Yes that would be fine. It should say on the packaging how high the bulb needs to be mounted above the substrate
Ok thank you very much for your help.Yes that would be fine. It should say on the packaging how high the bulb needs to be mounted above the substrate
Thanks for the info. I have seen them sleeping together but mostly the larger ones will lay down and the little guy will come around and sleep right next to it. I’ve seen them both eat together and i haven’t really seen any problems so far, could this mean otherwise?
Ok thank you, I found this while reading because that’s the one I'm thinking about getting.
Ohh ok I understand now, thank you very much. I will separate them then. I shoud leave the Larger one in the bigger cage and the little one in a smaller cage right?Let me explain Sulcata mental bullying: Snuggling up together is actually one tortoise invading the other’s space. It’s getting too close and telling the other to move out. The smaller, fitter one will know the larger one is weak and will try to capitalise on it. Eating together is also invading space - a battle of wills.
It will end in up in one of two ways:
- One will give up and stop eating and become withdrawn and sick
- Physical bullying = One mounting or ramming or biting the other ... and Sulcata fights can draw blood.
They must be separated particularly as one of your torts is already very unhealthy.
Ohh ok I understand now, thank you very much. I will separate them then. I shoud leave the Larger one in the bigger cage and the little one in a smaller cage right?
Ok thank you, and by start over do you mean make another large enclosure?Go as big as you can for both. Sulcatas grow rapidly and you will soon have two 100lb+ bulldozers on your hands. A bigger enclosure ensures you are not having to start over too often
Your tortoises will outgrow the space that is suitable for them now. The bigger you can go now, the less often you will have to construct something even bigger. In a few years you will need two secure outdoor enclosures and two separate heated night boxes so they can live outdoors 24/7 year round. This species does not hibernate and gets too big to lift and move easily.Ok thank you, and by start over do you mean make another large enclosure?
Hi again, for a substrate, I bought brown mulch and wanted to know if that was good to use for the tortoises? I provided a picture of the mulch.That tortoise has a pretty severe case of metabolic bone disease. He's probably in a lot of pain. His bones have collapsed and there's nothing holding his shell up. He's flat instead of domed.
This tortoise needs immediate calcium/UVB help. The light you show in your picture doesn't provide UVB. You need one like either one of these:
View attachment 260235
Mercury Vapor Bulb (100 watt is usually good enough)
or
View attachment 260236
Tube type fluorescent UVB bulb. You can find these at lightyourreptiles.com
Without UVB, either from the sun or from a GOOD light, the calcium he eats just goes right through and out without doing any good for the bones and shell. And that's obviously what's been happening to this poor tortoise for most of its life. This isn't something you can ignore. He's going to die unless you address the UVB/calcium problem right away.
Change the substrate
set him up by himself
get a good UVB light immediately
feed calcium-rich foods
when he starts showing signs of improvement (no leg dragging) set him up in a larger enclosure.
I see this repeated in many places and wonder what they do in the wild? Do they each dig their own burrow as soon as they hatch? Or do they share burrows until they get larger and decide to dig one? I also have seen pictures and videos of large scale breeders facilities with SEVERAL large adult sulcatas sharing burrows. Please explain. RickLet me explain Sulcata mental bullying: Snuggling up together is actually one tortoise invading the other’s space. It’s getting too close and telling the other to move out. The smaller, fitter one will know the larger one is weak and will try to capitalise on it. Eating together is also invading space - a battle of wills.
It will end in up in one of two ways:
- One will give up and stop eating and become withdrawn and sick
- Physical bullying = One mounting or ramming or biting the other ... and Sulcata fights can draw blood.
They must be separated particularly as one of your torts is already very unhealthy.
In the wild they head for shelter as soon as possible and have the option of leaving if things get too crowded. There is no option to leave in captivity.I see this repeated in many places and wonder what they do in the wild? Do they each dig their own burrow as soon as they hatch? Or do they share burrows until they get larger and decide to dig one? I also have seen pictures and videos of large scale breeders facilities with SEVERAL large adult sulcatas sharing burrows. Please explain. Rick
I don't know what kind of mulch it is, but I would steer clear of something that's dyed.Hi again, for a substrate, I bought brown mulch and wanted to know if that was good to use for the tortoises? I provided a picture of the mulch.
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