Sulcata baby keeps flipping onto back

[Tom]

Hello! I know I am way late to this thread but my baby sulcata is climbing on top of his log hide and falling on his back. He isn't large enough to get on top of the hide so he just falls on his back every time he tries. Is there anything I can do?

Get rid of the log hide and replace it with a proper humid hide will vertical walls.

 

[kkrista123]

Get rid of the log hide and replace it with a proper humid hide will vertical walls.

Hello Tom.
I am a brand new Sulcata tortoise owner and this is what the breeder told me to do. I also see lots of pictures of peoples indoor tortoise enclosures and they all have a log hide in it. I was under the impression the log hide was mandatory. Is this not the case?
I have made a humid hide out of a baby wipes plastic container. There a shallow water bowl and a flat rock for the food. My tort so far only likes hanging out under the log hide.
I’m keeping the enclosure at 80% humidity and around 80°F daytime.

So I should remove the log hide?
Thanks

 

[Tom]

Hello Tom.
I am a brand new Sulcata tortoise owner and this is what the breeder told me to do. I also see lots of pictures of peoples indoor tortoise enclosures and they all have a log hide in it. I was under the impression the log hide was mandatory. Is this not the case?
I have made a humid hide out of a baby wipes plastic container. There a shallow water bowl and a flat rock for the food. My tort so far only likes hanging out under the log hide.
I’m keeping the enclosure at 80% humidity and around 80°F daytime.

So I should remove the log hide?
Thanks

Most breeders don't know what they are talking about and still do things the old wrong way. Did the breeder tell you to soak daily, use damp substrate and to have a humid hide?

Yes. Remove the log hide. Or, if you really like it, bury it most of the way down in the substrate and make it a little hiding cave have a little substrate ramp going in to it and only a little of the top exposed. This will greatly reduce the flipping hazard.

 

[kkrista123]

Most breeders don't know what they are talking about and still do things the old wrong way. Did the breeder tell you to soak daily, use damp substrate and to have a humid hide?

Yes. Remove the log hide. Or, if you really like it, bury it most of the way down in the substrate and make it a little hiding cave have a little substrate ramp going in to it and only a little of the top exposed. This will greatly reduce the flipping hazard.

Thank you for the info! Breeder told me to soak twice a week. I'd much rather follow your advice. Daily soak 20 mins or until he/she climbs out at 85-90 degrees? I will remove the log hide. They told me to feed lettuce but I am reading some of your posts stating grass is better because it's the natural diet. I live at the bottom of the hill so when it rains all the water collects in my yard. For this reason, I will need to grow my own grass. I believe I read wheat grass is what I should order? I am keeping the enclosure at 80% humidity and I was told I should drop it down to 60% after the 1 year mark. Also told to keep the temp at 80 during the day and don't let it drop below 70 at night.
Is any of the other information I was given by the breeder not recommended? The breeder was rushing and trying to sell as many as possible so unfortunately I think a lot of people were misguided. I thought I was doing the right thing by adopting at an expo vs a 'backyard breeder'.
Now I know... :/
Thanks again for any help!

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the info! Breeder told me to soak twice a week. I'd much rather follow your advice. Daily soak 20 mins or until he/she climbs out at 85-90 degrees? I will remove the log hide. They told me to feed lettuce but I am reading some of your posts stating grass is better because it's the natural diet. I live at the bottom of the hill so when it rains all the water collects in my yard. For this reason, I will need to grow my own grass. I believe I read wheat grass is what I should order? I am keeping the enclosure at 80% humidity and I was told I should drop it down to 60% after the 1 year mark. Also told to keep the temp at 80 during the day and don't let it drop below 70 at night.
Is any of the other information I was given by the breeder not recommended? The breeder was rushing and trying to sell as many as possible so unfortunately I think a lot of people were misguided. I thought I was doing the right thing by adopting at an expo vs a 'backyard breeder'.
Now I know... :/
Thanks again for any help!

Most of this is not what I'd recommend. I'll hit each thing one at a time.

• If they can climb out it is not "soaking". You need a tall sided opaque tub. I like to soak for 40 minutes or more. 20 minutes is probably enough, 60 is not too much. 85-95 is a good water temp.
• No lettuce. This is a sign that the breeder/seller wasn't doing things right. Some grass is good, but there are lots of other weeds, leaves, succulents and flowers to offer too.
• 80% humidity is a minimum. No need to drop it down at 1 year old. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. At one year old, your tortoise will still have a lot of growing to do. Hydration and humidity will help with preventing pyramiding.
• 80 degrees is the minimum temp day or night. Ambient temp should climb toward 90ish during the day, and the basking area can be 95-100 directly under the bulb. 70 at night is much too cold for this species.

 

[kkrista123]

Most of this is not what I'd recommend. I'll hit each thing one at a time.

• If they can climb out it is not "soaking". You need a tall sided opaque tub. I like to soak for 40 minutes or more. 20 minutes is probably enough, 60 is not too much. 85-95 is a good water temp.
• No lettuce. This is a sign that the breeder/seller wasn't doing things right. Some grass is good, but there are lots of other weeds, leaves, succulents and flowers to offer too.
• 80% humidity is a minimum. No need to drop it down at 1 year old. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. At one year old, your tortoise will still have a lot of growing to do. Hydration and humidity will help with preventing pyramiding.
• 80 degrees is the minimum temp day or night. Ambient temp should climb toward 90ish during the day, and the basking area can be 95-100 directly under the bulb. 70 at night is much too cold for this species.

Thanks so much for all the info! What do you recommend I switch the daily diet to? I assume the breeder was only feeding lettuce so what should the transition in diet look like for sulcatas?

 

[Tom]

Thanks so much for all the info! What do you recommend I switch the daily diet to? I assume the breeder was only feeding lettuce so what should the transition in diet look like for sulcatas?

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/