Sulcata Hatchling First Day Home

[trixie557]

Shakespeare was overnighted to me and came around 10am this morning.

He is a 6 month old with some shell abnormalities, he's lopsided and lumpy, but healthy!

I soaked him 20 minutes on his when he got here, his eyes look fine, he's moving some (seems a LITTLE timid)... my main worry he hasn't eaten today. Is this normal? At what point do I panic?

 

[wellington]

Hello,and Welcome. Also congrats. Soak him every day in warm water for 20-30 minutes until he gets comfortable and eats. Be sure to have temps and humidity correct. Then, offer him food every day, enough that he should have some left over the next morning. When you give him the food, walk away and leave him be for a few too see if he will eat. It will take some time maybe for him to get comfortable. You got a couple weeks before you should worry, just keep him hydrated in the mean time. I'm sure he won't take long at all and he will be eating you out of house and home.

 

[trixie557]

That makes me feel SO much better! I have my set up as close to what I could get to what Tom suggested in the hatchling thread, and plan to soak him daily, and once it gets warm again (Texas weather is WEIRD) he'll have daily outside time too I just wasn't sure how worried I should be about the not eating!

 

[Tom]

How are you housing him? This will have a direct effect on his appetite. They need the right temps day and night, and they need the right lighting. Coil bulbs can burn their eyes, and colored bulbs can make things look funny. They also need it dark at night, but still warm.

Here is a care sheet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html

 

[trixie557]

He is in a 40gallon breeder, coco coir substrate, I had the hot spot at 102 during the day today, cool side was at 83 hot side of the tank was at 92 (I kept taking the temp gun to check) - I do have a night heat bulb in (its black) is that okay? No coil Bulbs. Several hides are avilible and humidity is at 80%.

 

[prelyt]

Where did you get him from?

 

[trixie557]

Shakespeare came from Riparian Farms. I knew what I was getting when I bought him and Richard sold him to me at a great price. My boyfriend has a rescue Sulcata, he adopted at 6 (Phil is now 9) and neither of us have ever dealt with a hatchling before. He's now eating, had a good day outside today in the sun, plays in the soaking tub, etc...he is still timid, but we are working on it!

 

[trixie557]

Update: its safe to say... he eats fine now! Lol. (the lamp in back was ONLY there for the photo since I moved the heat lamp a second to get the photo!)

 

[littleginsu]

OMG. I totally giggled at the last photo! So glad he is eating now and with such gusto!!

 

[mushmouth26]

Nice shot. His shell looks great too

Update: its safe to say... he eats fine now! Lol. (the lamp in back was ONLY there for the photo since I moved the heat lamp a second to get the photo!)