Soft plastron?

[Jon Etzweiler]

So my baby Sulcata was finally delivered today. All day he’s seemed healthy and alert, he’s eaten, drank, and took a hour nap in his hide. About 5 minutes ago I picked him up, and I guess I may have squeezed a little. He’s not hurt, there’s no crack or anything, but I noticed that the bottom of his shell is kind of bendy. I’m pretty paranoid that hes got something wrong with him and freaking out pretty bad

 

[Big Charlie]

If he is a hatchling, it is normal for the plastron to have some give to it, like a plastic lid.

 

[Hutsie B]

yeah, it can be normal for the tiny ones. It will harden with age. congratulations on your new arrival!

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

If he is a hatchling, it is normal for the plastron to have some give to it, like a plastic lid.

Thanks a bunch [emoji1317]

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

yeah, it can be normal for the tiny ones. It will harden with age. congratulations on your new arrival!

Thank ya [emoji39]

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

this is terry [emoji846]

 

[Bee62]

View attachment 224528 this is terry [emoji846]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Your Terry is a cute baby. That the carapax has a little "give" is normal when a tort is so young.
But you should do some changes in his enclosure for better health. I would remove asap the stingy wood pieces and change it to fine orchard bark.
You know that your sulcata baby needs high humidity and warmth ? Can you please tell us your temps, night and day, the light and heat bulbs you use and how high the humidity is ?
Is the enclosure of your baby closed ?
What are these white things / rocks in the picture ?
I ask all these things for the best of your baby.

 

[Big Charlie]

I agree with Bee. Get rid of the wood. Your tort needs a fine grade substrate he can burrow in. It looks very dry in there. The only way to keep the proper heat and humidity is to have a completely covered enclosure. He needs daily soaks in warm water.

By the way, I love the name Terry. It is perfect for either a boy or girl, which is great since that will be a surprise.

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Your Terry is a cute baby. That the carapax has a little "give" is normal when a tort is so young.
But you should do some changes in his enclosure for better health. I would remove asap the stingy wood pieces and change it to fine orchard bark.
You know that your sulcata baby needs high humidity and warmth ? Can you please tell us your temps, night and day, the light and heat bulbs you use and how high the humidity is ?
Is the enclosure of your baby closed ?
What are these white things / rocks in the picture ?
I ask all these things for the best of your baby.

Of course, I’m really grateful that your willing to give some advice [emoji16] the temps on the high side is around 100-105, the low side is 85-90. Night time is 75. I don’t have an exact read on the humidity, I’ve so far been unable to find a gauge for that so I plan on ordering one tomorrow, but I have sphagnum moss that’s been soaked and squeezed inside of its hide. It’s closed, it’s got a wire top that fits over the enclosure pretty snug. The wood inside of it now is cypress mulch, I read online that it was a good go to but if the other is better I will order it as well, I had looked for it at the hardware stores around town with no luck. And the little white rocks are all just one black and white rock, I put it in as a basking spot (I don’t know that it’s necessary, I’ve had snakes and lizards so I figured it couldn’t hurt) the heat lamp i got from ace, it’s 250w set about a foot over the high side, and the other bulb is a plant grow light, it said on the package that it offered full spectrum artificial light. If anything needs to be changed or removed it will be done asap

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

I agree with Bee. Get rid of the wood. Your tort needs a fine grade substrate he can burrow in. It looks very dry in there. The only way to keep the proper heat and humidity is to have a completely covered enclosure. He needs daily soaks in warm water.

By the way, I love the name Terry. It is perfect for either a boy or girl, which is great since that will be a surprise.

Terry was actually thought of by someone else, I’m terrible with names so I asked a few people and that name was by far my favorite. Thanks

 

[Big Charlie]

Of course, I’m really grateful that your willing to give some advice [emoji16] the temps on the high side is around 100-105, the low side is 85-90. Night time is 75. I don’t have an exact read on the humidity, I’ve so far been unable to find a gauge for that so I plan on ordering one tomorrow, but I have sphagnum moss that’s been soaked and squeezed inside of its hide. It’s closed, it’s got a wire top that fits over the enclosure pretty snug. The wood inside of it now is cypress mulch, I read online that it was a good go to but if the other is better I will order it as well, I had looked for it at the hardware stores around town with no luck. And the little white rocks are all just one black and white rock, I put it in as a basking spot (I don’t know that it’s necessary, I’ve had snakes and lizards so I figured it couldn’t hurt) the heat lamp i got from ace, it’s 250w set about a foot over the high side, and the other bulb is a plant grow light, it said on the package that it offered full spectrum artificial light. If anything needs to be changed or removed it will be done asap

A wire top isn't adequate. You need a solid top that will keep the heat and humidity inside. 75 is too cold for night. 105 is too hot. Is your heat lamp a light or a ceramic heat emitter? CHEs produce heat without light, which is what you need at night.
Here is some information:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
Moss isn't recommended because they might eat it.
The problem with your cypress mulch is that the pieces are too big. Whatever you use should be fine grade. If that could be chopped up to a dirt like consistency, it would be fine. Then it needs to spread in a thick layer. Pour water in it and mix it around. That will help give the humidity you need, once you have a closed top, with the lights inside.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome Jon!

Does the plastron feel bendy or squishy like a sponge?

What was the source of your baby? Was it started with the dry routine, or soaked daily and kept humid?

Here is some info for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

Hello and welcome Jon!

Does the plastron feel bendy or squishy like a sponge?

What was the source of your baby? Was it started with the dry routine, or soaked daily and kept humid?

Here is some info for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Thanks! It’s not bendy or squishy so much as it just kind of gives a little bit. I bought it from underground reptiles, Florida based and close by. The site doesn’t say much about soaking or dry routines, but I did soak it today for about twenty minutes

 

[Bee62]

Of course, I’m really grateful that your willing to give some advice [emoji16] the temps on the high side is around 100-105, the low side is 85-90. Night time is 75. I don’t have an exact read on the humidity, I’ve so far been unable to find a gauge for that so I plan on ordering one tomorrow, but I have sphagnum moss that’s been soaked and squeezed inside of its hide. It’s closed, it’s got a wire top that fits over the enclosure pretty snug. The wood inside of it now is cypress mulch, I read online that it was a good go to but if the other is better I will order it as well, I had looked for it at the hardware stores around town with no luck. And the little white rocks are all just one black and white rock, I put it in as a basking spot (I don’t know that it’s necessary, I’ve had snakes and lizards so I figured it couldn’t hurt) the heat lamp i got from ace, it’s 250w set about a foot over the high side, and the other bulb is a plant grow light, it said on the package that it offered full spectrum artificial light. If anything needs to be changed or removed it will be done asap

Your night temps should be a little bit higher. For babies in enclosures with high humidity no less than 80 F. Do you use a ceramic heat emitter for the night ?
To know the humidity is necessary. Sulcata babies need humidity from 75 - 85 % to grow smooth and healty. With a digital hygrometer/ thermometer you can always control both parameters.
https://www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...hydr08-21&index=aps&hvadid=174352647078&hvpos

A wire on the top of the enclosure is not enough. The warmth and humidity will get out trough the mesh. Can you cover the enclosure with acrylic glass or something else ? It should be a closed chamber.
I would also remove the rocks. Your tort could eat them and it can cause constipation. A whole, big and flat rock would be better for the basking spot. Do you use a UVB producing bulb ? UVB is absolutely necessary for indoor living tortoises and calcium ( cooked and crushed egg shells or cuttle bone pieces )
Do you soak your baby tort ?
By the way: I am raising 4 sullies. They are 16 months old, grew smooth and are very healthy. I got them as young as your baby is.

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

Your night temps should be a little bit higher. For babies in enclosures with high humidity no less than 80 F. Do you use a ceramic heat emitter for the night ?
To know the humidity is necessary. Sulcata babies need humidity from 75 - 85 % to grow smooth and healty. With a digital hygrometer/ thermometer you can always control both parameters.
https://www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...hydr08-21&index=aps&hvadid=174352647078&hvpos

A wire on the top of the enclosure is not enough. The warmth and humidity will get out trough the mesh. Can you cover the enclosure with acrylic glass or something else ? It should be a closed chamber.
I would also remove the rocks. Your tort could eat them and it can cause constipation. A whole, big and flat rock would be better for the basking spot. Do you use a UVB producing bulb ? UVB is absolutely necessary for indoor living tortoises and calcium ( cooked and crushed egg shells or cuttle bone pieces )
Do you soak your baby tort ?
By the way: I am raising 4 sullies. They are 16 months old, grew smooth and are very healthy. I got them as young as your baby is.

Wow, I thought I was well prepared [emoji29] as soon as the morning hits and my check deposits I will order everything I need. I don’t know wether the bulb produces uvb, but I will order one as well and the correct heating just to be sure. Thank you all so much.

Do you have a personal preference or recommendation for a closed enclosure or should I just build my own?

 

[Bee62]

Wow, I thought I was well prepared [emoji29] as soon as the morning hits and my check deposits I will order everything I need. I don’t know wether the bulb produces uvb, but I will order one as well and the correct heating just to be sure. Thank you all so much.

Do you have a personal preference or recommendation for a closed enclosure or should I just build my own?

Maybe here you can find some ideas for a closed chamber:
https://tortoiseforum.org/forums/tortoise-enclosures.7/
https://tortoiseforum.org/forums/tortoise-enclosures.7/
Thank you to be open minded for some changes. We all here love tortoises and want the best for them and their owners. With some little changes you can change a lot for your baby and with some luck he will never get sick when all parameters in his enclosure are optimal.

 

[Bee62]

My closed chamber looks like this:

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

So I’ve decided to build my own closed in enclosure. I’m using wood and acrylic, I’ll send pics when it’s done (hopefully today!)

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

So I’ve decided to build my own closed in enclosure. I’m using wood and acrylic, I’ll send pics when it’s done (hopefully today!)

 

[Jon Etzweiler]

View attachment 224605