Ollie the sulcata

Status
Not open for further replies.

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
My name is Ezra, for the longest time I collected arachnids and pythons.

Until now. I got Ollie last November 18. He has slightly elevated scutes which to me are cool "macho effect". As of now I am following Tom and Richards guide so the scutes remain as they are.

Here he is.

24bqejs.jpg


315680_323693060980304_100000188392392_1554091_1442570789_n.jpg


377104_323693814313562_100000188392392_1554097_600448526_n.jpg


388290_323693977646879_100000188392392_1554098_602254242_n.jpg


312037_323693304313613_100000188392392_1554093_96503355_n.jpg
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
Yes, I know. I've researched for about six months before I decided to get one. Tom and Richard's humidity study really makes sense. If this works out I plan to get a hatchling to make it grow really really smooth.
 

ewam

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2011
Messages
237
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Ca.
Welcome to the forum!
The color is very nice on his shell.
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
Yeah, I wanted to name him Sponge Bob cause my wife thinks his shell is like a pineapple.
 

nikki0601

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Messages
312
Location (City and/or State)
Bonifay, FL
Your on the right track, following Toms advice is the best I did for my Sully, I got him a month ago, I was expecting a 6-9 month old hatchling but recieved a little baby barely a month old, was terrified to care for such a young one but got on here, got the right advice which the opposite of what I had learned else where, so glad I found this place, my Sully has been happy and thriving since the moment I got him, got him set up just as Tom does it.
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
First...Welcome!

Second...You're getting great advice following Tom's "How to..." thread.

Third...Thanks for NOT naming him Spongebob! :p

Fourth...Where are you from...because if he can spend significant time outside...there is no artificial means that can match it! Also, his yard looks yummy...encourage him to forage...if he needs any encouragemnet at all;)
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
Personally I like to retain the slight elevated scutes on him. I've been thinking, if Richard and Tom can eliminate pyramiding for aesthetics, I'm sure someday breeders will learn how to control them, like morphs for example. Tortoises with different scute elevations yet healthy.

nikki0601 said:
Your on the right track, following Toms advice is the best I did for my Sully, I got him a month ago, I was expecting a 6-9 month old hatchling but recieved a little baby barely a month old, was terrified to care for such a young one but got on here, got the right advice which the opposite of what I had learned else where, so glad I found this place, my Sully has been happy and thriving since the moment I got him, got him set up just as Tom does it.

That is awesome that you got a hatchling. Here in the Philippines, it's hard to get hatchlings as most breeders give them 3-5 months before they sell them which, by that time they already have signs of pyramiding. In my case Ollie has never had the chance to drink water, until now.
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
It's just not the way they're supposed to be.
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
One question, I already check black incandescent bulbs but to no avail. All of them are already fluorescent. What would be the best substitute?
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
kastalarial said:
One question, I already check black incandescent bulbs but to no avail. All of them are already fluorescent. What would be the best substitute?

A Cermic Heat Emitter...there is no substitute! Zoo med does make an infrared incandescent...that would be your next best option. Or the Exo Terra moon simulator...I forget what that's called.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
Welcome to the Forum :D Ollie is beautiful :p

You can try to purchase a Ceramic Heat Emitter...it is a heating device that does not produce light but only heat.....
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
DeanS said:
It's just not the way they're supposed to be.

True, very true. Here in the Philippines, it's still a commonplace to see pyramiding, they actually think it's normal and if your tort is round, it lacks calcium. What asinine thinking.

ascott said:
Welcome to the Forum :D Ollie is beautiful :p

You can try to purchase a Ceramic Heat Emitter...it is a heating device that does not produce light but only heat.....

How do I go by that? It's like a fan. Do I just point it at my enclosure? By the way he lives in a 23 x 36 sweat box.
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
kastalarial said:
DeanS said:
It's just not the way they're supposed to be.

True, very true. Here in the Philippines, it's still a commonplace to see pyramiding, they actually think it's normal and if your tort is round, it lacks calcium. What asinine thinking.




Maybe the responsibilty will fall on you to educate the folks over there;)
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
DeanS said:
kastalarial said:
DeanS said:
It's just not the way they're supposed to be.

True, very true. Here in the Philippines, it's still a commonplace to see pyramiding, they actually think it's normal and if your tort is round, it lacks calcium. What asinine thinking.




Maybe the responsibilty will fall on you to educate the folks over there;)



Could be. But the thing is I am a noob at this even to my fellow countrymen, they don't even believe the Vienna study. For them more shell = more care.
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
DeanS said:
First...Welcome!

Second...You're getting great advice following Tom's "How to..." thread.

Third...Thanks for NOT naming him Spongebob! :p

Fourth...Where are you from...because if he can spend significant time outside...there is no artificial means that can match it! Also, his yard looks yummy...encourage him to forage...if he needs any encouragemnet at all;)

He seems to be choosing what he wants to eat though they all look the same, he smells them and then moves on. Normal?
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
The Phillipines should be the perfect climate to grow Bermuda grass...is this possible for you? If not, you can grow it in flats in the house under a MVB...this is the single best food on the planet for sulcatas. If he's hungry enough though...he'll eat what you put in front of him...just don't give him stuff he's not supposed to eat. Again, some sullies take to grass and weeds immediately...and some take awhile!
 

kastalarial

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
45
DeanS said:
The Phillipines should be the perfect climate to grow Bermuda grass...is this possible for you? If not, you can grow it in flats in the house under a MVB...this is the single best food on the planet for sulcatas. If he's hungry enough though...he'll eat what you put in front of him...just don't give him stuff he's not supposed to eat. Again, some sullies take to grass and weeds immediately...and some take awhile!

We have bermuda grass. Those shouldn't be a problem. Some time soon I will create a thread based on the responses of the Philippine forum on my suggestion on humidity.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top