Well He's finally Here!)

[Squidget]

After waiting for what seems forever my almost 5 month old sulcata finally arrived yesterday (an hour late thank you Fed Ex lol) he seems none worse for the wear and has happily been exploring, eating, sleeping, and pooping lol! he is SO tiny, its amzing to think he will one day be a monster haha. i do have some worries though as he seems to have a hard time opening his eyes when he first wakes up, which from what ive read comes from lack of humididty so i have been soaking his basking spot to up the humidity, but should i be doing it in his hide instead or both? i havnt been in his hide because i dont want it too cold and damp in there (75 degrees) to cuase his to get a R.I., also his shell seems a little soft, not bad, just a little. is this normal for young sulcatas or should i start dusting his food with calcium everyday. he has not touched his hay but instead picks out all the greens and cactus from it so i need to work on his eating habits. but he has no problems eating from my hand and he doesnt even pull his head in when i move near him like my box turtle does. I am so in love with this little guy and cant wait to get him to the vet (who is currently on vacation...go figure) to get him a check up but in the mean time what do you guys think? I have heard putting eyedrops in their eyes but im afraid to do that on such a little baby...he can easily sprawl out in my palm...and i have tiny hands lol!

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[Momof4]

I think he's too cute for words. He's so young right now so I'm sure his shell will firm up in time. I can't help with the other stuff but as hard as it might be, just leave him alone for a couple of weeks and let him adjust. I would only bring him out to eat and soak. The babies are delicate. Make sure you mist him a few times a day if not more. Just because there's good humidity doesn't mean he should get misted right on his shell until it's dripping. I could be wrong but 75 maybe be to low of a temp. I'm sure someone else with help you.
Congrats!

 

[Squidget]

oh i should also mention by "soft" i mean it gives a little if i have my thumb and pointer finger on either side and squeeze...not so much soft, but not rock solid like a big thick adult shell would be if you can make any sense of that lol. also he can to me with grass stains on his mouth...it there anyway to get rid of that or should i just let it be?

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I think he's too cute for words. He's so young right now so I'm sure his shell will firm up in time. I can't help with the other stuff but as hard as it might be, just leave him alone for a couple of weeks and let him adjust. I would only bring him out to eat and soak. The babies are delicate. Make sure you mist him a few times a day if not more. Just because there's good humidity doesn't mean he should get misted right on his shell until it's dripping. I could be wrong but 75 maybe be to low of a temp. I'm sure someone else with help you.
Congrats!

Thank you, i think so too...cuter then a puppy! oh and 75 is the very coolest part of his tank, the middle is about 85 and the warm side 90ish with a basking spot of 92, i tried to get all of his different areas as close as possible to the temps of what i read. i originally had his basking spot at 100 but then read that hatchlings like closer to 90 while adults like 100ish...is that right?

 

[Momof4]

I have no idea how to remove it. I'm thinking people just leave it.

 

[DesertGrandma]

He is so sweet

 

[l0velesly]

All hatchlings are a little soft for a few months. Make sure you up the humidity and keep it really warm. That rock in the last picture looks a little dangerous.. I'm afraid he might fall and end up on his back.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Congrats!

 

[Squidget]

All hatchlings are a little soft for a few months. Make sure you up the humidity and keep it really warm. That rock in the last picture looks a little dangerous.. I'm afraid he might fall and end up on his back.

Ok that makes me feel better lol. By really warm how warm. I have his basking spot at 92 because I read for hatchlings if it's too hot it posses the danger of dehydration. Also I have already changed that rock lol. I realized shorty after I introduced him that he was too little for it so I dug a hole and put the rock in the made a slope out of the substrate so it's easier to climb up and down. I picking up some coir at work today and mixing it into the substrate also for more humidity. I wish I could put him in an enclosed cage like my iguana. It's always nice and humid in his cage lol. But that may pose air circulation problems for him...

 

[jesst]

I have my 10 month old sulcata in an enclosed home. It keeps the humidity up and nice in warm. I recommend them and I dont have an air flow problem, I will keep the doors cracked a little bit

 

[Squidget]

Do you have a problem with airflow? And my box turtles name is Morla lol

 

[tortuga_please]

Very cute little guy