Rate my Setup:

[austinbrehun]

Hello, I recieved my tortoise a few weeks ago. A young Sulcata with an aready pyramided shell, but very active and healthy looking other than that.

Before all the hate comments, he does live with a beardie which he gets along very well with. they walk all over echother and bask together and cuddle in the coir and have 0 problems.

Other than that, please help with any last touches on my enclosure. The substrate is a 3-4in. deep coco coir about 80% of the tank and 20% cypress mulch at the cooler end of the tank. There is a hide away log he loves to go and sleep in everynight and occasionally during the day. He spends most of his time basking and digging around in the coco coir near the heated pead on the right side underneath. The coir remains wet and warm around the right said and stays moist.

There is a Zilla Blue light producing light rays and heat although im ordering a powersun light. And there is a heating spectrum that kicks on all night. Food is provided 2x a day and water switched 2-3x a day.

I am aware there is no hood to collect the humidity which i was thinking about making one. Please grade my tank other than this.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

OK, with all the respect I can tell you. Your tank is too small, and dry for the beardie. It's too dry for the Sulcata who needs a humid hide and at least 80% ambient humidity to stop that pyramiding. You CAN stop it, but not the way you are keeping him now. No complaint from me on aquariums, but that one is too small. If you watch Petco ads, they have sales on aquariums, $1 a gallon. Or go to a mom and pop pet store and ask if they have any used tanks, they don't need to hold water. Get 2. One for the beardie, who needs a high branch to be on. And another for the Sulcata. Start at about 40 gallons. Now, it's wrong to both of those animals to be kept together. That's all I'll say on that. Please hang around, there's others who will give you different or better advice on how to keep the Sulcata, I'm trying to tell you the cheap easy way. Oh, and cover the top with aluminum foil or a plexiglass slab that helps with humidity, wet the soil.......Stick around, even if you don't like all you hear. Take what you need and leave the rest...welcome

OMGosh! and Happy Birthday!!!!

 

[Markw84]

Welcome to the forum, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Austin.

This is a great place to really find the best practices that will help you raise a healthy and thriving sulcata. However it does seem a bit like you are asking for advice, yet at the same time telling us to ignore things you are doing that you have already seen are contrary to most advice on this forum. So, its a bit hard to know what to say. A beardie has very different requirements than a young sulcata in a setup. I applaud you for seeking out the best advice, but believe you must start with are you trying to create a sulcata or a bearded dragon set-up?

Read the permanent threads posted at the beginning of the sulcata section, and let us know what questions you have.

 

[Tom]

I'm not as tactful as some of our other members. I just spell it out with a minimum of sugar coating. Having said that, I don't have anything mean or hateful to say to you. I only have helpful advice that I will offer in an attempt to give both of your animals a better life.

I would not have volunteered this, but you asked, sooooo… I have to give you an "F". I don't say it to be mean or hateful. I say it so that you will understand that you need to make some changes and do better.

Here is what is wrong in plain english:
1. The open top is letting all your heat and humidity out. This means you have to use even more electricity and desiccating heat lamps to keep your temperatures up. The result of this care regime is the pyramiding that you are already seeing. It will get worse if you continue this way.
2. No colored bulbs. Tortoises have better color vision than we do. If you can see it, they can see it, but you can walk way from blue land, while they have to live in it. Use white light for daytime and ceramic heating elements on a thermostat to maintain ambient temps day and night.
3. I don't like your water bowl. The sides are too tall and too steep. I fear you will find your tortoise upside down in there one day. Terra cotta plant saucers work much better and only cost about $2.
4. You should not be using a heat pad. Heat generated from underneath has proven to not be safe for tortoises. Be glad you've dogged a bullet until now, but you need to change it.
5. Your tank is much too small, and this is only going to get worse as he grows.
6. Your tortoise needs a humid hide.
7. The clamp on that clamp lamp is going to fail eventually. This could not only harm your tortoise, it could literally burn your whole house down. I can see you already had one near miss but the melted rim. Hang the fixtures from over head. Also, it looks like you might be using one of those plastic Bakelite type fixtures there. Those are not safe with light bulbs, and they are REALLY not safe to use with CHEs. These work much better and are safer: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Designers-Edge-10-1-2-in-Brooder-Lamp-with-Hang-Hook-0165/204667675
8. C'mon man. You already know they need to be separated. Besides the disease and injury potential, they need different diets and enclosure parameters. You got away with it for a while, now separate them before something bad happens.

Hey! Your substrate is good!

Seriously, I'm glad that you asked and I hope that you are too. I know its a bummer to be told that your doing "everything" wrong, but isn't it better to know what could be better than to find out the hard way at the expense of your animals?

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[austinbrehun]

I appreciate the feedback but I dont tell me im doing everything wrong. Ive researched and examined serveral parts of Tortoise care and I am very far from doing everything wrong.

I added foil to the top to hold in more humidity, and im getting a new light as I already had said in my original data.

Why no heating pad? several people have told me to get one.

And you clearly dont know all about bearded dragons if your telling me they need complete opposite needs. Meaty sits under the light and basks most the day and shares leafy greens with the tortoise. whenever i add crickets he eats them that day and the tortoise doesnt even notice. They actually have alot more similar needs than you think.

Ive fixed a few problems and was just looking for more help. Not to be told I was doing everything wrong. I appreciate the feedback but I dontalways like this forum as everyone is always rude and pushy with correct tactics. People try their best, so calm down with your so called support.

 

[Yvonne G]

...and YOU should calm down too. We're only offering you the info to help your tortoise and your lizard. After all, you came to us, we didn't seek you out.

 

[austinbrehun]

I took the time to prepare the tank and everything for days, not to be told everything is wrong when ive only been doing things this forum has suggested lole

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Good job on the feeding slate and substrate choices. The other suggestions above should be taken into account though.

 

[Tom]

I appreciate the feedback but I dont tell me im doing everything wrong. Ive researched and examined serveral parts of Tortoise care and I am very far from doing everything wrong.

I added foil to the top to hold in more humidity, and im getting a new light as I already had said in my original data.

Why no heating pad? several people have told me to get one.

And you clearly dont know all about bearded dragons if your telling me they need complete opposite needs. Meaty sits under the light and basks most the day and shares leafy greens with the tortoise. whenever i add crickets he eats them that day and the tortoise doesnt even notice. They actually have alot more similar needs than you think.

Ive fixed a few problems and was just looking for more help. Not to be told I was doing everything wrong. I appreciate the feedback but I dontalways like this forum as everyone is always rude and pushy with correct tactics. People try their best, so calm down with your so called support.

You are not doing everything wrong, in that you are correct. That is why I put "everything" in quotes. My post was simply to point out what you could be doing better, and where the potential problems might lie.

Before we proceed any farther with this conversation, may I ask who I am talking to? What is your age and experience level with reptiles? If you are a 40 year old man with 30 years of reptile experience with many species, it will be a different conversation that if you are a 10 year old child and these are your first two reptiles. Either way is fine, it would just be good to know.

 

[Careym13]

Being defensive is only going to cause your animals to lose out in the end. This isn't about you, it is about them. Please try to set your emotions aside and not take things personally. When I first joined this forum, I was doing EVERYTHING wrong. And the members here told me I was. The difference is, I didn't take it personally and their ADVICE SAVED MY TORTOISE'S LIVES...PERIOD. The decision is yours.

 

[christinaland128]

Your beardie and sulcata are super cute! Good job seeking out this forum for advice. That being said, you should really listen to the forum members, they're here to help.

I'd be lost without the help of this forum. My Redfoots are doing very well because of the advice I've taken here.

 

[popeye tortoise]

Welcome to the forum. I know it feels like some may be harsh but all the keepers are very good people with best of intention. I am an old guy and I have learn so much in a very short time. Good luck with your Tortoise.

 

[yillt]

Hello. Welcome to Tortoise forum! The comments may seem a little harsh but trust me, you'll thank them in the future. I came here similar to you and was adamant that I was doing everything right but you can always improve. As you say, you have got a few of the needs grounded but tortoises are actually quite specific creatures and need the right temp and humidity. Just hear us out and then see if you want to change your mind and do the best for your very cute (I must say) reptiles who have a few needs that should be treated separately, in separate environments. Good luck

 

[Pearly]

Hello, welcome to TFO and happy belated birthday! the above picture is best I can do from this device.
Anyway, wanted to say that I completely understand where you are coming from.this was once the starting point for so many of us, so please be patient and stick around. Few months ago I was in similar place and know your frustration all too well.
I also have a little "mix", Redfoot and Brazilian Cherryhead (another type of redfoot) babies and for now they are kept together until I have all I need to have two separate homes for them. I too keep them in a fish tank. The biggest one I could get was the 40 gal. I went with that because the original enclosure was too open and I couldn't keep the heat/humidity in. I ended up spending A LOT MORE money and time than originally planned for.
Those are my daughter's pets, but she is only 11 and some of that stuff is not that easy, and I feel responsible for the wellfair of the living things that at one point I made a decision to bring into my home.
At one point I decided to do what I can to the best of my ability to make things right for that torts but also to get some enjoyment out of all this work, learning and figuring things out.
I know how at times tone of some posts may seem a bit abrasive, but I focus on the essence of them, which is always meeting the needs of our ANIMALS. I know nothing about the needs of bear dies and very little about sulcata, but from what I've read on here so far the general rule for all tort babies is to be kept warm and humid (not sure if the beardie would like humidity in the 80's and higher all the time), and the easiest way to achieve that is to close the top off to prevent the heat/humidity loss. This is how I did mine got the reptile cage metal screen that fit the top perfectly and covered it with construction type insulation cut out openings for the light fixtures. I hope this helps some. If you stick around, soon you'll find your own ways that will work for you and your animals. Again, warm welcome and happy New Year from Heart of Texas

 

[Pokeymeg]

Tom's response and advice is perfectly reasonable and not mean-spirited. As stated by many folks here, you asked for opinions, and now you've got them. It's unfortunate you don't like them but they are put forth strictly in the best interest of your pets, NOT to be mean or belittle you! We just want to help you keep your pets happy and healthy.

Opposite needs or not, your beardie should not be with your tortoise. They are different species, which introduces the possibility of illness and injury. Please separate them because if something happens between them and they get hurt, they are the ones to suffer! They may seem happy together now, but that can change at any time and accidents do happen.

 

[naturalman91]

i agree with tom.
you have to understand where he comes from he's helped a lot of us by putting his own torts up to research about certain things which took him a lot of time and im sure a lot of money to do if it weren't for him a lot of us would have pyramided and unhealthy looking animals

your tortoise needs humidity your bearded dragon does not and for the record bearded dragon care ranges from person to person it's a debatable topic that is up in the air still

if you don't want to be told your wrong don't ask opinion's that being said try not to take it to heart this is a tortoise forum we're all tortoise lovers and want to see the best for the animal

 

[austinbrehun]

Heading to a store in the morning an hour away from my house to pickup a new tank to seperate them. I really do love them both soooo much and want the best for both of them. Was just upset that I had to go out and spend more money on another tank which is for the best anyway.

As for the tank lid, there is foil across to improve humidity for tortoise. Will this work for longterm? or will i need to improvise a new lid to keep humidity?

 

[Tom]

Heading to a store in the morning an hour away from my house to pickup a new tank to seperate them. I really do love them both soooo much and want the best for both of them. Was just upset that I had to go out and spend more money on another tank which is for the best anyway.

As for the tank lid, there is foil across to improve humidity for tortoise. Will this work for longterm? or will i need to improvise a new lid to keep humidity?

Glad you stuck around. We might not always tell people what they want to hear, but we are still a pretty nice bunch of people.

The foil will work just fine for the time you are using that tank. He's going to outgrow it quickly though, so you might as well plan for the future and get to work building his next one.

In the right conditions a sulcata can grow to over 12 inches in 18-24 months. My preferred strategy is to have a large 4x8' indoor closed chamber enclosure for nights and cold days, and an outdoor enclosure for nicer weather. This strategy will work until he's too big to live indoors anymore. Here is just one example of a closed chamber: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

What part of the country are you in?

 

[Yvonne G]

Heading to a store in the morning an hour away from my house to pickup a new tank to seperate them. I really do love them both soooo much and want the best for both of them. Was just upset that I had to go out and spend more money on another tank which is for the best anyway.

As for the tank lid, there is foil across to improve humidity for tortoise. Will this work for longterm? or will i need to improvise a new lid to keep humidity?

Large plastic tubs are cheaper than aquariums.

 

[Tom]

Large plastic tubs are cheaper than aquariums.

True. They have big Christmas tree storage bins for sale at Walmart right now for less than $25.

I almost bought one even though I don't need one. Nice to have a spare...