Sulcata check in

[branasher10]

Hey guys,
I received a baby Sulcata a few months ago, I am unsure of age.
He seems to be thriving, eating like a pig and moving around a lot. I just wanted to check in and make sure I’m doing all that’s possible for him to get big and strong.

Lights and heat:
He has an Arcadia t5 bulb that hangs about 10” from the top of his shell. I run a 50 watt heat emitter at all times which increases the ambient temp to 90 during the day. He then has a basking spot of around 101 at the highest.
He has three humid hides and a big water dish made of terra cotta that he regularly soaks in on his own that is heated due to the emitter.
He has food available at all times: collards, fescue grass, wheat grass, turnip greens, cucumber juice and water sprayed on top with a tortoise supply bought salad style supplement.
Calcium 2 times a week.
His humidity stays around 70% due to a mister system I installed that sprays 13 seconds every hour.
He is also soaked 2 times a day for about 15 minutes each time.
His night time temps are around 83 with his emitter and a basking spot of 97.
I apologize for the length of the post I just wanted to see how I am doing as a tort mom!

 

[Ray--Opo]

View attachment 351512Hey guys,
I received a baby Sulcata a few months ago, I am unsure of age.
He seems to be thriving, eating like a pig and moving around a lot. I just wanted to check in and make sure I’m doing all that’s possible for him to get big and strong.

Lights and heat:
He has an Arcadia t5 bulb that hangs about 10” from the top of his shell. I run a 50 watt heat emitter at all times which increases the ambient temp to 90 during the day. He then has a basking spot of around 101 at the highest.
He has three humid hides and a big water dish made of terra cotta that he regularly soaks in on his own that is heated due to the emitter.
He has food available at all times: collards, fescue grass, wheat grass, turnip greens, cucumber juice and water sprayed on top with a tortoise supply bought salad style supplement.
Calcium 2 times a week.
His humidity stays around 70% due to a mister system I installed that sprays 13 seconds every hour.
He is also soaked 2 times a day for about 15 minutes each time.
His night time temps are around 83 with his emitter and a basking spot of 97.
I apologize for the length of the post I just wanted to see how I am doing as a tort mom!

Looks like you are in the right direction.
What kind of substrate and is your enclosure top covered to hold in the humidity?
There are signs of pyramiding so it would be nice to see 80% humidity or higher.
What size is your enclosure?
Some better pictures of the enclosure would help us give you some suggestions.
Keep asking questions!

 

[branasher10]

It’s organic top soil mixed with coco coir and then a top of repti bark. It is a bit too small in my opinion, building a 4x2 enclosure at this point.
It’s technically 32.8 x 15 x 15
It is top covered at this point with a aquarium lid and foil.
View attachment 351519

The hay nor the cypress mulch is no longer in there.
I will insert a recent pic in a few minutes. These are when I first got him

 

[branasher10]

when I got him he was super dry, gritty Urates that were like rocks and now he has smooth Urates present when bathed.

 

[Tom]

View attachment 351512Hey guys,
I received a baby Sulcata a few months ago, I am unsure of age.
He seems to be thriving, eating like a pig and moving around a lot. I just wanted to check in and make sure I’m doing all that’s possible for him to get big and strong.

Lights and heat:
He has an Arcadia t5 bulb that hangs about 10” from the top of his shell. I run a 50 watt heat emitter at all times which increases the ambient temp to 90 during the day. He then has a basking spot of around 101 at the highest.
He has three humid hides and a big water dish made of terra cotta that he regularly soaks in on his own that is heated due to the emitter.
He has food available at all times: collards, fescue grass, wheat grass, turnip greens, cucumber juice and water sprayed on top with a tortoise supply bought salad style supplement.
Calcium 2 times a week.
His humidity stays around 70% due to a mister system I installed that sprays 13 seconds every hour.
He is also soaked 2 times a day for about 15 minutes each time.
His night time temps are around 83 with his emitter and a basking spot of 97.
I apologize for the length of the post I just wanted to see how I am doing as a tort mom!

All of my nit picky notes:
What type of Arcadia HO tube? If its the 12% one, 10 inches is way too close.

I don't like the constant spraying. With a closed chamber you never have to spray and the upper layers of the substrate can remain dry for them to live and walk on.

The grass in the diet is great. Collards are only to be used once in a while. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole. Add in Italian dandelions, arugula, cilantro, and more for variety occasionally.

The salad style is a great product, but your baby seems a little small for that. I'd get some of their "Herbal Hay" and use that until your tortoise gets a little bigger, and then that salad style will be stylin'!

Try to grow or buy some spineless opuntia pads. Great tortoise food. How about weeds? So many good weeds out in the world. Mulberry and grape vine leaves?

Soaking twice a day won't hurt anything, but it really isn't necessary. Once a day will keep them well hydrated.

Your temperatures and all the rest sound great!

 

[branasher10]

All of my nit picky notes:
What type of Arcadia HO tube? If its the 12% one, 10 inches is way too close.

I don't like the constant spraying. With a closed chamber you never have to spray and the upper layers of the substrate can remain dry for them to live and walk on.

The grass in the diet is great. Collards are only to be used once in a while. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole. Add in Italian dandelions, arugula, cilantro, and more for variety occasionally.

The salad style is a great product, but your baby seems a little small for that. I'd get some of their "Herbal Hay" and use that until your tortoise gets a little bigger, and then that salad style will be stylin'!

Try to grow or buy some spineless opuntia pads. Great tortoise food. How about weeds? So many good weeds out in the world. Mulberry and grape vine leaves?

Soaking twice a day won't hurt anything, but it really isn't necessary. Once a day will keep them well hydrated.

Your temperatures and all the rest sound great!

Oh please be not picky! I have redone his set up about 40 times trying to get it right, I enjoy it lol I’m growing my own succulents and fescue and wheat grass I will shoot for the pads soon!
Thanks about the collards I had no idea they were a once in a while thing.
I could definitely get some weeds from my ground I just get nervous that it could be the wrong thing.
Herbal hay is in the cart and I will raise the Arcadia a few inches!
Thank you guys!

 

[branasher10]

Oh please be not picky! I have redone his set up about 40 times trying to get it right, I enjoy it lol I’m growing my own succulents and fescue and wheat grass I will shoot for the pads soon!
Thanks about the collards I had no idea they were a once in a while thing.
I could definitely get some weeds from my ground I just get nervous that it could be the wrong thing.
Herbal hay is in the cart and I will raise the Arcadia a few inches!
Thank you guys!

All of my nit picky notes:
What type of Arcadia HO tube? If its the 12% one, 10 inches is way too close.

I don't like the constant spraying. With a closed chamber you never have to spray and the upper layers of the substrate can remain dry for them to live and walk on.

The grass in the diet is great. Collards are only to be used once in a while. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole. Add in Italian dandelions, arugula, cilantro, and more for variety occasionally.

The salad style is a great product, but your baby seems a little small for that. I'd get some of their "Herbal Hay" and use that until your tortoise gets a little bigger, and then that salad style will be stylin'!

Try to grow or buy some spineless opuntia pads. Great tortoise food. How about weeds? So many good weeds out in the world. Mulberry and grape vine leaves?

Soaking twice a day won't hurt anything, but it really isn't necessary. Once a day will keep them well hydrated.

Your temperatures and all the rest sound great!

I definitely see your point about the spraying, I feel like it’s constantly damp or wet to the touch which freaks me out as well.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Is your enclosure completely closed?

 

[branasher10]

Is your enclosure completely closed?

No sir, I have improvised for the time being and put metal tank lid above his enclosure, it fits securely and I have sections topped with foil to keep humidity in

 

[Tom]

No sir, I have improvised for the time being and put metal tank lid above his enclosure, it fits securely and I have sections topped with foil to keep humidity in

I applaud your efforts to do your best.

 

[branasher10]

All of my nit picky notes:
What type of Arcadia HO tube? If its the 12% one, 10 inches is way too close.

I don't like the constant spraying. With a closed chamber you never have to spray and the upper layers of the substrate can remain dry for them to live and walk on.

The grass in the diet is great. Collards are only to be used once in a while. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole. Add in Italian dandelions, arugula, cilantro, and more for variety occasionally.

The salad style is a great product, but your baby seems a little small for that. I'd get some of their "Herbal Hay" and use that until your tortoise gets a little bigger, and then that salad style will be stylin'!

Try to grow or buy some spineless opuntia pads. Great tortoise food. How about weeds? So many good weeds out in the world. Mulberry and grape vine leaves?

Soaking twice a day won't hurt anything, but it really isn't necessary. Once a day will keep them well hydrated.

Your temperatures and all the rest sound great!

Sorry Tom, I meant to say please be as picky as you want! I appreciate the advice and support from everyone! I’m so excited to get him happy and healthy

 

[Ray--Opo]

Sorry Tom, I meant to say please be as picky as you want! I appreciate the advice and support from everyone! I’m so excited to get him happy and healthy

Tom has thick skin!😁
And please don't call me sir! 🤣

 

[Ray--Opo]

The hay nor the cypress mulch is no longer in there.
I will insert a recent pic in a few minutes. These are when I first got him

Cypress is fine to use. Around here Home Depot use to sell 100% cypress mulch .Now it has other forest products in it.
I went to Reptibark and am very happy with it.

 

[branasher10]

I applaud your efforts to do your best.

Thank you! I have been following your threads on here for a month or two gathering information! You guys are awesome!

Cypress is fine to use. Around here Home Depot use to sell 100% cypress mulch .Now it has other forest products in it.
I went to Reptibark and am very happy with it.

im happy with it too, doesn’t seem as tacky or messy. Okay so SIR is out the window lol thank you for your help

 

[Yvonne G]

Tom has thick skin!😁
And please don't call me sir! 🤣

I thought it was "surely" you didn't want to be called!