Rehab Suggestions for neglected sulcata

[NovasArk]

Hi there - still learning to get around this forum...so much to search....

We are considering adopting a 4 yr old sully from a person. She is between 9-11" long, no idea weight.

Unfortunately the tort has been kept in a tank or outside for 4 yrs with improper diet, temps, humidity, lighting, etc. In southern Az.
What should we look for upon meeting, besides eye or nasal discharge, soft shell, loose scutes?
Anything special this kid needs or just start with the general care sheet info, temps & humidity, as specified? Was thinking a vet visit but concerned pursuing this adoption will cost way more than adopting from a sanctuary

Thoughts and advice appreciated

 

[Yvonne G]

Dehydration will probably be the worst problem. Just read the care sheet and set him up properly. And soak, soak, soak. It should be ok.

 

[NovasArk]

Dehydration will probably be the worst problem. Just read the care sheet and set him up properly. And soak, soak, soak. It should be ok.

Thanks so much Yvonne!

 

[NovasArk]

Thanks so much Yvonne!

Oh, and given her size, would you bother with an indoor enclosure at all or just set her up outside with a humid dog house, adding the soakings?
I saw many threads from that after a certain size they just go outside, start on hay and grasses and set the dog house up according to normal care.

 

[KarenSoCal]

It gets cold in Tucson in the winter, so she is going to need something better than a dog house. There's no way to insulate a dog house well enough.

What you'll need to build is a heated, insulated night box. She'll use this at night, even in the summer, and stay in it for cold days or nights. And she'll be safe from any predators at night.

This is a night box building plan and list of supplies. There is even an exploded diagram.

What You'll Need to Build A Night Box

I just typed up a list of the needed supplies to build a night box and thought I'd copy paste it here: For sulcatas, I make the doors 26x16". This will fit all but the largest of large males for their entire life. If you end up with one of the giants, you will eventually have to make another...

tortoiseforum.org

Here is the 4x8 rendering of Tom's Night Box. With Exploded view.

This is a rendering I did based off of @Tom 's heated night box enclosure. Its probably not a 100% accurate. Door is offset to one side for my personal needs but can easily be moved. Let me know if you see any issues with it. Feed back appreciated. High res renderings can be downloaded here...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[AgataP]

Possibly we have one of experienced sulcata friends over is Tuscan AZ that could go look at the tortoise with you?
Or do a FaceTime during your visit with the tortoise ?

 

[KarenSoCal]

That's a great idea, glitch206! Now if I could remember who lives in Tucson ?

 

[AgataP]

Sorry for miss spelled city ?

 

[Tom]

Oh, and given her size, would you bother with an indoor enclosure at all or just set her up outside with a humid dog house, adding the soakings?
I saw many threads from that after a certain size they just go outside, start on hay and grasses and set the dog house up according to normal care.

I wouldn't bother with an indoor enclosure, but I agree that a dog house won't work. You need an insulated, sealed, temperature controlled tortoise night box. These actually stay cooler in the hot summer days, and warmer on winter nights. In hot climates like ours, I prefer to let them burrow during the hot summer months to get away from the heat, and then I block off the burrow entrance with a sheet of plywood in the fall and make them sleep in their heated houses over winter. Where these guys come from, there is no "winter". Every day is hot, and they spend 95% of their lives underground in their warm burrows. Ground temps in these regions fluctuate between 80-85 degrees year round. Many people in AZ just leave them outside in their burrows over winter, and some of them survive this, but its not good for them, and many of them don't come back up. This species does NOT hibernate.

The night box strategy works great in our Southern climate. They are kept warm and safe at night, and they can come out to roam around and graze during our warm sunny "winter" days. Here is an example of the size and type night box that will be perfect for your new tortoise:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

If you want to go bigger, or might add another tortoise at some point, here is another size, and different effective heating strategy. Take note: No heat lamps over larger tortoises. This will damage their shell, and not heat them effectively.

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

I think it would be fine to introduce grass hay at this age/size. I do it by feeding the tortoise its other food on a bed of grass hay. Many times after a week or two, they just start eating the hay too. If not, you can mix in some cut up and soaked hay with the food, or just sprinkle a little bit on top. Orchard grass hay works best, Bermuda grass hay is also good, but I'd avoid Timothy as its too stemmy for smaller sulcatas. Alfalfa hay is also too stemmy, and too high in protein for my liking.

First order of business for this new guy is like Yvonne said: Daily soaks for a good couple of weeks, and then tapering off to every other day for a couple of months at least. Once the tortoise is eating good and drinking on its own, once or twice a week should suffice. Use a large, tall sided, opaque tub, and keep the soak water warm the whole time. Soak a big one like this for at least 30 minutes, but 60 minutes is better.

Here are some food ideas:

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[NovasArk]

Omg thank you all so much for the advice and Guidance!
When I said dog house I actually meant Tom's Insulated Tort Night Box. I pulled plans and sent them to hubby already and got pricing on the Kane Mat. Haven't priced the RHP and other equipment yet.
We started on a huge tortoise garden fence and had planned on getting a tort from an established rescue in the spring, but came across this tort and knows she needs a better place, even if we're not fully prepared. We can make the tort box in a weekend easily.

And if there are any Tucson experts here, *IF* we decide to go look at her, that would be great to coordinate.

 

[NovasArk]

This is the photo the owner sent. She thinks tort is 4 yrs old but has had her since April. I believe that's a 9" Dixie plate.
Thoughts? She will obviously need a smaller night box for a bit.

 

[Tom]

This is the photo the owner sent. She thinks tort is 4 yrs old but has had her since April. I believe that's a 9" Dixie plate.
Thoughts? She will obviously need a smaller night box for a bit.

The 4x4 box will suit this baby fine, and last a long time as it grows. Just make the door big enough now, and you won't have to rebuild later. I make the doors for adults 16" tall and 26" wide. Tight squeeze for a large male, but it works to keep more heat in in winter and more heat out in summer. You could build your box with a door that size, and make a temporary block of some sort that can be removed or reduced as the tortoise grows.

At that size, you could also build a 4x8' indoor enclosure if you wanted too. Not necessary in your climate, but it might be nice to have a small one indoors and to of the weather for a while longer. You could move it outside in the spring time. Your call. Either way should work for you.

 

[NovasArk]

No room inside for anything that large, for sure, which is why I'm steering from the younger kids.
If I take her straight to the vet, what do you recommend besides exam and fecal, knowing I'm going to add another tort, totally separate yard, to our property? Is a full bloodwork panel necessary? Anything else they will try to encourage that may not be necessary? Or is it best to do everything now and ensure she's clear?

I do full work ups on dog rescues at the very start. Just don't want to spend stupid money but want to spend Smart not cheap.