Hello from Arizona

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Well then you have come to the right place!!!

Hello and welcome! :)

Do you have a baby or a larger one?
 

sheldon123

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Thank you so much for welcoming me. I have a baby very small about 2 1/2 inches. Not sure if male or female. Built him an enclosure for indoors right now with terra cota water dish, moist bedding and a heat lamp. I pick him dried grass from my yard which was recommended by the owner of parents but he does not eat it. I have been giving him mixed organic leafy greens which he seems to like. Not sure how to tell if he is happy and thriving. We are super excited to have him and want to make sure he has everything he needs to be happy and healthy
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you so much for welcoming me. I have a baby very small about 2 1/2 inches. Not sure if male or female. Built him an enclosure for indoors right now with terra cota water dish, moist bedding and a heat lamp. I pick him dried grass from my yard which was recommended by the owner of parents but he does not eat it. I have been giving him mixed organic leafy greens which he seems to like. Not sure how to tell if he is happy and thriving. We are super excited to have him and want to make sure he has everything he needs to be happy and healthy

Unfortunately there is a lot of old, out-dated, incorrect info circulating around out in the world right now for the care of this species. We try to share the correct info with people, but if they aren't on this site or learning from someone on this site, people just keep doing it the old wrong way.

Anyhow, start with these:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

These will get you started in the right direction, and then feel free to ask all of your questions.
 

sheldon123

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
It may not be a genuine problem but how do you prevent them from flipping over in an enclosure. I didn't read anything about that. I ask because the first night I had my baby I had placed a 6 inch flat rock not even an inch high in his space and woke to find him on his back. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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It may not be a genuine problem but how do you prevent them from flipping over in an enclosure. I didn't read anything about that. I ask because the first night I had my baby I had placed a 6 inch flat rock not even an inch high in his space and woke to find him on his back. Any advice would be appreciated.

Babies do that sometimes, especially when they are new to an enclosures. Some do it a lot and others, never. Most of them settle down and stop doing it at all after a few days in a new enclosure.

They key thing for a little baby that some people don't know or emphasize is that babies need to be soaked every day. If you haven;t already been told, I wanted to make sure you knew this. Some breeders just haven't caught on yet.
 

sheldon123

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Oct 25, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Thank you so much. I am going to soak him when I get home today. It will be the first time. I'm a little nervous but I have read up on it
 

sheldon123

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
How do I keep the soak water at 85-95 for 30 minutes? can I place him in the soaker under the heat lamp? Or do I change the water out from old cooler water to warmer?
 

Salspi

Active Member
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Feb 1, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
Chicago
I use a heat mat for sprouting seeds. I just place the container on it and it works great. I’ll try and snap a pic.
 

Salspi

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Chicago
I place a digital thermometer in the container to monitor temp. If you find that it gets too warm, put a towel in between the container and heat mat. But, I haven’t had to do that. Don’t try it without a digital thermometer. You never know what could happen.
 

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Salspi

Active Member
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Chicago
Sorry I didn’t mean to worry you. I don’t use the underneath heating mat without a thermometer just because I’m OCD. LOL. I use the heat mat for longer soaks. I would do what Tom says.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
How do I keep the soak water at 85-95 for 30 minutes? can I place him in the soaker under the heat lamp? Or do I change the water out from old cooler water to warmer?
There are a variety of ways to do it. Heat lamps, sun, soaking inside the closed chamber enclosure, regular refreshing of the water with warm water, etc… Just be very careful and check it early and often with a thermometer. Don't go by how it "feels" to your skin.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
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I don't have a heat element only a lamp. should I hold off on the soak?

The way this is worded is cause for concern… You have a heating element of some sort for night heat, right? Sorry if I'm reading it wrong...
 

Alaskamike

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
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1,742
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
Hello :) and welcome.

I do love AZ, been there many times. I was astounded at the temp changes from the hottest to the lowest at night. Especially out of the city. Wow. Great contrasts. AZ was the first place I felt 120f and heard “ Ya, but it’s a DRY heat”. Put me in mind of the time I checked Moms cookies & almost scorched my lungs. :)

Here on the TF , you’ll find many who have successfully raised & are raising Sulcata in every climate imaginable. Every place has unique challenges.

The leaning curve is steep at first - and “ at first “ is when most folks new, & raising a baby , need it the most. It is also the time your little Sulcata is the most vulnerable to harm. It is good you reached out for info.

Please don’t get overwhelmed by all the suggestions thrown out. I’ve discovered that it’s born very often from hard fought experience- mistakes as well as successes

All the info on how to use best practices with a young Sulcata can be found in pinned threads at the top of the species specific section for Sulcata’s

Specific questions will be answered as you ask. But reading up on them will hasten the leaning curve. Often pictures of your enclosure & light set up can help.

Good fortune to you - stay engaged here. We all care about these fascinating creatures & like to help.
 

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