Will from Cleveland, Ohio

will4554

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Hello, my name is will. I just purchased my first sulcata tortoise. His name is Riddick. This is my first time owning a tortoise. I have done a lot of research but if anyone has any helpful tips on caring for him it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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mark1

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a secure safe outdoor pen and keep him outside every opportunity you have ...... if you provide him a warm spot , you might get may -sept when he's acclimated ........ not sure of how they take high humidity , i've never had a sulcata , just redfoot's and elongated's they thrived outside in the summer in ohio .......
 

mark1

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not sure how much humidity a young sulcata needs , but in cleveland ohio i doubt there is a day in the summer that doesn't start out at 80-90% humidity ....... the average humidity for a day in cleveland is probably 80% for a high 60% for a low ......
 

will4554

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Thank you for your responses. Humidity is one thing that has me woring a bit right now. For the time being until I get a better enclosure put together Riddick is being housed in a 40 gallon tank. Right now the top is open so I am afraid no mosturie is being locked in. For now would it help if I cut a piece of Plexiglas to cover the top. I am not currently home but when I am I will post pictures of his current setup.
 

Yvonne G

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Yes, plexi would help, but don't inhibit the light. The UV rays can't penetrate the plexi (or screen).
 

Speedy-1

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Hi and welcome Will , you will need to cover it in order to keep your temps and humidity up ! A few as in 2 , hours a day outside is plenty for a Hatchling ! ;)
 

mark1

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i'd be interested in if folks that live in areas with the kind of humidity cleveland gets in the summer feel a need to supplement humidity . i would think not enough humidity would not be a problem , i've purposely stayed away from species that lived in arid regions because of our humidity ........ assuming they could handle 60-80% humidity , i would say heat and sunlight would be the harder parameters to satisfy in cleveland ...... the relative humidity at cleveland hopkins was 81% on the 28th , 84% on the 29th , 90% on the 30th and 78% today , 78% actually felt dry after yesterday..... while i've never raised sulcatas , i've never had a problem raising anything i've ever had , my instinct would be outside , fresh air , probably a ceramic heat lamp in one spot for nights in the 60's and any cold days ..... if our humidity was not enough i'd mist the enclosure midday when the humidity drops ....... if the humidity is below 60% at noon in cleveland it's a dry day ....... somehow i was led to believe high humidity was deleterious to tortoises like sulcatas and leopards ? i very well maybe wrong , because some of these turtles and tortoises can survive some horrible care for long time periods , maybe my care isn't that good ...... i have a group of p. manni i bring in the house for the winter , sept-may , i have a room with a pond , it's a big plant pot , i found a turtle that had hatched in that room , he was at least 2yrs old , he was left in that room for 6-7 months at least 2x without any care , well he got the care the plants and the pond had ........... aside from a slightly irregular shell he seems completely healthy ...... he is outside this summer ...... one thing i think i've learned is nothing beats outside for healthy animals ................
 
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Speedy-1

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One problem being relative humidity is affected by many things , such as air conditioning . So unless the inside of your home is a minimum of 80 degrees and 80 to 90 % humidity on a consistent daily basis you will need to create those conditions . Please remember as temps go down humidity goes up , temps below 80 and high humidity is a great recipe for RI in Sulcata hatchlings There is no need for a debate when you can just go to the Sulcata section and read the posts at the top for the correct info . here is the link; http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/sulcata-tortoises.88/
 

mark1

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no need for me to debate you . i agree with you totally , in order to keep them indoors you need to supplement everything ......outside in ohio , in the summer , the only thing you need to supplement , probably about half the time , to meet your parameters is heat ....... outside the humidity in cleveland won't be a problem as far as too low .....in the house , i may have a different perspective on that, as what it is outside is what it is in my house , i love the doors and windows open as long as i can get away with it , our winters are brutal ..... i put the manni out in early may . we can and do still get frost , when it gets to cold ,i throw greenhouse film on the enclosures with a brooder heat lamp inside ........ your recipe for respiratory infections in a sulcata is ohio weather ..........the manni are the only thing i keep now that is impractical , but i've had them for so long , and the room , they really are pretty much care free , they just cost electricity ...........i know sulcatta's can be raised here in ohio if your committed enough , a vet tech i know rehomed a 40lb'er she raised ........best of luck to the OP , just keep working on better , it keeps it interesting , imo.
 

will4554

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Here is a picture of Riddicks current enclosure. I know that soon he will need a bigger set up but do you think this is fine for the time being as small as he is?

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lisa127

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Hi Will, i am also in the cleveland area. And yes, i do take measures to raise humidity for my redfoot. Right now he is in a plywood box that is covered in heavy plastic sheeting. I also spray the enclosure daily. Welcome, btw!
 

Razan

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Hello Ohio people. Are you going to Cedar Point this summer ? Even in CA they are advertising Cedar Point's newest coaster this year. Sadly I haven't been there since Dragster opened. Always used to love the season passes and surviving on french-fries for the day.

Oh, and welcome to the tortoise forum !
 

lisa127

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Hello Ohio people. Are you going to Cedar Point this summer ? Even in CA they are advertising Cedar Point's newest coaster this year. Sadly I haven't been there since Dragster opened. Always used to love the season passes and surviving on french-fries for the day.

Oh, and welcome to the tortoise forum !
I don't think I've been there in almost 30 years!
 

Vladsfriend

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Here is a picture of Riddicks current enclosure. I know that soon he will need a bigger set up but do you think this is fine for the time being as small as he is?
Welcome! I'm in Cleveland too. I can't help you too much with your specific issues, but know that those on the forum are very experienced and won't lead you wrong!
 

lisa127

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Ha ha! I used to live 3 minutes from Cedar Point, but I'm not the roller coaster type. Turtles are more my speed!
The last time I was at cedar point was the day after my senior prom. It's a little bit of a drive for me. I am about 15 to 20 minutes east of downtown cleveland.
 
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