Suitable friends?

[Tom]

That's why I only put red wigglers in my hospital tank for whomever I have in there (right now my 3toed I rescued sick) to hunt once they start feeling better (which is one method I use to gauge when whomever is starting to feel better). But I never put anything with teeth or pincers or such.

I like roaches too. Roaches won't harm or bother a living animal and they are a great food source for any insectivore.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I like roaches too. Roaches won't harm or bother a living animal and they are a great food source for any insectivore.

Really? I thought they had pointy-mouthy parts? I'll be honest, don't know much about roaches beyond knowing that hissing cockroaches are fun but the roaches that infest homes are not.

 

[Tom]

Really? I thought they had pointy-mouthy parts? I'll be honest, don't know much about roaches beyond knowing that hissing cockroaches are fun but the roaches that infest homes are not.

There are around 4000 species of roaches. Only 6 are listed as "pests". The ones we typically use for feeders are tropical species that won't survive for very long outside of the correct warm humid conditions.

Look up Blaptica dubia.

 

[leigti]

There are around 4000 species of roaches. Only 6 are listed as "pests". The ones we typically use for feeders are tropical species that won't survive for very long outside of the correct warm humid conditions.

Look up Blaptica dubia.

Thank God!

 

[Angel Carrion]

There are around 4000 species of roaches. Only 6 are listed as "pests". The ones we typically use for feeders are tropical species that won't survive for very long outside of the correct warm humid conditions.

Look up Blaptica dubia.

Cool. I learned something new.
I'll look them up when next I'm on an actually computer instead of my phone.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

Most likely the reason she doesn't wander around a lot is because it's so small. Being in too small of an enclosure can really stress out a tort and they'll end up just burrowed somewhere for most of the time.
Also could be that she's really bored.

Got the measurments wrong. Its 18 inches by 3 foot. Also she is 2 inches not 4.sorry

 

[JoshGoldberg]

Josh,
Grasshoppers, like crickets, have chewing mouthparts. Crickets are vegetarians too, but reptiles are frequently injured because people leave crickets in the enclosure over night. No reason to think a grasshopper would not also chew on a reptile, given the chance. Also, some grasshoppers are toxic if eaten, and sulcatas are opportunists. If the grasshopper died while you are out somewhere, like school, your tortoise might try to eat it. I would not risk this.

About your enclosure. 40 is too small for anything but a hatchling. They need more room. At 4", your baby needs something bigger ASAP. You are going to need at least one, if not more, intermediate enclosure sizes before your tortoise is large enough to live outside full time. You can't go from a 40 to outside.

She is 2 inches sorry. And this is just a small tank for now. I have a spare room next to my bedroom with a concrete floor for her to stay in when she is older. I can put in a hide. And a heat lamp and such.

 

[Angel Carrion]

She is 2 inches sorry. And this is just a small tank for now. I have a spare room next to my bedroom with a concrete floor for her to stay in when she is older. I can put in a hide. And a heat lamp and such.

The concrete floor will be too cold for her. It would be a lot cheaper for you as well to set up an enclosure outside for her for when she is older. But for now while she's still young the concrete floor will be too cold for her, plus she won't be able to grip it right with her feet and that will cause a medical problem with her legs that I can't remember the name of right now but basically she wouldn't be able to walk right the rest of her life. Unless you could find a way to heat that entire room to the proper temp ranges and get the humidity up to the proper ranges and fill that room with a few feet deep of substrate and have numerous UVB and heat bulbs for proper sun bathing and UV absorption, that room is only going to make her miserable and most likely have a bunch of medical issues.
Unless you meant you are going to build her the proper size tortoise table in that room. Then you would only have to worry about that enclosure. Though the proper size for an adult sulcata may take up that entire room, or bigger. I don't know how big that room is.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

The concrete floor will be too cold for her. It would be a lot cheaper for you as well to set up an enclosure outside for her for when she is older. But for now while she's still young the concrete floor will be too cold for her, plus she won't be able to grip it right with her feet and that will cause a medical problem with her legs that I can't remember the name of right now but basically she wouldn't be able to walk right the rest of her life. Unless you could find a way to heat that entire room to the proper temp ranges and get the humidity up to the proper ranges and fill that room with a few feet deep of substrate and have numerous UVB and heat bulbs for proper sun bathing and UV absorption, that room is only going to make her miserable and most likely have a bunch of medical issues.
Unless you meant you are going to build her the proper size tortoise table in that room. Then you would only have to worry about that enclosure. Though the proper size for an adult sulcata may take up that entire room, or bigger. I don't know how big that room is.

Oh okay. I am planning on building a 2 foot concrete wall around my entire backyard. Its 3/4 of an acre and building a heated shed in that land but i need the funds.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Oh okay. I am planning on building a 2 foot concrete wall around my entire backyard. Its 3/4 of an acre and building a heated shed in that land but i need the funds.

Using concrete to build a perimeter wall is perfectly fine. Using wood or cinder blocks or something similar may be cheaper for you, just a thought.

 

[JoshGoldberg]

I want 2 walls. An inside wall. And an outside with potting soil inbetween for hibiscus. Rose of sharon etc. And i am looking to have a 'porch' area in the middle. So i will have a slightly raised section thst overlooks the acre. But we will see

 

[Tom]

I want 2 walls. An inside wall. And an outside with potting soil inbetween for hibiscus. Rose of sharon etc. And i am looking to have a 'porch' area in the middle. So i will have a slightly raised section thst overlooks the acre. But we will see

Sounds like a fantastic plan!

 

[JoshGoldberg]

If all goes to plan. But right now its just a dream

 

[JoshGoldberg]

Sounds like a fantastic plan!

What does your outdoor enclosure look like?

 

[Lyn W]

If all goes to plan. But right now its just a dream

Sounds great - but meanwhile you're tort cannot wait for your finances or dream to come together and you need to sort out a bigger viv, tank or table etc to make sure your baby has the space he needs asap. Stress can make these little guys ill. He will probably be more active with more space to explore.

 

[UnicornSploosh]

Cool. I learned something new.
I'll look them up when next I'm on an actually computer instead of my phone.

We get Dubia roaches all the time for our beardies. They love them and they're a lot healthier for them than meal worms. (Our boys already tend to be fat.) Only thing I'd worry about is just leaving them in an enclosure. They climb really well and hide really well. I'd be freaked out if they got loose in the house but I really hate bugs. Lol

 

[JoshGoldberg]

Sounds great - but meanwhile you're tort cannot wait for your finances or dream to come together and you need to sort out a bigger viv, tank or table etc to make sure your baby has the space he needs asap. Stress can make these little guys ill. He will probably be more active with more space to explore.

I will actially have a little fence put up outide for when she is bigger. And just have her in the tank for sleeping

 

[Lyn W]

I will actially have a little fence put up outide for when she is bigger. And just have her in the tank for sleeping

I think they only have a short period of supervised outdoor hours when babies, but see what Tom has said or do a search to check that - so you will still need a bigger indoors tank as that is where she will be for the majority of her time for a while.
Some people use things like inflatable kiddies paddling pools or rabbit hutches with runs etc to give their babies sun time but whatever you do make sure the outdoor area has protection from predators, birds etc and shade.

 

[Angel Carrion]

We get Dubia roaches all the time for our beardies. They love them and they're a lot healthier for them than meal worms. (Our boys already tend to be fat.) Only thing I'd worry about is just leaving them in an enclosure. They climb really well and hide really well. I'd be freaked out if they got loose in the house but I really hate bugs. Lol

Oh god with my track record I would end up waking up with them on my face. I've woken up with house centipedes on my face, earwigs, spiders. I'd end up with roaches on my face, too!

 

[Tom]

What does your outdoor enclosure look like?

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/enclosure-expansion.38788/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-burrows.50846/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/