Baby sulcata

[Macy Fidler]

My baby sulcata has a couple dents in his shell (hardly visible here) but I'm wondering if those dents could be anything major. Someone help please!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Welcome to the forum! those "dents" you are talking about are the beginning of pyramiding. pyramiding is caused by lack of humidity in the torts enclosure, the cage should have 80% humidity and he should have daily soaks. read this entire care sheet http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

can you post a pic of your torts enclosure?

 

[Lancecham]

Can you take a better picture of the dents you are referring to?

 

[Macy Fidler]

Thanks so much! And I just got him last week, so I'm trying to read up on all the things he needs. I have cuttlebone in here, 2 heat lamps, one is 75 watt the other is 13, a water bowl, and a hiding cave. Anything else I need?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

the substrate needs to be changed to something that can hold humidity really well i would recommend coco coir.

 

[Macy Fidler]

Thanks so much, where can I find it? And I'm trying to take a better picture, but he is so tiny and it won't focus very well.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

i use to my coco coir at petco but I'm sure you can order some.

the pictures i posted are 2 sulcatas, the first one was raised in low humidity and the second one was raised in high humidity.

 

[Macy Fidler]

its mainly in this middle part here, so it probably is the beginning of pyramiding. Thanks so much, I will keep trying. Also I have St. Augustine grass in my yard, could he eat that?

 

[Macy Fidler]

Is it safe to leave a 75 watt heat bulb on all day? I sometimes turn it off so it won't get super hot, maybe that could be the problem.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

sulcatas can eat most types of grass, yes he can eat St. Augustine grass just make sure it has no chemicals on it. most of his diet should be grasses with nontoxic weeds. where are you located?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Is it safe to leave a 75 watt heat bulb on all day? I sometimes turn it off so it won't get super hot, maybe that could be the problem.

do you keep it on during the night?

 

[Macy Fidler]

Okay good, and east Texas. It's really hot here, lately it's been in the 70's the whole day and it'll be getting cooler. It is hard to manage a hotter temperature at night, because I also keep a Russian in the same room. I will have to figure something out.

 

[Macy Fidler]

I don't keep it on during the night.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

good, its not good for the tort to keep it on during the night. what temp is his cage during the day and at night?

 

[Macy Fidler]

I also read on the internet that spring mix is good for baby sulcatas so I've been feeding him spring mix and weeds from my yard.

 

[Macy Fidler]

Day-80's-90's
Night- high 70's.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

spring mix is good to add some variety to his diet, but the main part of his diet should be grasses.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Day-80's-90's
Night- high 70's.

the day temps are good, try to increase the nighttime temps a bit.

 

[dmmj]

Are we talking dents? or bumps?
and my sulcata loves st. augustine grass.