sulcata baby

[lovesulcata]

Is this a good cage or whatever u say it for sulcata?? Im using uva exoterra 25 watt, is that ok? or what uva should i use? And what substrate that are good for sulcata? im using coco husk right now And I need help to raise humidity. I always spray the coco husk with water but it didnt raise the humidity and I dont want my Sulcata pyramiding. Some of ppls said coco peat can help raising the humidity, some of them said, coco peat is too dry for sulcata.
Or i have to buy a terarrium because its an closed enclosure? Any tips? Sorry for asking too much questions!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
1. Sulcata hatchlings do better in "closed chamber" cages. I wouldn't buy a terrarium - sulcatas grow very fast and will outgrow it quickly. You can use raised garden bed, a bookcase and such to make a large enough base and cover it with a portable greenhouse top. With an open top enclosure you won't get high enough humidity.

2. Recommended substrate for sulcata hatchlings is orchid (fir) bark, like ZooMed Reptibark. However, it can be hard to get in Indonesia. You can try to use coco peat but sulcatas will make a lot of mess out of it, so you will need to cover it with a layer of orchid bark or, maybe, coco husks. Coco peat is not dry when properly used: rehydrate it, put a layer of 8-10 inches in the enclosure and pack it down with your hand to get 4-5 inches thick layer. Coco husks are not the best option because they hard for babies to walk on and burrow, also long coco fibers can be eaten or tangle tortoise limbs. To keep humidity high you will need to pour water in the substrate to keep it moist from below, spraying it don't work.

3. Another important element to prevent pyramiding is correct heating and lightning. The basking lamp you have on the photo is an Intense Basking Spot lamp (either Exo Terra or ZooMed). Such lamps have narrow beam of light and heat and too intense. Also, it's hard for a tortoise to fit in in the basking area and warm up the whole body and they tend to "over bask". Both this issues result in shell growth dryness and pyramiding. Correct type of basking lamps is an incandescent flood bulb (which has wider beam and less intense), for example Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot.

4. The coiled bulb you use for UVB is not suitable. Arcadia or ZooMed T5 long tube lamps are recommended. But I suspect, you don't need a UVB lamp - your climate should allow to take tortoise outside for sunbathing. 15-30 minutes daily at 10-11AM (2-3 hours a week) is sufficient. Tortoise should be supervised and shade MUST be available.

5. I see two sulcatas on the photo. They should be separated in different enclosures and never kept as a pair.

This care sheet would help you to raise a healthy and smooth sulcata (if you haven't seen this already): https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/ Please, ask more questions - not everything in this care sheet is applicable to your country and climate so we'll try to find alternatives.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome! Try to follow Alex’s advice and get them separated into appropriate enclosures with correct lighting and substrate, best of luck😊

 

[Tom]

Is this a good cage or whatever u say it for sulcata?? Im using uva exoterra 25 watt, is that ok? or what uva should i use? And what substrate that are good for sulcata? im using coco husk right now And I need help to raise humidity. I always spray the coco husk with water but it didnt raise the humidity and I dont want my Sulcata pyramiding. Some of ppls said coco peat can help raising the humidity, some of them said, coco peat is too dry for sulcata.
Or i have to buy a terarrium because its an closed enclosure? Any tips? Sorry for asking too much questions!View attachment 374580

To recap what Alex said, here are the most important details for you:

1. Get a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work.
2. Switch substrates. Coco chips like what you have are not good for tortoises.
3. Change the lighting ASAP.
4. Separate them ASAP. Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
5. You need a water dish.
6. You need a humid hide.
7. Soak them in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort in warm water for 30-40 minutes every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[EppsDynasty]

WELCOME ....
As mentioned for a happy and healthy baby you'll have to make some changes. Your little one is depending on you! Hang around for just a little while and you'll be as up to speed as others.

 

[lovesulcata]

To recap what Alex said, here are the most important details for you:

1. Get a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work.
2. Switch substrates. Coco chips like what you have are not good for tortoises.
3. Change the lighting ASAP.
4. Separate them ASAP. Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
5. You need a water dish.
6. You need a humid hide.
7. Soak them in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort in warm water for 30-40 minutes every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Hello!
1. Sulcata hatchlings do better in "closed chamber" cages. I wouldn't buy a terrarium - sulcatas grow very fast and will outgrow it quickly. You can use raised garden bed, a bookcase and such to make a large enough base and cover it with a portable greenhouse top. With an open top enclosure you won't get high enough humidity.

2. Recommended substrate for sulcata hatchlings is orchid (fir) bark, like ZooMed Reptibark. However, it can be hard to get in Indonesia. You can try to use coco peat but sulcatas will make a lot of mess out of it, so you will need to cover it with a layer of orchid bark or, maybe, coco husks. Coco peat is not dry when properly used: rehydrate it, put a layer of 8-10 inches in the enclosure and pack it down with your hand to get 4-5 inches thick layer. Coco husks are not the best option because they hard for babies to walk on and burrow, also long coco fibers can be eaten or tangle tortoise limbs. To keep humidity high you will need to pour water in the substrate to keep it moist from below, spraying it don't work.

3. Another important element to prevent pyramiding is correct heating and lightning. The basking lamp you have on the photo is an Intense Basking Spot lamp (either Exo Terra or ZooMed). Such lamps have narrow beam of light and heat and too intense. Also, it's hard for a tortoise to fit in in the basking area and warm up the whole body and they tend to "over bask". Both this issues result in shell growth dryness and pyramiding. Correct type of basking lamps is an incandescent flood bulb (which has wider beam and less intense), for example Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot.

4. The coiled bulb you use for UVB is not suitable. Arcadia or ZooMed T5 long tube lamps are recommended. But I suspect, you don't need a UVB lamp - your climate should allow to take tortoise outside for sunbathing. 15-30 minutes daily at 10-11AM (2-3 hours a week) is sufficient. Tortoise should be supervised and shade MUST be available.

5. I see two sulcatas on the photo. They should be separated in different enclosures and never kept as a pair.

This care sheet would help you to raise a healthy and smooth sulcata (if you haven't seen this already): https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/ Please, ask more questions - not everything in this care sheet is applicable to your country and climate so we'll try to find alternatives.

Hello!
1. Sulcata hatchlings do better in "closed chamber" cages. I wouldn't buy a terrarium - sulcatas grow very fast and will outgrow it quickly. You can use raised garden bed, a bookcase and such to make a large enough base and cover it with a portable greenhouse top. With an open top enclosure you won't get high enough humidity.

2. Recommended substrate for sulcata hatchlings is orchid (fir) bark, like ZooMed Reptibark. However, it can be hard to get in Indonesia. You can try to use coco peat but sulcatas will make a lot of mess out of it, so you will need to cover it with a layer of orchid bark or, maybe, coco husks. Coco peat is not dry when properly used: rehydrate it, put a layer of 8-10 inches in the enclosure and pack it down with your hand to get 4-5 inches thick layer. Coco husks are not the best option because they hard for babies to walk on and burrow, also long coco fibers can be eaten or tangle tortoise limbs. To keep humidity high you will need to pour water in the substrate to keep it moist from below, spraying it don't work.

3. Another important element to prevent pyramiding is correct heating and lightning. The basking lamp you have on the photo is an Intense Basking Spot lamp (either Exo Terra or ZooMed). Such lamps have narrow beam of light and heat and too intense. Also, it's hard for a tortoise to fit in in the basking area and warm up the whole body and they tend to "over bask". Both this issues result in shell growth dryness and pyramiding. Correct type of basking lamps is an incandescent flood bulb (which has wider beam and less intense), for example Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot.

4. The coiled bulb you use for UVB is not suitable. Arcadia or ZooMed T5 long tube lamps are recommended. But I suspect, you don't need a UVB lamp - your climate should allow to take tortoise outside for sunbathing. 15-30 minutes daily at 10-11AM (2-3 hours a week) is sufficient. Tortoise should be supervised and shade MUST be available.

5. I see two sulcatas on the photo. They should be separated in different enclosures and never kept as a pair.

This care sheet would help you to raise a healthy and smooth sulcata (if you haven't seen this already): https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/ Please, ask more questions - not everything in this care sheet is applicable to your country and climate so we'll try to find alternative

Hello!
1. Sulcata hatchlings do better in "closed chamber" cages. I wouldn't buy a terrarium - sulcatas grow very fast and will outgrow it quickly. You can use raised garden bed, a bookcase and such to make a large enough base and cover it with a portable greenhouse top. With an open top enclosure you won't get high enough humidity.

2. Recommended substrate for sulcata hatchlings is orchid (fir) bark, like ZooMed Reptibark. However, it can be hard to get in Indonesia. You can try to use coco peat but sulcatas will make a lot of mess out of it, so you will need to cover it with a layer of orchid bark or, maybe, coco husks. Coco peat is not dry when properly used: rehydrate it, put a layer of 8-10 inches in the enclosure and pack it down with your hand to get 4-5 inches thick layer. Coco husks are not the best option because they hard for babies to walk on and burrow, also long coco fibers can be eaten or tangle tortoise limbs. To keep humidity high you will need to pour water in the substrate to keep it moist from below, spraying it don't work.

3. Another important element to prevent pyramiding is correct heating and lightning. The basking lamp you have on the photo is an Intense Basking Spot lamp (either Exo Terra or ZooMed). Such lamps have narrow beam of light and heat and too intense. Also, it's hard for a tortoise to fit in in the basking area and warm up the whole body and they tend to "over bask". Both this issues result in shell growth dryness and pyramiding. Correct type of basking lamps is an incandescent flood bulb (which has wider beam and less intense), for example Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot.

4. The coiled bulb you use for UVB is not suitable. Arcadia or ZooMed T5 long tube lamps are recommended. But I suspect, you don't need a UVB lamp - your climate should allow to take tortoise outside for sunbathing. 15-30 minutes daily at 10-11AM (2-3 hours a week) is sufficient. Tortoise should be supervised and shade MUST be available.

5. I see two sulcatas on the photo. They should be separated in different enclosures and never kept as a pair.

This care sheet would help you to raise a healthy and smooth sulcata (if you haven't seen this already): https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/ Please, ask more questions - not everything in this care sheet is applicable to your country and climate so we'll try to find alternatives.

WELCOME ....
As mentioned for a happy and healthy baby you'll have to make some changes. Your little one is depending on you! Hang around for just a little while and you'll be as up to speed as others.

Thanks!

 

[lovesulcata]

Hello!
1. Sulcata hatchlings do better in "closed chamber" cages. I wouldn't buy a terrarium - sulcatas grow very fast and will outgrow it quickly. You can use raised garden bed, a bookcase and such to make a large enough base and cover it with a portable greenhouse top. With an open top enclosure you won't get high enough humidity.

2. Recommended substrate for sulcata hatchlings is orchid (fir) bark, like ZooMed Reptibark. However, it can be hard to get in Indonesia. You can try to use coco peat but sulcatas will make a lot of mess out of it, so you will need to cover it with a layer of orchid bark or, maybe, coco husks. Coco peat is not dry when properly used: rehydrate it, put a layer of 8-10 inches in the enclosure and pack it down with your hand to get 4-5 inches thick layer. Coco husks are not the best option because they hard for babies to walk on and burrow, also long coco fibers can be eaten or tangle tortoise limbs. To keep humidity high you will need to pour water in the substrate to keep it moist from below, spraying it don't work.

3. Another important element to prevent pyramiding is correct heating and lightning. The basking lamp you have on the photo is an Intense Basking Spot lamp (either Exo Terra or ZooMed). Such lamps have narrow beam of light and heat and too intense. Also, it's hard for a tortoise to fit in in the basking area and warm up the whole body and they tend to "over bask". Both this issues result in shell growth dryness and pyramiding. Correct type of basking lamps is an incandescent flood bulb (which has wider beam and less intense), for example Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot.

4. The coiled bulb you use for UVB is not suitable. Arcadia or ZooMed T5 long tube lamps are recommended. But I suspect, you don't need a UVB lamp - your climate should allow to take tortoise outside for sunbathing. 15-30 minutes daily at 10-11AM (2-3 hours a week) is sufficient. Tortoise should be supervised and shade MUST be available.

5. I see two sulcatas on the photo. They should be separated in different enclosures and never kept as a pair.

This care sheet would help you to raise a healthy and smooth sulcata (if you haven't seen this already): https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/ Please, ask more questions - not everything in this care sheet is applicable to your country and climate so we'll try to find alternatives.

hello, how does portable green house top and raised garden bed work? I dont understand, do u have any pictures about how it works?
For the substrate, it means i can use coco peat, but i should cover it with coco husk? And how do i rehydrate the coco peat? Could u maybe show me in a video? My english is not so good, Sorry if you’re confused.


About the bulbs, arent exoterra daylight is for a terarrium that has plants in it? Because in the place where i bought the tortoises, they say that i could use exoterra intense😅 and they said that two sulcata’s can be in the same cage. And I put a distance of 25 cm to the turtle shell, is that possible?
Yes, I do soak them everyday for 10 minutes And i already read the torto forums!
Previously I had a water dish in its cage, but there were people who said that water dish was not good for sulcata babies, that's why I didn't put water dish in its cage anymore. But from now on I will put the water dish again.

 

[lovesulcata]

Yes im thinking to get a closed chamber, But i dont know which chamber. And is it ok if i dont use a humid hide??

To recap what Alex said, here are the most important details for you:

1. Get a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work.
2. Switch substrates. Coco chips like what you have are not good for tortoises.
3. Change the lighting ASAP.
4. Separate them ASAP. Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
5. You need a water dish.
6. You need a humid hide.
7. Soak them in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort in warm water for 30-40 minutes every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[lovesulcata]

To recap what Alex said, here are the most important details for you:

1. Get a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work.
2. Switch substrates. Coco chips like what you have are not good for tortoises.
3. Change the lighting ASAP.
4. Separate them ASAP. Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
5. You need a water dish.
6. You need a humid hide.
7. Soak them in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort in warm water for 30-40 minutes every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Im curious, Why cant sulcata baby kept in pairs??

 

[lovesulcata]

To recap what Alex said, here are the most important details for you:

1. Get a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work.
2. Switch substrates. Coco chips like what you have are not good for tortoises.
3. Change the lighting ASAP.
4. Separate them ASAP. Tortoises should never be kept in pairs.
5. You need a water dish.
6. You need a humid hide.
7. Soak them in a tall sided opaque tub of some sort in warm water for 30-40 minutes every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Yeah, i already read the torto forums!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello! I’m going to include so information that hopefully answers your questions and helps give you an idea for enclosures🙂

Tortoise of any species should NEVER be housed in pairs under any circumstances, they’re incredibly territorial, behaviours that look cute to us really aren’t, following one another and sleeping huddled up is all bullying the the tortoise world, you’ll eventually see more extreme signs of aggression. One can effect the others growth. Anyone who tells you pairs are fine, have no idea what they’re talking about.

Small groups can be kept when there’s acres for them to wonder and you have the correct male to female ratio.

I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for each of these guys until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give you some ideas!

Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.

Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 80-85, not dropping lower than 80 at night all over.

You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer as the basking light, providing shady areas with hides and such.

If the floodlight isn’t enough to bump up the over enclosure temperature, you could add a CHE(ceramic heat emitter)or two depending on the size you go for, they’re a non light emitting heat bulb that people use to help make heat up/night heat. Again if it’s dropping below the 80’s at night, a CHE is a good idea. Always run any ceramic bulbs on a thermostat, you’ll set the thermostat for around 80, plug the ceramic(s) into the thermostat and plug the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be on 24/7, but the thermostat will only turn on the ceramic(s) if the temperature drops below 80, and will keep them off if the temperature is fine.
As you’re from a warm climate, I’d do temperature gun checks with the floodlight running and do checks at night to see if you need the ceramics, if you have ac you might need them to help control them temperature for an indoor enclosure.

Dome fittings do help in projecting the heat down, just make sure to never solely rely on the clamp fittings that can come with them, they can fail, so it’s always best to hang them securely👍

Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for and stands people use to mount them. If you’re able to get them out safely for a few hours of natural sunlight, you won’t need this.

With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.

For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The trouble with top soil is you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, they could be toxic.

You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then, which also helps boosting humidity or give the top a spray. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed. I don’t recommend misters or foggers, they get the air too wet and cause respiratory problems.

Humidity for young growing tortoises benefits when maintained around 80%, 24/7, you’ll find that difficult to achieve with an open top, for the set up I’m recommending I’d get a greenhouse cover.

To maintain humidity whilst the tortoise is younger a greenhouse style set up works well and provides more space, the bigger you go the better, it’s ideal if you can build your own base to go as big as you can for the room you have for now.

If you can’t find an exact fit for your base with the cover, then place it over like the one with the white base in the photo, I’d put lining down under the base and cover though to stop condensate getting on your floor. Bear in mind the ones pictured I don’t think are personally big enough to house this species of tortoise for long, they’re just to give you an idea.

When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds or just make their own, for both these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough to prevent escapes.

Some people even hang their lighting from the greenhouse frame! Simply wrap the wire round so it’s at the height you need(check with temp gun/put thermostat in, 18-21 inches for uv I recommend) then secure with cable ties and chains so they aren’t just hanging by the wire.
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy.

I think for the size you’ll need to go, you may struggle to find a topper, in that case you could maybe throw some pvc covering over the stands if you can’t find one, but again if you do that, I’d put lining down under the base to stop condensate.

For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer large enough for the tortoise to soak in, is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.

Ignore whatever else is in these enclosures in the photos, they’re just to give you an idea, and again these particular ones look too small for your tortoise imo to last long, but hopefully they help inspire an idea👍

I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correct🙂

Wishing you all the best from the uk🥰