Sulcata enclosure

[thatkiidsean]

Hey guys it's Sean again , researching for my new sulcata . I know that younglings need humidity and heat so I was wondering would a Rubbermaid tub be good for a hatchling ? Or the zoomed tortoise table? I need ideas on the perfect inside enclosure I want my tort to be as happy as he can be with no pyramiding! Any tips would be greatly appriciated! Thanks ! Sean Kennedy

 

[justino4444]

Sulcata encloser

The tub would be ok if you put a top on it and cut out holes for the lights or put the lights inside depending on if it is a tall Rubbermaid or not. I would not recommend a tortoise house because i think all the humidity wouldn't
Stay in.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

RE: Sulcata encloser

A rubbermaid tub can work well. Use the long 55gal or christmas tree size. Have it covered to convert it into a closed chamber. You want to mimic the hot and humid conditions these guys hatch into. Have you read the sulcata care sheet yet?

Don't use the zoomed tortoise table unless you are very handy and want to make some major modifications to it. That can add up $$ btw...

 

[thatkiidsean]

Would a sulcata be in a humid enclosure for its entire life? Or will it grow into a desert environment ? If so how old does the tortoise have to live in the humidity enclosure? Sorry for all these questions I just want to make sure I treat my tort right!!

 

[Dizisdalife]

They would not be kept in a humid environment for their whole life. Typically the 1st year only, unless there are some special circumstances. The high humidity helps to keep the baby hydrated and to mitigate the effects of heat lamps and such. Given the right environment and diet sulcata will grow out of every enclosure you build for it. By age two mine was over 10" long and living outside 24/7. Sulcata are not really desert tortoises, so they don't ever grow into a desert environment. Just be ready to modify, enlarge, or build a new enclosure every 6 months. That is, unless you build one big enough from the very start.

 

[thatkiidsean]

How fast would they grow?

 

[Dizisdalife]

Growth rate depends a lot on how they are kept. I have never seen a chart the shows expected growth rates for a sulcata. Probably because they all grow at different rates. It just seems to me that I was expanding the indoor enclosure every 6 months, or making an outdoor enclosure for sunning time and exercise.

 

[turtletortoisefarmer]

Hi Sean my honey dew was 2in. when I got him that was two and half years ago. Honey Dew is now 15 in. I used a 55gal tub then went to two 50gal tubs with the ends cut off and put together then a book self now he has his own room .Then he will go out when weather permits. So good luck with your baby when you get it.

 

[Tom]

Here is how I do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html

Build it once and it will last until he's too big to live inside.

Humidity and hydration is most important for hatchlings, but even bigger ones will benefit from it.

Joe is right on the growth rates. There are so many variables and the growth rates vary so much that any sort of average would be pretty meaningless.

 

[Joemarshalljt]

Sulcata encloser

The tub would be ok if you put a top on it and cut out holes for the lights or put the lights inside depending on if it is a tall Rubbermaid or not. I would not recommend a tortoise house because i think all the humidity wouldn't
Stay in.

Hey so what if we have a 4 ft long 24 inch wide 3 ft tall enclosure with chicken wire covered in aluminum foil with a hole cut out with a 75 watt basking bulb on one end and a ceramic heat emmiter on the cooler side at night. And we stay home and work from home and we mist him every chance we get since he is a sulcata hatchling- and bring him out side 1 hour a day and give him a good soak for 30 minutes or until he poops or pees. I am very new too tortoise forum and I am so greatful with any advice. We are just worried about keeping humidity but it dosent seem to be a problem as of now since we covered the top with aluminum foil. Any advice is much appreciated

 

[Morgan P]

Here is how I do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html

Build it once and it will last until he's too big to live inside.

Humidity and hydration is most important for hatchlings, but even bigger ones will benefit from it.

Joe is right on the growth rates. There are so many variables and the growth rates vary so much that any sort of average would be pretty meaningless.

Tom, the link doesn’t work anymore. Do you have a recent link on a good initial enclosure to build for a baby Sulcata so they can stay in there until they need to go outside?

 

[Tom]

Tom, the link doesn’t work anymore. Do you have a recent link on a good initial enclosure to build for a baby Sulcata so they can stay in there until they need to go outside?

This thread is from 2013... I don't even remember what I linked.

Here is what I do now:

New Stack of Animal Plastics CLosed Chambers

AKA: Tom's baby emporium. @GStars asked for a pic on my new baby raising enclosures the other day. I only had a partial, but I took a fuller one today. Each cage is 96x30 and divided in the middle into two 48x30 cages for starting babies. The colored tape on each upper right corner shows the...

tortoiseforum.org

Animal plastics is great, but the wait time is atrocious. 9-12 months, and longer sometimes. I now get mine from @Markw84 Usually a 2-4 week wait time, and the enclosures are perfect for baby tortoises. They cost less than if you bought all the materials and electric equipment and built it yourself. I don't know how he does it so cheap for what you are getting.

 

[Morgan P]

This thread is from 2013... I don't even remember what I linked.

Here is what I do now:

New Stack of Animal Plastics CLosed Chambers

AKA: Tom's baby emporium. @GStars asked for a pic on my new baby raising enclosures the other day. I only had a partial, but I took a fuller one today. Each cage is 96x30 and divided in the middle into two 48x30 cages for starting babies. The colored tape on each upper right corner shows the...

tortoiseforum.org

Animal plastics is great, but the wait time is atrocious. 9-12 months, and longer sometimes. I now get mine from @Markw84 Usually a 2-4 week wait time, and the enclosures are perfect for baby tortoises. They cost less than if you bought all the materials and electric equipment and built it yourself. I don't know how he does it so cheap for what you are getting.

What do you use past the 9 months? I would prefer to get what they need for the 2+ years from the get go. Or is something bigger not ok when they are babies? Thank you for the info!!