apart. We have a unique situation where my daughter's tortoise goes with her when she visits her father. They are fed separately and when they are outdoors at the same time, they are in a 4 foot by 4 foot enclosure and have no interest in the same foods at the same time.

I have freshly sprouted wheat grass, millet grass, and popcorn sprouts growing now and ferns, creeping Jenny, artillery weed, African violets, spider plants, bee balm planted in there as well.

Their "salads" are made of random leaves and grasses from grape leaves, hibiscus (both regular and cranberry) leaves and flowers, thistle, turtle vine, zinnia, etc etc etc. They also get Mazuri crumbles mixed with some mashed cactus twice a week. My point is they get plenty of food, and variety of it. They are fed in separate areas of the enclosure and I will keep watch for any dominating behaviors.

Next week my custom covered enclosure should be aired out enough to put them in separately. I treated it with a food safe poly to make it easier to wipe down and a pull out plastic bottom to be able to change substrate easily.

I live in Florida, so before you know it they will be spending the majority of their time outside, then eventually all the time outside with a humid, heated hut.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Thank you Golden Greek Tortoise 567. I had read Tom's care sheet prior to getting my tortoises so i could set them up properly. I appreciate your advice about separating them now, and for the most part they do spend a lot of time apart. We have a unique situation where my daughter's tortoise goes with her when she visits her father. They are fed separately and when they are outdoors at the same time, they are in a 4 foot by 4 foot enclosure and have no interest in the same foods at the same time.

I have freshly sprouted wheat grass, millet grass, and popcorn sprouts growing now and ferns, creeping Jenny, artillery weed, African violets, spider plants, bee balm planted in there as well.

Their "salads" are made of random leaves and grasses from grape leaves, hibiscus (both regular and cranberry) leaves and flowers, thistle, turtle vine, zinnia, etc etc etc. They also get Mazuri crumbles mixed with some mashed cactus twice a week. My point is they get plenty of food, and variety of it. They are fed in separate areas of the enclosure and I will keep watch for any dominating behaviors.

Next week my custom covered enclosure should be aired out enough to put them in separately. I treated it with a food safe poly to make it easier to wipe down and a pull out plastic bottom to be able to change substrate easily.

I live in Florida, so before you know it they will be spending the majority of their time outside, then eventually all the time outside with a humid, heated hut.

Sound good, Tom does have an excellently care sheet. ?

 

[DawnR]

I know, right? Very informative and well written.

 

[DawnR]

And i know they say that tortoises don't do well with change, so one would think that traveling back and forth with my daughter would stress my daughter's out, but he is such an attention whore, lol. Anyone that will give him head scratches is good enough for him (or her, lol)

 

[AgataP]

I use Toms care sheet all the time. Have it in my phone so I can always check

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

And i know they say that tortoises don't do well with change, so one would think that traveling back and forth with my daughter would stress my daughter's out, but he is such an attention whore, lol. Anyone that will give him head scratches is good enough for him (or her, lol)

For me, when I move my torts I just give them the exact same enclosure in the new place and they are happy as a peach.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Nice to meet everyone! On the East Coast of Florida. Have two Sulcata babies, both from the same clutch, but purchased about 3 weeks apart. (Prepared to separate if necessary) Meet Mufasa and Tortellini. They are both thriving, eating well and gaining weight consistently.

We have outdoor time to get some sun in the mornings and afternoons, then a soak and a mix of grasses and weeds "salad" My outdoor enclosure is made with tall and short plants that are edible, but is made to replicate the humid areas they are in when hatched in the wild. Someone is always with them, not only because they are fun to watch, but also because they often tip over and still have a bit of trouble getting out of the water dish. View attachment 305303View attachment 305304

I'm enjoying reading the posts and seeing the pictures.

Welcome from another eastern Florida sully owner. (Palm Bay)

 

[Tom]

And i know they say that tortoises don't do well with change, so one would think that traveling back and forth with my daughter would stress my daughter's out, but he is such an attention whore, lol. Anyone that will give him head scratches is good enough for him (or her, lol)

Sulcatas are very tolerant, hardy, and resilient. Moving any tortoise can be stressful on them, but a regular pattern of moving is something they can get used to and desensitized to the point where they just accept it as part of the "normal" routine. I do this daily as I move them to their outdoor sunning enclosures, and again when I soak them every day. They just get used to being handled and moved, and they eventually use don't care. As long as their needs are met at each location and in transit, it can work. I wouldn't recommend it with every species, but sulcatas are pretty bulletproof when cared for correctly, and it sounds like you've got all the right care info. Your outdoor enclosure looks great. I don't know all of those plants, but I'm willing to bet you've vetted them all.

Your water bowl comment is cause for concern. What type of water bowl are you using? Where is it? Can we see a pic of that?

 

[DawnR]

Welcome from another eastern Florida sully owner. (Palm Bay)

Nice to meet you! I'm in Titusville.

 

[DawnR]

Sulcatas are very tolerant, hardy, and resilient. Moving any tortoise can be stressful on them, but a regular pattern of moving is something they can get used to and desensitized to the point where they just accept it as part of the "normal" routine. I do this daily as I move them to their outdoor sunning enclosures, and again when I soak them every day. They just get used to being handled and moved, and they eventually use don't care. As long as their needs are met at each location and in transit, it can work. I wouldn't recommend it with every species, but sulcatas are pretty bulletproof when cared for correctly, and it sounds like you've got all the right care info. Your outdoor enclosure looks great. I don't know all of those plants, but I'm willing to bet you've vetted them all.

Your water bowl comment is cause for concern. What type of water bowl are you using? Where is it? Can we see a pic of that?

Yes, of course! Ahh... The famous 'Tom' I presume? Lol. I have looked up each plant, i use the Tortoise Table website. The water dish is a clay saucer, and i put some stones in it so they have some places to push off to get out. Their legs are just a wee bit too short to give them enough push to get out yet, but i sit in a lawn chair with a cup of coffee supervising. ?

 

[DawnR]

Tom, it's only the water dish outside that they can't get out of without an assist and they're never left there alone, due to the big, mean looking hawk that sits in the tree above. The permanent enclosure will have a screen top. The smaller clay saucer in the indoor enclosure they can get in and out of just fine.

 

[AgataP]

Yes, of course! Ahh... The famous 'Tom' I presume? Lol. I have looked up each plant, i use the Tortoise Table website. The water dish is a clay saucer, and i put some stones in it so they have some places to push off to get out. Their legs are just a wee bit too short to give them enough push to get out yet, but i sit in a lawn chair with a cup of coffee supervising. ?

I would say for the time being swap it for a smaller dish they will need the big one soon enough ?
Better safe than sorry right ?

 

[DawnR]

I would say for the time being swap it for a smaller dish they will need the big one soon enough ?
Better safe than sorry right ?

Funny, Tortellini just climbed out all by himself about an hour ago! Once they figure out how to get on or over something, they do it repeatedly, so I'm sure they will be in and out by themselves in no time. And like i said, they are never alone out there.

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

Welcome,,, nice looking torts

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome, Dawn!

 

[saleena.lewis]

Nice to meet everyone! On the East Coast of Florida. Have two Sulcata babies, both from the same clutch, but purchased about 3 weeks apart. (Prepared to separate if necessary) Meet Mufasa and Tortellini. They are both thriving, eating well and gaining weight consistently.

We have outdoor time to get some sun in the mornings and afternoons, then a soak and a mix of grasses and weeds "salad" My outdoor enclosure is made with tall and short plants that are edible, but is made to replicate the humid areas they are in when hatched in the wild. Someone is always with them, not only because they are fun to watch, but also because they often tip over and still have a bit of trouble getting out of the water dish. View attachment 305303View attachment 305304

I'm enjoying reading the posts and seeing the pictures.

Welcome to the forum!