- Joined
- Jan 19, 2014
- Messages
- 4
So I found myself in the care of my cousins very small young sulcata. She purchased him from a pet store 5 days ago and her father wouldn’t let her keep it. That said, I’m not a young kid who doesn’t care for their animals, lol. I’ve kept all kinds of animals and worked in a pet store and love to educate myself on their well being!
Anyway, I have little Normand in a 20 gallon long terrarium. I have a 75 watt basking bulb, a UVB bulb, and a 50 watt ceramic heat emitter to keep the whole habitat warmer especially at night. Hot side temps run about 95 on the wall mounted thermometer. Cool side usually about 80. I use coconut fiber as the base and mist him often to increase humidity, including using a hide box with moss. I feed him dandelion greens and dust with calcium 3x a week, along with other greens and both Flukers and Zoo Med grassland tortoise diet offered even though he has yet to try it. I am growing wheatgrass and clover to offer to him as weeds, and soak Timothy hay pellets to offer as well. He is a picky eater so far but I’m trying! I soak him daily after I feed him in the morning as well.
thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this! I’m really trying to make the best life I can for this little guy and raise him right! I just read so much differing opinions I wanted to run this by everyone here!
two more questions,
any tips to keep humidity up in a screened terrarium? I plan to buy a misting machine to keep up on it while I’m at work.
also, does it look like his shell has begun to pyramid? I really am working hard to prevent that, I’m not sure how old he is and I don’t know what care he got before me. His shell isn’t even quite 4 inches long, but I know that is a law in NY at least if not federal to not sell hatchlings under that length.
sorry for the long winded post, just really need some guidance and reassurance!!
Anyway, I have little Normand in a 20 gallon long terrarium. I have a 75 watt basking bulb, a UVB bulb, and a 50 watt ceramic heat emitter to keep the whole habitat warmer especially at night. Hot side temps run about 95 on the wall mounted thermometer. Cool side usually about 80. I use coconut fiber as the base and mist him often to increase humidity, including using a hide box with moss. I feed him dandelion greens and dust with calcium 3x a week, along with other greens and both Flukers and Zoo Med grassland tortoise diet offered even though he has yet to try it. I am growing wheatgrass and clover to offer to him as weeds, and soak Timothy hay pellets to offer as well. He is a picky eater so far but I’m trying! I soak him daily after I feed him in the morning as well.
thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this! I’m really trying to make the best life I can for this little guy and raise him right! I just read so much differing opinions I wanted to run this by everyone here!
two more questions,
any tips to keep humidity up in a screened terrarium? I plan to buy a misting machine to keep up on it while I’m at work.
also, does it look like his shell has begun to pyramid? I really am working hard to prevent that, I’m not sure how old he is and I don’t know what care he got before me. His shell isn’t even quite 4 inches long, but I know that is a law in NY at least if not federal to not sell hatchlings under that length.
sorry for the long winded post, just really need some guidance and reassurance!!