New to the Forum

[Tillasaurus]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Kathleen and I discovered the Forum about a week ago. Already, it has been of tremendous help. I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida and have a Sulcata names Tillasaurus. Tillie was given to me by a colleague nearly two years ago and I strongly supect that he is male (concave underbelly/bottom shell). I am not certain how big he is but I suspect he is about 11 inches long, he is longer than my size 10 foot. Again, I am not certain, but I believe he is close to five years old, perhaps slightly younger. Tille does have some pyramiding, but I do not think it is too bad (please correct me if I am mistaken), and I am endeavoring to make certain that it does not get worse. He does not get to graze but is fed spring mix, cactus, hibiscus, and the like (dandelion when I can find it). Most of his like, however, he was fed Romaine, summer squash, and zucchini. I am trying to do the very best I can for him and have planted several flats of a sulcata seed mixture which I plan to rotate in and out of his pen so that he can have a grazing experience. T lives outside, except on the coldest nights of the year. His enclosure is currently about 13' x 9', and I will enlarge it over it summer. It has been rainy lately so I removed much of the hay and cypress-mulch substrate that I had for him during the winter (it just seemed so wet that I wa afraid it would be bad for his shell) and am making at least half of his enclosure a top soil and sand-box sand blend.

Comments, advice, and ideas about how I can better care for him and where to I might get quality plants for T's enclosure will be most appreciated. Does any one know where I can purchase orchad grass?
I have had a heck of a time trying to find plants online.

A picture of Tillie and his current abode is attached. Thanks for reading my way-too-long first post

Kathleen

(FYI, I also have two dobermans (Angel and Balthazar), a love bird that hangs upside down like a bat (Gurtie), and a significantly overweight cat (Jackson).

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome

I'll let someone more familiar with Sulcatas give advice!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

He looks pretty good. A pic of his anal scutes and tail could probably confirm his sex at this point.

You can find orchard grass hay at any feed store that sells horse supplies and stuff.

Let's talk about sand. I know that you have tons of it in FL, but it is not so good for tortoise to be on all the time. Even if you feed on a tray, they are very messy and tend to drag stuff off the tray and onto the substrate and then eat it. Too much of this and it is pretty easy for them to become impacted. I would recommend he not be on any sand at all, even as part of a mixture. It's best to keep them on regular dirt or even a big lawn.

Your current diet sounds pretty good and your planned improvements sound great too. Large quantities of grass are the best diet for them. The orchard hay will help you with this, as will your flats that you have planted. The cactus, hibiscus and dandelion are all great too.

 

[Jacob]

Welcome to the Forum, What is usual routine diets, lives outdoors, do you give soaks?
Give us Some info.
Theres lots of Sulcata threads with great info here

 

[Tillasaurus]

RE: New to the Forum - Tillie



Thank you Tom,

I will nix the sand. I do think I will add topsoil as Florida soil, especially near the coast is quite sandy. So, do you think adding topsoil and planting grass and other seed (I hope something comes up before he trounces it would work)? I could add sod or grass plugs and water it really well. Do you think or fertilizer or pesticides would be a problem with newly purchased sod (even if thouroughly watered)? Growth might be a problem as part of the enclosure is shaded by an oak tree.

Tillie is currently hiding his (or her tail). Later, when I have someone to hoist him/her up while I snap a photo, I will send another one.

Hello and welcome.

He looks pretty good. A pic of his anal scutes and tail could probably confirm his sex at this point.

You can find orchard grass hay at any feed store that sells horse supplies and stuff.

Let's talk about sand. I know that you have tons of it in FL, but it is not so good for tortoise to be on all the time. Even if you feed on a tray, they are very messy and tend to drag stuff off the tray and onto the substrate and then eat it. Too much of this and it is pretty easy for them to become impacted. I would recommend he not be on any sand at all, even as part of a mixture. It's best to keep them on regular dirt or even a big lawn.

Your current diet sounds pretty good and your planned improvements sound great too. Large quantities of grass are the best diet for them. The orchard hay will help you with this, as will your flats that you have planted. The cactus, hibiscus and dandelion are all great too.

 

[Tillasaurus]

Thanks for responding. T seems to be ravenous most of the time. When I am at work, a friend usually feeds him at about 10 in the morning. I feed him again about 5 pm. He gets spring mix when others feed him. I forage and feed mostly grass and hibiscus and a cactus leaf. If he still seems starving, I feed him more.

Most of the advice about quantity of food to feed seems to be for younger tortoises. So, I don't know how much I should feed him. I also worry about dehydration in the hot Florida summer so, even though he has a water saucer available, I still feed him romaine every few days.

I am on a mission to load my yard with edible plants for him and will provide him with access to grass and sulcata seed mix flats as soon as they begin to grow,

I soaked him a couple times a week in the kitchen sink when I first got him/her. I was remiss over the winter because I did not want T to get chilled and the tortoise does not want to come inside anymore. He seems traumatized when I have to bring him in when the temperatures drop and he burrows in his indoor pen. I am now soaking him every Sunday, but he does not seems to care for the process and batters aroung trying to get out of the tub (a black concrete mixing tub).

K

Welcome to the Forum, What is usual routine diets, lives outdoors, do you give soaks?
Give us Some info.
Theres lots of Sulcata threads with great info here

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Kathleen and welcome to the forum...

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

nice little guy

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the the Forum!

Tilly looks great!

Sulcatas ROCK!