Still New Here, Bare with me

[LittleBit]

Brief history: I have had this Sulcata Tortoise for a little over 6 months. I had a stalker that had a home business in reptiles, ( I was informed by police ) For whatever insane reason he dropped this tortoise in my Fence yard.

So today after reading everything. (I can not find Tom's care sheet on the forum, Newbie) BUT I went and got a cuttlebone. Waiting to see if she or he eats it. If so I saw some on Amazon 5lbs I will get.

It looks like the beak is in need. I will attach a picture. For comments.

He or she I don't know, I will attach some pictures of the rear and bottom. I can say the bottom is fairly flat. I don't notice in dips. The front of her body underneath her head. It has small, (google is my friend), Intergular??? is small. It doesn't exceed much. I will attach a front picture for beak and intergular.

I live in Kentucky, so she is indoor right now. It's 52F today, I was told to let her run outside for no more then 5 minutes when it's under 55F. Where she can't run at all when it's 50F. So from 50F to 55F I let it run outside for 5 minutes ONLY. Timer at the door. If this is bad PLEASE tell me! Don't hesitate to yell at me, I don't know what I am doing.

This morning it ate cucumbers, half a cucumber sliced. And a stick of celery, but ignored the celery for the cucumber. I have Kentucky blue grass that for the 5 minutes it's outside that it eats. It Won't eat timothy hey at all. So I feed it Zoo Med Natural Tortoise Food. I do not add water to soften the pellets. Should I add water?? It does eat corn; I don't know if that's any good for them either. Obviously uncooked. Though none today.

I have 2 kiddie pools that are 45L by 8H, inches. I put 2 inch water in and put the tort in it. It sits there and then poops everywhere, so I move it to the other kiddie pool in fresh water with a heat lamp for humidity. It stays in there for about 20 minutes, again timer. I use a cooking timer because to make sure. I need to know if I am doing this properly please?

It's indoor enclosure, Picture attached, is 4 by 8. I used natural cypress multch. Again I am not sure if that is correct. It is fairly cheap. Though if a tort needs or there is something better, I would enjoy knowing so I can fix it quickly.
The tort, Little-Bit, my son calls it. Is 22 inches long. Is my indoor enclosure big enough ??

I have noticed that there is a little bit of scaling on the top of her head, like dry skin. It's not bad looking just a flake here and there. Should I be trying to prevent this and if so what do I do?

Based on some reading I was going to call a locally owned flower shop and ask them if I could get a bag of there scraps for the day. Would that be okay as well?

I will attach a picture of her shell, it is not smooth but it's not as bad as I have seen, can I correct the tiny lumps??

Again please remember, I am accepting any and all comments to help this tort. I am not easily offended so feel free to yell or scream at me, haha. ESP. if I am doing something wrong, caplock me, please.

Okay let me figure out how to load pictures again....
Images included, by title:
Beak
Front Nails
Head Scaling
Rear Underbelly ( All underbelly pictures, I laid down under the tort and took the pictures. I was told Never Ever to tip them)
Front Underbelly
Side Underbelly
Shell
Tip Finger Shell (Very tip of my finger on her shell)
Enclosure (indoors- stays same temp as my house as it's open to the house) I basically took down my dining room table and put the enclosure there. So the tort can see me when I cook and she gets some treats. Center of my house. (high traffic)

Again, any help would be a Blessing to me. If anyone needs more detailed pictures please tell me. These are areas someone has already asked for. Don't hesitate to get demanding of detailed pictures. It's reassuring to me.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Did you get my pm?

 

[LittleBit]

Did you get my pm?

Yes, sorry, I just responded. Was a long post and I am slow.

 

[PiL71]

Brief history: I have had this Sulcata Tortoise for a little over 6 months. I had a stalker that had a home business in reptiles, ( I was informed by police ) For whatever insane reason he dropped this tortoise in my Fence yard.

So today after reading everything. (I can not find Tom's care sheet on the forum, Newbie) BUT I went and got a cuttlebone. Waiting to see if she or he eats it. If so I saw some on Amazon 5lbs I will get.

It looks like the beak is in need. I will attach a picture. For comments.

He or she I don't know, I will attach some pictures of the rear and bottom. I can say the bottom is fairly flat. I don't notice in dips. The front of her body underneath her head. It has small, (google is my friend), Intergular??? is small. It doesn't exceed much. I will attach a front picture for beak and intergular.

I live in Kentucky, so she is indoor right now. It's 52F today, I was told to let her run outside for no more then 5 minutes when it's under 55F. Where she can't run at all when it's 50F. So from 50F to 55F I let it run outside for 5 minutes ONLY. Timer at the door. If this is bad PLEASE tell me! Don't hesitate to yell at me, I don't know what I am doing.

This morning it ate cucumbers, half a cucumber sliced. And a stick of celery, but ignored the celery for the cucumber. I have Kentucky blue grass that for the 5 minutes it's outside that it eats. It Won't eat timothy hey at all. So I feed it Zoo Med Natural Tortoise Food. I do not add water to soften the pellets. Should I add water?? It does eat corn; I don't know if that's any good for them either. Obviously uncooked. Though none today.

I have 2 kiddie pools that are 45L by 8H, inches. I put 2 inch water in and put the tort in it. It sits there and then poops everywhere, so I move it to the other kiddie pool in fresh water with a heat lamp for humidity. It stays in there for about 20 minutes, again timer. I use a cooking timer because to make sure. I need to know if I am doing this properly please?

It's indoor enclosure, Picture attached, is 4 by 8. I used natural cypress multch. Again I am not sure if that is correct. It is fairly cheap. Though if a tort needs or there is something better, I would enjoy knowing so I can fix it quickly.
The tort, Little-Bit, my son calls it. Is 22 inches long. Is my indoor enclosure big enough ??

I have noticed that there is a little bit of scaling on the top of her head, like dry skin. It's not bad looking just a flake here and there. Should I be trying to prevent this and if so what do I do?

Based on some reading I was going to call a locally owned flower shop and ask them if I could get a bag of there scraps for the day. Would that be okay as well?

I will attach a picture of her shell, it is not smooth but it's not as bad as I have seen, can I correct the tiny lumps??

Again please remember, I am accepting any and all comments to help this tort. I am not easily offended so feel free to yell or scream at me, haha. ESP. if I am doing something wrong, caplock me, please.

Okay let me figure out how to load pictures again....
Images included, by title:
Beak
Front Nails
Head Scaling
Rear Underbelly ( All underbelly pictures, I laid down under the tort and took the pictures. I was told Never Ever to tip them)
Front Underbelly
Side Underbelly
Shell
Tip Finger Shell (Very tip of my finger on her shell)
Enclosure (indoors- stays same temp as my house as it's open to the house) I basically took down my dining room table and put the enclosure there. So the tort can see me when I cook and she gets some treats. Center of my house. (high traffic)

Again, any help would be a Blessing to me. If anyone needs more detailed pictures please tell me. These are areas someone has already asked for. Don't hesitate to get demanding of detailed pictures. It's reassuring to me.

Ok that is a female. Look in this forum for articles on ‘pyramiding’ and how to stop/slow it, because I fear that your new tort has started to pyramid a bit. As for feeding corn, i’d stop with that. Cukes and Zucc are treats, like candy to a child. Your 8x4 is a tad bit small for a sulcata of 22 inches, but being as they’re typically outdoor tortoises it’ll work temporarily. Please get thermometers for both ends of the enc, and post the temps for warm and cool side.

 

[PiL71]

Ok that is a female. Look in this forum for articles on ‘pyramiding’ and how to stop/slow it, because I fear that your new tort has started to pyramid a bit. As for feeding corn, i’d stop with that. Cukes and Zucc are treats, like candy to a child. Your 8x4 is a tad bit small for a sulcata of 22 inches, but being as they’re typically outdoor tortoises it’ll work temporarily. Please get thermometers for both ends of the enc, and post the temps for warm and cool side.

Also, go with Kale with a bit of Endive. That’s what I feed my Russian for the most part. 1:4 Endive to Kale.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Yes, sorry, I just responded. Was a long post and I am slow.

Ok, pictures of my yard and indoors. There is a big fenced in are, also a picture of a lot we are buying, and side yard. My fenced in are is going to be enlarged to cover the whole back yard. It is only about 1/3 of the yard now. I would drive down to pick her up. Or you could meet me half way.
The two salcatas in the pics were pyramided when I got them

 

[LittleBit]

Ok that is a female. Look in this forum for articles on ‘pyramiding’ and how to stop/slow it, because I fear that your new tort has started to pyramid a bit. As for feeding corn, i’d stop with that. Cukes and Zucc are treats, like candy to a child. Your 8x4 is a tad bit small for a sulcata of 22 inches, but being as they’re typically outdoor tortoises it’ll work temporarily. Please get thermometers for both ends of the enc, and post the temps for warm and cool side.

The tip of my finger on "her" shell is about 3/8th of an inch.

 

[LittleBit]

Also, go with Kale with a bit of Endive. That’s what I feed my Russian for the most part. 1:4 Endive to Kale.

How can I get her to eat Kale, she breathes, like a huff, at Kale and then walks all over it. ???

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Fenced area, witch will be enlarged. I still have another 20 or so feet I can go down and another 50 feet to the side.

 

[LittleBit]

That's a huge area, this tort would eat all that grass in a day. It's a food tank. My son says Little bit is a gourmet chef judge, haha. Thank you kindly for explaining

 

[LittleBit]

Ok that is a female. Look in this forum for articles on ‘pyramiding’ and how to stop/slow it, because I fear that your new tort has started to pyramid a bit. As for feeding corn, i’d stop with that. Cukes and Zucc are treats, like candy to a child. Your 8x4 is a tad bit small for a sulcata of 22 inches, but being as they’re typically outdoor tortoises it’ll work temporarily. Please get thermometers for both ends of the enc, and post the temps for warm and cool side.

Enclosure is ranging from 70F, lowest it goes, (house setting) the area by the heater 80F to 85F. Sorry had to ask my son. He said the enclosure itself is insulated on the back and both sides. The front is just a screen door that closes and the top is wire mesh that the lamps sit on, plus the bay window it sits in front of, natural lighting.

 

[LittleBit]

 

[Yvonne G]

How can I get her to eat Kale, she breathes, like a huff, at Kale and then walks all over it. ???

Actually, kale is an ok green to give occasionally, but I wouldn't make it a staple in a sulcata's diet. Anything in the brassica family is ok once in a while, but not as a staple. Any foods in the brassica family or foods that contain a lot of oxalic acid contribute to causing bladder stones.

 

[LittleBit]

She won't eat it even if I try to hand feed it. Thankfully I won't have to worry about that. Thank you for setting me straight, Much appreciated!

 

[drew54]

She won't eat it even if I try to hand feed it. Thankfully I won't have to worry about that. Thank you for setting me straight, Much appreciated!

Keep the diet a variety in grasses, weeds, edible flowers, and broad leaf greens. You could even give Timothy and orchard grass hay.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Brief history: I have had this Sulcata Tortoise for a little over 6 months. I had a stalker that had a home business in reptiles, ( I was informed by police ) For whatever insane reason he dropped this tortoise in my Fence yard.

So today after reading everything. (I can not find Tom's care sheet on the forum, Newbie) BUT I went and got a cuttlebone. Waiting to see if she or he eats it. If so I saw some on Amazon 5lbs I will get.

It looks like the beak is in need. I will attach a picture. For comments.

He or she I don't know, I will attach some pictures of the rear and bottom. I can say the bottom is fairly flat. I don't notice in dips. The front of her body underneath her head. It has small, (google is my friend), Intergular??? is small. It doesn't exceed much. I will attach a front picture for beak and intergular.

I live in Kentucky, so she is indoor right now. It's 52F today, I was told to let her run outside for no more then 5 minutes when it's under 55F. Where she can't run at all when it's 50F. So from 50F to 55F I let it run outside for 5 minutes ONLY. Timer at the door. If this is bad PLEASE tell me! Don't hesitate to yell at me, I don't know what I am doing.

This morning it ate cucumbers, half a cucumber sliced. And a stick of celery, but ignored the celery for the cucumber. I have Kentucky blue grass that for the 5 minutes it's outside that it eats. It Won't eat timothy hey at all. So I feed it Zoo Med Natural Tortoise Food. I do not add water to soften the pellets. Should I add water?? It does eat corn; I don't know if that's any good for them either. Obviously uncooked. Though none today.

I have 2 kiddie pools that are 45L by 8H, inches. I put 2 inch water in and put the tort in it. It sits there and then poops everywhere, so I move it to the other kiddie pool in fresh water with a heat lamp for humidity. It stays in there for about 20 minutes, again timer. I use a cooking timer because to make sure. I need to know if I am doing this properly please?

It's indoor enclosure, Picture attached, is 4 by 8. I used natural cypress multch. Again I am not sure if that is correct. It is fairly cheap. Though if a tort needs or there is something better, I would enjoy knowing so I can fix it quickly.
The tort, Little-Bit, my son calls it. Is 22 inches long. Is my indoor enclosure big enough ??

I have noticed that there is a little bit of scaling on the top of her head, like dry skin. It's not bad looking just a flake here and there. Should I be trying to prevent this and if so what do I do?

Based on some reading I was going to call a locally owned flower shop and ask them if I could get a bag of there scraps for the day. Would that be okay as well?

I will attach a picture of her shell, it is not smooth but it's not as bad as I have seen, can I correct the tiny lumps??

Again please remember, I am accepting any and all comments to help this tort. I am not easily offended so feel free to yell or scream at me, haha. ESP. if I am doing something wrong, caplock me, please.

Okay let me figure out how to load pictures again....
Images included, by title:
Beak
Front Nails
Head Scaling
Rear Underbelly ( All underbelly pictures, I laid down under the tort and took the pictures. I was told Never Ever to tip them)
Front Underbelly
Side Underbelly
Shell
Tip Finger Shell (Very tip of my finger on her shell)
Enclosure (indoors- stays same temp as my house as it's open to the house) I basically took down my dining room table and put the enclosure there. So the tort can see me when I cook and she gets some treats. Center of my house. (high traffic)

Again, any help would be a Blessing to me. If anyone needs more detailed pictures please tell me. These are areas someone has already asked for. Don't hesitate to get demanding of detailed pictures. It's reassuring to me.

Here is Toms Sulcata/Leopard care sheet, geared toward younger torts, but it will give u good info - https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Don’t call the flower shop! Those flowers and stems and leaves are full of dyes and pesticides and herbicides and more - all bad!

 

[LittleBit]

Okay, PERFECT, Thank you so much for your honesty on the flower shop. I will Not call, I promise!

Also, thank you for the care sheet, I will print it and hang it on my fridge, so everyone knows!

 

[LittleBit]

This tortoise is 47lbs 22inches long. That sound about right? Health wise?

 

[LittleBit]

Keep the diet a variety in grasses, weeds, edible flowers, and broad leaf greens. You could even give Timothy and orchard grass hay.

I can't get her to eat Timothy hay at all Someone, I forget who, told me to get Sod.

 

[Jacqui]

I can't get her to eat Timothy hay at all Someone, I forget who, told me to get Sod.

Sod can be bad. You need to watch for chemical use and if store bought sod it will have plastic netting sometimes.

With hay it often works best to start with small cut up pieces. Soak them. Then add a little, sorta like dressing onto what she does like. Slowly add a higher percentage of hay to the mixture. Then you can go without cutting and soaking. In time they are eating hay without knowing it. Some times you have to sneak stuff in, just like with a kid.