Is my Sulcata healthy

Madkathq

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Joined
Mar 22, 2020
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Lake Elsinore
Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I cannot take my torts in for a check-up or get advice from my vet. I am a first time owner and I have two (one month old? Maybe two?) Sulcatas. I have been reading up on care, what they should look and act like, etc. I have pictures of one of them, Kame, and I'd like to see what you guys think.
I read that their stool is supposed to come out solid, slightly wet, and easily. However, my babies have had liquidy stools that take a while to come out. I feed them a mix of store bought romaine and spring mix. I just purchased them some spinach. Together they eat a mountain of food, and they always get more than enough. It has been too cold to let them graze on clovers outside, but I'm considering giving them ten minutes a day just to keep them happy and healthy.
Per advice from one of these tortoise forums, their bedding consists of a small amount of coconut coir mixed with a larger amount of zoo med brand Cypress mulch. I noticed in a stool this morning, a small strand of Cypress mulch was eaten. What should I do?
Another thing I noticed was the texture of their shells, there are indents between the "shields". I read it's supposed to be smooth? I got them like this.IMG_20200322_122546850.jpgIMG_20200322_122452341.jpg
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Hello and welcome.

Here is what you need to know. Most people don't start these babies correctly. Most survive, but some don't. The only thing you can do is offer them the best conditions possible and hope they make it. No vet, and no medicine, and no special care can save them if too much damage was done at the breeder's place in their first few weeks of life, and there is no way to predict it, since all of them seem fine for weeks and sometimes months after purchase.

To make matters worse, most of the care tips offered in books and on the web are all wrong too. Its based on old, out-dated, incorrect assumptions about how they live in the wild. We know better now, but the old info persists.

Your substrate should be fine, but I find coco coir too messy. Fine grade orchid bark works best.

The diet needs much improvement and that is part of the reason for the runny stools. I like a thread that explains it more.

The shells look fine, as not much growth has happened yet, but do get them into the correct conditions ASAP.

They should never live in pairs. It is very stressful and not good for them. I know they are not attacking each other, but mentally it is taking a toll. They don't want to share space and resources with another tortoise. You need to make another enclosure and separate them ASAP.

You should be soaking them daily, and they need night heat and warm days. Here is all the correct care info. Read these and then come back with all your questions:
 
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