Say hello to my torts!

[petlover]

hi everyone!!! my name is anya and i live in the los angeles area! i recently took in two tortoises, an 8 month old sulcata named dozer (because shes a bulldozer!) and a 5 month old california desert tortoise named pancake (there was some confusion about the CDT which you can read about in my other post...). both are doing great so far (except the sulcata might have some slight pyramiding...thoughts?) and i have done tons of research and i am committed to giving these creatures a long, healthy life! they are currently living in a large glass aquarium until their tortoise table is complete and eventually will live outside. i'm loving this forum already!

 

[hlester22]

Welcome! They are beautiful torts.

 

[wellington]

WELCOME . Yes slight pyramiding. But you can start raising him hot, humid, and hydrated and start the new growth growing smooth. Check out the thread at the bottom of my post. Also, the two torts should not be housed together. However, there are some that do, but most say it is a bad idea.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[MORTYtheTORTY]

There's ALOT to learn from this forum, I hope you browse around the TFO to learn alot about the 2 species you have and how they differ from one another. There's so much to know that even google can't give a solid answer...I made the mistake on googling everything I could before I purchased my hatchlings (sulcatas) and the previous hatchling that I bought from a bad breeder was sick and wasn't properly informed on how to care for their basic needs. Even google was wishy washy since everyone raises their torts differently but I have learned the proper way since being on the TFO. I hope you have the room/space to seperate them both and give them what they need...you mentioned you had an aquarium if I wasn't mistaken, I think you should keep the sulcata in the aquarium with coir substrate to keep him nice and hydrated with precise temps/humidity to smooth out the shell over time. Do you have everything you need for the tort? What lighting/heat are you using? Bedding? How accurate are the temps (thermometer/hygrometer)? Diet? Have you done soakings yet? There's so much info to learn that I hope alot of members will fill you in. It's good to get all the help you can I've never had a DT so I don't know the basic needs for one and/or the proper setup for one (diet/temps/humidity) but as for the sulcata you must keep it at proper temps and certain humidity and lots of daily soakings to get that shell nice and pretty in the future..anything you make for the sulcata, just make sure you have a top cover to keep in the humidity and heat...IDK about the DT, I wouldn't recommend keeping them together as I don't know anything about the DT and I've read a previous forum with shellrot and I wouldn't want yours to develop anything like that, being kept in the same enclosure as the sulcata. gluck and hope you do alot of researching on this website to learn as much as you can.

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome Anya! I am glad we got things figured out about your two hatchlings. Nice getting to know you.

 

[petlover]

There's ALOT to learn from this forum, I hope you browse around the TFO to learn alot about the 2 species you have and how they differ from one another. There's so much to know that even google can't give a solid answer...I made the mistake on googling everything I could before I purchased my hatchlings (sulcatas) and the previous hatchling that I bought from a bad breeder was sick and wasn't properly informed on how to care for their basic needs. Even google was wishy washy since everyone raises their torts differently but I have learned the proper way since being on the TFO. I hope you have the room/space to seperate them both and give them what they need...you mentioned you had an aquarium if I wasn't mistaken, I think you should keep the sulcata in the aquarium with coir substrate to keep him nice and hydrated with precise temps/humidity to smooth out the shell over time. Do you have everything you need for the tort? What lighting/heat are you using? Bedding? How accurate are the temps (thermometer/hygrometer)? Diet? Have you done soakings yet? There's so much info to learn that I hope alot of members will fill you in. It's good to get all the help you can I've never had a DT so I don't know the basic needs for one and/or the proper setup for one (diet/temps/humidity) but as for the sulcata you must keep it at proper temps and certain humidity and lots of daily soakings to get that shell nice and pretty in the future..anything you make for the sulcata, just make sure you have a top cover to keep in the humidity and heat...IDK about the DT, I wouldn't recommend keeping them together as I don't know anything about the DT and I've read a previous forum with shellrot and I wouldn't want yours to develop anything like that, being kept in the same enclosure as the sulcata. gluck and hope you do alot of researching on this website to learn as much as you can.

Thanks!!! Ive been doing LOTS of reading off this forum and i too started off on google before finding this place! I just bought eco earth which is compressed cocnut fiber and i was told it was about the same sonce they didnt have coir. I have all the things you mentioned. I have been doing soakings and i will be keeping their tanks very moist so they dont pyramid. After reading many reasons why they shouldnt be kept together i have decided not to keep them together for health reasons. Thanks for the thoughtful reply!

 

[l0velesly]

Beautiful torts but I heard sulcatas and desert torts shouldn't be housed together.
Definitely keep them moist and warm!

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[MORTYtheTORTY]

Welcome to the TFO <--I don't remember if I greeted you in the last thread?

 

[petlover]

Welcome to the TFO <--I don't remember if I greeted you in the last thread?

You did actually!!! It was the one about the misidentification of my desert tortoise

 

[Laura]

they arent in the cardboard box still are they?
and like somone earlier mentioned.. they really should be seperate..

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!

 

[nicoleandrocky]

welcome!
cute little torts!

 

[petlover]

they arent in the cardboard box still are they?
and like somone earlier mentioned.. they really should be seperate..

Of course not!!!! I would NEVER keep my little torts in a box!!! This pic was taken on the way home (it was the best poc of both of them i could find). They are currently in an aquarium until we have the time to build a tort table (probably in a week or so). They are being housed together for now but we'll be building them separate tables.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome to the forum!