Sulcata Tortoise Substrate

[Ashley_Sheldon]

So this is my very first post and i thought i would make it on substrate . I have about a 3 month old Sulcata Tortoise and i used to have him on alfalfa pellets but then i did research and realized that thats not so great for the little guy . I recently moved him to coconut fiber about a month ago . Was this a good choice ? Any recommendations ? Please help it would mean a lot to me and Sheldon

 

[mainey34]

Hello... many members here on the forum use cocoir, which is the same thing. You have made the right choice.. what does your set up look like? Can you post a pic?

 

[Tom]

Yep Coir is fine. Its my second favorite. I like fine grade orchid bark the best for sulcata babies. Coco coir is my first choice for any Testudo or DT species.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

Hello... many members here on the forum use cocoir, which is the same thing. You have made the right choice.. what does your set up look like? Can you post a pic?

Sure , i posted two pictures and i know people are going to hate me for putting the little guy in a glass tank but it's actually quite big for him to roam around and he doesn't seem to try and climb the walls unless he sees my hands there haha . And if your wondering why there's a sandwich bag box as a hideaway , well its a long story but when i first got him we made him that and ever since , we try to take it out and he throws a big fit and won't sleep and just stomps around all angrily so Tortoise 1 , Human 0 . Haha but thanks so much for commenting on my first post ! Means a lot ! pic

 

[mike taylor]

I think that is an awesome set up . Welcome to the forum . I keep my little sulcata Dozer in a tank that is 20"/20" /5' .

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

Yep Coir is fine. Its my second favorite. I like fine grade orchid bark the best for sulcata babies. Coco coir is my first choice for any Testudo or DT species.

Wow thanks Tom ! It means a lot that you commented ! And thank you i will definitely look into this fine grade orchard bark ! would it be able to mix well with the coir ?

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I think that is an awesome set up . Welcome to the forum . I keep my little sulcata Dozer in a tank that is 20"/20" /5' .

Thanks so much for commenting ! And thanks for welcoming me and wow thanks i didnt think people would like my set up and would you post a pic of yours so i can get some references on a what else I could do to upgrade it ? Thanks Mike !

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Oh and if anyone is wondering why I picked grass for him , it's because it's really cold out in Arizona , its 54 degrees out and thats too cold for the little guy ! i might take him out when it warms up a little so he can graze

 

[mike taylor]

Sure here is a picture I keep my set up simple.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

Sure here is a picture I keep my set up simple.

Wow thanks ! That looks great ! thanks so much Mike !

 

[Yvonne G]

Quite a few of us use aquariums or glass tanks for our babies. I think the idea of not using them is pretty old school. But people use them or they don't use them. It all depends upon what you have to do to provide the baby with what he needs. It's not wrong and it's not right...it just is.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

Quite a few of us use aquariums or glass tanks for our babies. I think the idea of not using them is pretty old school. But people use them or they don't use them. It all depends upon what you have to do to provide the baby with what he needs. It's not wrong and it's not right...it just is.

Wow thanks Yvonne ! I thought people would hate me for it haha but when he gets bigger ill move him outside or to a large tortoise table . Do you use a glass tank ? And would you post a pic of your enclosure please ?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Your tank isn't bad. I also use the glass tanks until they live outside.

I suggest you add a lot more coir to make your substrate deeper. Try for 4". Then you can bury the flower pot deeper, they like it better when half is submerged.

Get some digital remote temperature probes and keep them at "tortoise level". The stick on ones you have are too high and not very accurate. Like this..


I don't have any sulcatas but I have a few leopards. They are raised the same. Hot and humid. Here is how my tank converted into a closed chamber looks...


I sealed the screen top with clear plastic, cut holes for the lights and lined the holes with a ring of aluminum foil...


It's easy to do and looks nice

 

[Tom]

would it be able to mix well with the coir ?

You can mix it if you like, but I usually don't. I just use one or the other.

Heather just hit on all the points I was going to make about your set up.

A little more on the glass tank thing: They fell out of favor back when everyone thought that sulcatas were desert animals and needed to be kept very dry. Glass tanks are actually good for the exact reasons they say they are bad. The tall sides restrict airflow and hold in heat. Well that is EXACTLY what we WANT to do! Airflow dries everything out and cools everything. We want warm and humid to simulate the African rainy season that sulcatas are born into. We won't be letting anyone bad mouth you for using that glass tank. I've been using them since 1979.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

Your tank isn't bad. I also use the glass tanks until they live outside.

I suggest you add a lot more coir to make your substrate deeper. Try for 4". Then you can bury the flower pot deeper, they like it better when half is submerged.

Get some digital remote temperature probes and keep them at "tortoise level". The stick on ones you have are too high and not very accurate. Like this..


I don't have any sulcatas but I have a few leopards. They are raised the same. Hot and humid. Here is how my tank converted into a closed chamber looks...


I sealed the screen top with clear plastic, cut holes for the lights and lined the holes with a ring of aluminum foil...


It's easy to do and looks nice

Thanks for replying with all this info ! And I would go deeper with the coir but he can barely walk around without being half buried haha

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would it be able to mix well with the coir ?

You can mix it if you like, but I usually don't. I just use one or the other.

Heather just hit on all the points I was going to make about your set up.

A little more on the glass tank thing: They fell out of favor back when everyone thought that sulcatas were desert animals and needed to be kept very dry. Glass tanks are actually good for the exact reasons they say they are bad. The tall sides restrict airflow and hold in heat. Well that is EXACTLY what we WANT to do! Airflow dries everything out and cools everything. We want warm and humid to simulate the African rainy season that sulcatas are born into. We won't be letting anyone bad mouth you for using that glass tank. I've been using them since 1979.

Oh ok but where do I get the digital temperature thing ? Its great to know that the tank is perfect for Sheldon and once again thanks for all the info and not letting anyone bad mouth me !

---

Your tank isn't bad. I also use the glass tanks until they live outside.

I suggest you add a lot more coir to make your substrate deeper. Try for 4". Then you can bury the flower pot deeper, they like it better when half is submerged.

Get some digital remote temperature probes and keep them at "tortoise level". The stick on ones you have are too high and not very accurate. Like this..


I don't have any sulcatas but I have a few leopards. They are raised the same. Hot and humid. Here is how my tank converted into a closed chamber looks...


I sealed the screen top with clear plastic, cut holes for the lights and lined the holes with a ring of aluminum foil...


It's easy to do and looks nice

Your tank looks absolutely fantastic btw !

 

[mike taylor]

You can get a nice meter from Home depot it looks like this and its only ten dollars.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

You can get a nice meter from Home depot it looks like this and its only ten dollars.

Oh thats great thanks ! but does it have the tortoise level on it ? And would you say that my meter thing is very inaccurate ?

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Will someone please comment on my other topic ? it would mean a lot

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I also use the digital readers mike showed you. I pay $9 at Walmart

They are very accurate. You can either sit it directly on the substrate or attach it to the wall just a few inches above the ground level.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

I also use the digital readers mike showed you. I pay $9 at Walmart

They are very accurate. You can either sit it directly on the substrate or attach it to the wall just a few inches above the ground level.

Oh ok thats great thanks ! But will mine work until I can eventually get a new one ?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

But will mine work until I can eventually get a new one ?

Move it down. Place it just above the substrate. It will improve the accuracy but maybe not by much.

Another member posted a picture (wish I could link to it) of the analog kind you have next to the digital one mike showed you. Right next to each other and the readings were waaaaayyy off.

Make the move, but try to get the new ones in the next week. Knowing your temps is very important. Especially when dealing with humidity.

 

[Ashley_Sheldon]

But will mine work until I can eventually get a new one ?

Move it down. Place it just above the substrate. It will improve the accuracy but maybe not by much.

Another member posted a picture (wish I could link to it) of the analog kind you have next to the digital one mike showed you. Right next to each other and the readings were waaaaayyy off.

Make the move, but try to get the new ones in the next week. Knowing your temps is very important. Especially when dealing with humidity.

Ok thanks so much ! I appreciate this greatly !

 

[bouaboua]

Lots good information on this thread. Thank you all for sharing it.