Trying to get my Sulcata Habitat set up

MStacy

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My Hubby recently showed me this site with hatchlings for $55. Has anyone purchased from them or have any experience with having babies shipped? I'm hoping their reputable.
Arizonatortoisecompound.com
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Anthony and Arizona Tortoise Compound are members here.
Check our search feature and vendor reviews section for lots of information.
 

MStacy

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Hi! We got our Sulcata tonight. She's 7 months, but oh so tiny! 2 inches or so. Her mouth looks black, is that normal? She's been on a diet of fruit and lettuce, and kept in a 72 degree home.

She looks sleepy, so we put her directly to bed. Should I leave the lettuce out that her old mom sent? I have her water in a dish and she's in an upsidedown cardboard box with a cut out inside her terrarium.

Our house temp is 79 right now, I don't have any lamps on in her enclosure.

Am I doing right?

Oh, meet Totoro! I hope she survives the night!
 

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Tom

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It needs to stay no lower than 80 day and night. 79 is fine for now, but what will the temp be at 6am? Have you factored in evaporative cooling from the damp substrate?

Cardboard boxes are not good hides. They absorb water and fall apart or mold. Use a black dishwashing tub from Walmart. They cost $1.82. Flip it upside down and cut out a door hole.

All this and more is in here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

No fruit and only use the lettuce if the baby refuses everything else. Use the lettuce to "piggyback" the new better foods in very small quantities at first.
 

Keith D.

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Hmm OK first I don't want to sound rude or mean, but did you do any homework on the species or was this a spur of the moment buy? You don't have any heat source at all on his tank? You will probably want to buy a MVB bulb for him right away especially if he is indoors. I would probably use a small under the tank type heater to keep him a little warmer (its not 100% necisary but I use one cause my room is kept a bit cooler) I would also probably try to keep his tank temperature around 91ish, but there are others here that raise your species and will know the exact temps. Lettuce and fruit isn't the best choices to feed your little guy. I would use collard greens, mustard greens, kale, pumpkin leaves, grape leaves, mulberry tree leaves, prickly pear cactus pads and others with better nutrients then lettuce. I would try to stay away from fruits, limiting them to once a week in small amounts at the most as treats not everyday feeding. Also I would like to ask no beg you to get rid of the cardboard box for a couple reasons, 1. It molds easily. 2. Cardboard is made of paper that is glued together which can hurt your tortoise if he ingests it and it also releases harmful vapors when its wet and could possibly cause respiratory problems.
I would also suggest you use two terracotta plant basins as feeder and water dishes, water one for your little guy a 6 inch would be fine, for food a 3 or 4 inch will work. Substrate I use coco coir, which is coconut fiber and can be bought at most hardware stores or nurseries, I get mine a Tractor Supply. Or on the internet in compressed blocks. I also use New Zealand Sphagnum Moss in my hides to help with humidity, which your little guy needs a lot of. As for a hide I use two different things, right now I am using a plastic shoe box with a arched entry way cut into one of the long sides, I have it at the cooler end of Leos tank. But I am working on a new tank for Leo and will be using a large terracotta pot for his hide which will be fun :) Also get a digital thermometer that has a humidity reading on it as well, they usually will have two probes, I the one for humidity closer to the ide and the heat one closer to the area of the hotspot (basking spot) If you are using a flourescant UVA/UVB bulb and you have a screen top on your tank please remove the screen, this also goes for aMVB bulb. I would also soak your little guy in some warm (not hot) but tepid water like you would use for a babies bath, and fill it to his armpits and let him soak for about 25 minutes being sure to watch him and change the water if it becomes soiled, which it probably will lol. I changed Leos soak water 3 times today lol. I also use a little EVCO on my torts shells, top an bottom after there soak, I let it sit for 5 minutes then wipe it off with a soft cloth (this is optional, not required) Oh and dont use the EVCO on his skin only his shell. Ok I think I have told you everything but I probably forgot something that one of the other great members will inform you of :)

P.S. Get him some natural sunlight as much as you can, but never leave him alone outside or with little kids or other pets. Oh and your little guy is a good looking tort :)
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome
You really have a lot of shopping to do if you want to keep little Totoro happy and healthy.
Its a lot of money to pay out in one go but cheaper than a visit to the vets and better than seeing your new baby suffering with something that could have been avoided.
Please read the care sheets using Toms links and put everything in place for him asap.
 

Lyn W

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p.s ............and don't buy any coiled or looped type of bulbs they are very harmful to torts!

The MVB as mentioned above will give light heat and essential uvb rays all in one for he day and a ceramic heat emitter used with a thermostat will keep temps even at night

Use both with a ceramic bulb holder and reflector shades (avoid deep domes if poss)
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Welcome, Totoro!
A beautiful little tortoise.
Look at the links posted and good advice given above.
I too would use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) for night time heating in preference to a heat mat.
Good luck with your new baby, but you've got a bit of work to do.
 

Careym13

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Welcome to TFO!!:tort: You've been given tons of good advice. Follow it and your new tort will have a good shot at a long and healthy life.
 

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