Preparing for a baby sulcata

[Urtle]

Hello everyone,
I am looking to buy a baby sulcata soon and I want to make sure I am well prepared. I am mainly concerned about keeping the aquarium at a nice temp and humidity. These are some things I found for good prices. Anyone have a clue if a humidifier is needed? Also, what wattage UVB bulb is safe to use?

- 29 gallon aquarium dimensions 30x12x18
- Regular UVB heat lamp
- Humidifier (not sure if it is necessary)
- Temp gauge and humidifier gauge


Thanks guys

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

The humidifier isn't necessary if you plan on slaying it down on a regular basis. If you're not wanting to do that then go with the humidifier.

 

[Urtle]

The humidifier isn't necessary if you plan on slaying it down on a regular basis. If you're not wanting to do that then go with the humidifier.

Do you mean spraying down?

 

[JoesMum]

Do you mean spraying down?

Slaying your tort would be counter-productive

Spraying!

 

[Tortoise Princess]

Guys:

Can you give your opinion on this sulcata pair being sold to me? 4 mos. old, 3.5 inches... i'm planing to just get one

Appreciate your thoughts and honest feedback!

 

[matt581]

I could be wrong... the 1 on the left in the last pic could be a B grade http://www.tortoisesupply.com/products/Baby-Sulcata-Tortoise-%2d-B-Grade.html

This will give u more info on it like i said i'm no Tortoise expert learning as i go.

I love the 1 on the right thats just me tho

 

[Tortoise Princess]

Thanks for this.!. Are there breed standards to know which is a good??

 

[matt581]

They say B grade's are fine i'm sure there the same. Myself I never had one but I really dont care for how they look idk what he/she will look like with that spot at 100lbs idk if it will go away or not? But a Sulcata is a Sulcata there all diffrent in there personality but great pets to have im sure both of them little one's would be fine for u

 

[Tom]

Urtle, click the two links in my signature. There is lots of info there that I think you will find useful.

I think a 29 is too small and any normal sulcata is going to outgrow it in two or three months tops. What wattage bulb you will need depends on your individual house and enclosure. They all need tweaking. Same thing with wether or not you need a humidifier. Just depends on your situation. All the equipment is simply a bunch of tools. We use these tools to create and maintain the conditions we want to create. The smallest MVBs are 100 watts and that will be difficult to use in such a tiny enclosure. You might need to use a 35-50 flood until you get a bigger enclosure and just make sure your baby gets outside for sun often enough.

The MOST important factor is the source of your baby. I highly recommend you read my "Hatchling Failure Syndrome" thread before you buy, so you can ask the right questions. If your baby is being housed on rabbit pellets with no water bowl and getting soaked less than every day, I highly recommend you look elsewhere. This is the single biggest factor in whether you succeed, or end up with a soft dead baby months from now.

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Guys:

Can you give your opinion on this sulcata pair being sold to me? 4 mos. old, 3.5 inches... i'm planing to just get one

Appreciate your thoughts and honest feedback!

Those two look fine. What you need to know is their history and how they have been cared for. Pics are great, but you can only assess so much from a single picture. For future reference, you really ought to start your own thread for this sort of question.

 

[drgnfly2265]

That one on the left has an interesting scute pattern! It's so tough seeing cute little sulcata babies. It makes me want another one, lol. Let us know if you get one!

 

[Urtle]

Urtle, click the two links in my signature. There is lots of info there that I think you will find useful.

I think a 29 is too small and any normal sulcata is going to outgrow it in two or three months tops. What wattage bulb you will need depends on your individual house and enclosure. They all need tweaking. Same thing with wether or not you need a humidifier. Just depends on your situation. All the equipment is simply a bunch of tools. We use these tools to create and maintain the conditions we want to create. The smallest MVBs are 100 watts and that will be difficult to use in such a tiny enclosure. You might need to use a 35-50 flood until you get a bigger enclosure and just make sure your baby gets outside for sun often enough.

The MOST important factor is the source of your baby. I highly recommend you read my "Hatchling Failure Syndrome" thread before you buy, so you can ask the right questions. If your baby is being housed on rabbit pellets with no water bowl and getting soaked less than every day, I highly recommend you look elsewhere. This is the single biggest factor in whether you succeed, or end up with a soft dead baby months from now.

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Tom, thanks for the heads up. All your posts are amazing, I have been reading them all and they are soo informative and inspiring. Thank you

I will keep looking for a bigger enclosure with proper lighting. Planning on soaking and sunning on a daily basis. I have the time and proper space needed as well. I will do my best to follow your rules for raising a hatcling.

Any idea where I can find coco coir?

---

 

[Tom]

KMost pet stores sell it in dry bricks that you need to rehydrate. Its usually called Bed-a-Beast or Eco-Earth, I think.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Haha oops... SPRAYING