Please help answer my questions about my baby sulcata!!

[brian.le02]

So should I take out the towel and all and just replace it with a big clear shower curtain and how wet is to wet for the substrate? As long as there are no lakes and puddles?

 

[Ray--Opo]

View attachment 269294View attachment 269295

Also I hear the eyes are a good way to determine a tortoises health and that if they are sluggish than it could be a sign they are sick so here are his eyes and he spends a lot of time in his little hide and I see him moving around and exploring in the morning but around 6 or 7 he slows down and is usually sleeping by 8 also when I put him outside of his enclosure for some extra exercise he is very active and runs around and is quite the speeder haha is this normal behavior and does he look healthy?

Also not sure if this is important but his pee is very liquidity like straight water haha whenever I accidentally frighten him he sprays water and his poo comes out solid

Looks healthy to me. If you see some white stuff come out when he pees. That is called urates and is normal. If it is like toothpaste good. If it comes out gritty or chunky then he is not getting enough water.

 

[Ray--Opo]

So should I take out the towel and all and just replace it with a big clear shower curtain and how wet is to wet for the substrate? As long as there are no lakes and puddles?

I would take the towel away. It just absorbs the moisture. Get your substrate moist but no standing water.

 

[brian.le02]

Ok noted ray I will be sure to keep an eye out for urates also ok I have purchased a shower curtain and the humidity went up a lot and it had also I spray the towel to make it damp so it can make more humidity or should I just remove it and keep the shower curtain?

 

[brian.le02]

Thank you for your help I appreciate everyone who responded

 

[Ray--Opo]

Ok noted ray I will be sure to keep an eye out for urates also ok I have purchased a shower curtain and the humidity went up a lot and it had also I spray the towel to make it damp so it can make more humidity or should I just remove it and keep the shower curtain?

I would just remove the towel. Sooner or later you will probably end up with the towel molding.

 

[Ray--Opo]

The urates form because a tortoise has the ability to recycle the urine when not enough water is available. Like I said toothpaste like is ok. But if it shows up all the time you need to soak longer. If it comes out gritty and chunky then you need to keep him more hydrated. But if it happens just now and then. No worries.

 

[brian.le02]

Ok thank you for all the help I will b will be sure to remove the towel and look for urates thank you again for you help I appreciate it

 

[Unkapunka]

What a cute tort. So adorable.

 

[brian.le02]

What a cute tort. So adorable.

Thank you! I think so to haha I love his little legs and he’s a speeder he spends a lot of time in his warm side hide

 

[Sue Ann]

I have recently had the pleasure of getting a baby sulcata who is about a month or two old he is about the size of an egg haha the humidity is usually around high 60’s and the temp in the enclosure is mid 80’s in the morning and mid 70’s at night but I had a few questions
1. How moist should his substrate be? I give his enclosure a spray every morning to keep humidity high and also soak him every morning outside for some natural sunlight but I have recently noticed the bottom of his shell isn’t as hard as the top of his shell when I gently press I can feel that it isn’t as hard as the top it isn’t super squishy and watery but is this normal? If not is it because the substrate is to wet?
2. What are signs of shell rot and Metabolic Bone Disease and how can I prevent them? Or any other diseases a sulcata can Get Iwant my boy to grow up healthy
3. How moist should his humid hide be and could it cause any problems if it’s to wet
4. How can I prevent pyramiding an what causes it
5. I am feeding him zilla tortoise pellets and I bought some Mustard greens, Collard greens, and kale for my sulcata and I rotate between food to give him variety I also use a calcium powder called Repti Calcium how much of it should I sprinkle into his food? I don’t want him to have pyramiding
6. Is there any tips or mistakes u have seen people make that u could tell me
7. What is normal baby behavior? I raised the temps in the enclosure and it had caused him to become more active (77 degrees to mid 80’s in the day) he is very shy and spends time in his little half log I have for him should I trust him to know when to move in and out of his little hiding place and into the more dry areas of the enclosure or is there a certain amount of time he should only be spending in his log and in dry areas. He also walks around when he thinks no one is looking haha I see him walking and exploring and climbing.

If u take the time to respond to me I would really appreciate it and thank you for your time I just want my little man to grow up healthy

Im also a new sully owner. I purchased fine orchid soil. and put it about 2 1/2 in deep. added water and stirred with my hand. My little guy loves it digs burrows and is quite happy. You really ought to have his tank warmer. 80-85 on the cool side and 90 on the warm side. I have a regulator that turns it off and on. I put a clay saucer in the tank and fill it with water, i surround it with wet spagnum moss from new zealand. It really keeps the humidity up. I have had no trouble with him eating it.

 

[brian.le02]

Im also a new sully owner. I purchased fine orchid soil. and put it about 2 1/2 in deep. added water and stirred with my hand. My little guy loves it digs burrows and is quite happy. You really ought to have his tank warmer. 80-85 on the cool side and 90 on the warm side. I have a regulator that turns it off and on. I put a clay saucer in the tank and fill it with water, i surround it with wet spagnum moss from new zealand. It really keeps the humidity up. I have had no trouble with him eating it.

I will try the sphagnum moss around his water I have it in his hidings and it does fine he doesn’t eat it and I have raised me temps thank you!

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Im also a new sully owner. I purchased fine orchid soil. and put it about 2 1/2 in deep. added water and stirred with my hand. My little guy loves it digs burrows and is quite happy. You really ought to have his tank warmer. 80-85 on the cool side and 90 on the warm side. I have a regulator that turns it off and on. I put a clay saucer in the tank and fill it with water, i surround it with wet spagnum moss from new zealand. It really keeps the humidity up. I have had no trouble with him eating it.

Your basking temp should be closer to 100 degrees.

 

[JoesMum]

Your basking temp should be closer to 100 degrees.

The gradient quoted is fine across the tank as long as there is 95-100F directly under the basking lamp.

 

[Lyn W]

I was told
right temps + humidity = healthy tort
too cold + humidity = sick tort

so make sure you get the temps right!

 

[Cheryl Hills]

The gradient quoted is fine across the tank as long as there is 95-100F directly under the basking lamp.

She did not mention a basking spot, so I was just being shore.

 

[Sue Ann]

She did not mention a basking spot, so I was just being shore.

thanks Cheryl, I have a dual light, one side heat the other basking temp. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Sue Ann]

for all you new owners, there is lots of reference materials in the forum. Go to top of this page and click on the word forum and there is loads of wisdom there