Sulcata enclosure

[EzravH]

Hello everyone,

My name is Ezra and i'm new on this forum. I'm from the Netherlands, so please excuse me if my sentences are a bit weird.
I bought a little sulcata a few weeks ago and i got a few questions about the enclosure and I hope that you will be able to help me with them

I'm currently keeping my sulcata in an old aquarium. I'm not sure if i should keep the top edge open or if i should close it up for a part, so that the temperature will remain in the aquarium.

Also, i'm using sand and repti bark as a substrate. I don't know if i should spray water on my substrate to raise the humidity or not.

I hope you guys understand what i just explained and that you can help me out!

Thanks in advance

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

I would cover the top as much as you can to hold in heat and humidity.

I would get rid of the sand entirely. It is very dangerous. The bark alone should work great.

Spraying the surface with water does very little. You'll need to dump water into the substrate to get it damp enough. The reptibark is great for this because even as the lower layers are damp, the upper layer will stay dry-ish.

Here are some threads that will explain this all in much more detail:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[EzravH]

Thank you for the fast reply and the information!

I will read through the topics that you just recommended and then i'll make some changes to my enclosure.
(So should i just dip the repti bark in a bowl of water or isn't that what you mean?)

Thanks again

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the fast reply and the information!

I will read through the topics that you just recommended and then i'll make some changes to my enclosure.
(So should i just dip the repti bark in a bowl of water or isn't that what you mean?)

Thanks again

I use a cup of water and pour it into the substrate. In time it spreads all around and absorbs. I also dump my water bowls in there regularly to maintain the correct level of dampness. Unless the bowl is soiled (poop). Then I dump it in the toilet or drain.

I think dipping the substrate in a bowl of water would make it too wet.

 

[EzravH]

Thanks again for the reply. I'll try it out right away!