Is this enclosure ok? Or is it crap...?

WhatsTheDifference · Feb 9, 2019

Hi guys! First post here!

I have a two year old Sulcata and her previous enclosure, a 2'x4' box I built didn't survive a recent move I made... so I made a super fast purchase from Chewy and bought this rabbit house (47"x 27" or something like that)... substrate is eco earth, but overtop I have pebbles and mulch...

I posted this on a facebook group and was told I had to remove the mulch and pebbles immediately because they're an impaction risk..... but I thought cypress mulch was an ok substrate?

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

leigti · Feb 9, 2019

Hello, welcome to the forum. Check out the species specific section for some ideas on enclosures. Your tortoise will outgrow this one soon enough but until then you need to add a whole bunch of humidity and make sure the heat stays at least 80°. Get rid of any pebbles that are small enough to be swallowed. To keep the heat and humidity up you were going to have to cover it. Some people will be along soon to give you some more specific suggestions. There are great people here, people with lots of experience so they will help you out all they can.

Yvonne G · Feb 9, 2019

It's ok for now, but you'll need to make a framework over it to hang the lights from and to support a sheet of plastic to cover it. Of course, a solid cover would be better, but plastic will do in a pinch. Those pebbles are too big for him to swallow, so they're ok. The cypress mulch is fine.

Leigti's suggestion to keep the temperature at about 80F degrees is a good one but is very hard to maintain in an open top table such as that. This is why I suggested the framework and cover. You moisten the substrate to make the necessary humidity within the enclosure.

Your little guy isn't going to eat those pellets. He MIGHT try them if you moisten them and mix them in with fresh greens and weeds.

ascott · Feb 9, 2019

WhatsTheDifference said:
Hi guys! First post here!

I have a two year old Sulcata and her previous enclosure, a 2'x4' box I built didn't survive a recent move I made... so I made a super fast purchase from Chewy and bought this rabbit house (47"x 27" or something like that)... substrate is eco earth, but overtop I have pebbles and mulch...

I posted this on a facebook group and was told I had to remove the mulch and pebbles immediately because they're an impaction risk..... but I thought cypress mulch was an ok substrate?

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!!View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484 View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484

Ughhh...get rid of the pebbles and the hamster food.....offer some actual live growing food and the pebble are a no go....impaction issue.

WhatsTheDifference · Feb 10, 2019

Thanks guys! Most of the pebbles are bigger than her head right now, but just to be safe I'll take them all out.

The top is a medium gage wire... could I just put like.. painters plastic over top?

As for the food, the pellets are Mazuri LS.... I was feeding her spring mix but was told in the facebook group it was too rich....?

Live growing food.. like growing within the enclosure? I could do that! Like what? Grass? Succulents? Etc?

I'm going to go read up on the care sheets now!

This enclosure is temporary. I'm a graduate student with a year left, I'll be buying a house soon after I graduate and will then have more disposable income to put into making her a GREAT enclosure

Yvonne G · Feb 10, 2019

Oh man. It's a wonder any of those FB people's tortoises are still alive. They don't like any of our current and correct information. You can feed the Mazuri, if he'll eat it, but it has to be moistened so it falls apart. Also, Spring Mix is ok as part of a varied diet. For my indoor tortoises I mix up some of these items:

endive, escarole, radicchio, turnip greens, mustard greens, butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce, romaine, zucchini, and whatever edible weeds are growing outside I can find.

You can drape plastic over the wire, but it won't be quite as effective as a totally enclosed habitat. But it works in a pinch. Just make sure the lights aren't contacting the plastic.

Tom · Feb 10, 2019

Hello and welcome. Here is all the correct care info in one place for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

I've seen and heard nothing but bad news coming from these FB tortoise groups. Not the place to go for good tortoise care info, apparently.

WhatsTheDifference · Feb 10, 2019

Tom said:
Hello and welcome. Here is all the correct care info in one place for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

I've seen and heard nothing but bad news coming from these FB tortoise groups. Not the place to go for good tortoise care info, apparently.

Those links were so helpful! Ok, I'm definitely making diet changes.

I do have a few follow up questions... for how long is she considered a baby? She's two years old, but still pretty small. (now I'm starting to wonder if its because I've not been giving her the best care- for which I feel terrible!!!) So, I'll still work on temporarily enclosing this set up to keep the humidity higher, and the temp more consistent...
I'll add some topsoil too, and see if I can get some grass to grow in there with her

Since she is 2, how often should I be soaking her? I've been doing it whenever she starts to look dry, other than that I've just been keeping water available for her

Maro2Bear · Feb 10, 2019

Greetings, I’ll just jump in here and say that you should be soaking more often. I soaked our Sully every day until he no longer fit in our kitchen sink - o/a 12 inches SCL or so. I’m thinking if you are waiting ‘til it “looks dry” you are not soaking often enough. By the time it looks dry, it’s way too dry.

Good luck and Happy Torting

astridthetortoise · Feb 10, 2019

Hello, Cute tortoise! Just a bit of advice, I’ve heard that no matter how friendly a dog is you should always keep it away from the tortoise JUST in case of him maybe trying to play and it ends in injury

WhatsTheDifference · Feb 10, 2019

astridthetortoise said:
Hello, Cute tortoise! Just a bit of advice, I’ve heard that no matter how friendly a dog is you should always keep it away from the tortoise JUST in case of him maybe trying to play and it ends in injury

oh absolutely. I had the side open because I was just moving her in, the dog was in a down stay until I stood up to take the picture and she got up to sniff. She was immediately chased off once the picture was snapped haha She's NEVER allowed near her unless one of them is being held, and she's never within biting distance.

Tom · Feb 10, 2019

WhatsTheDifference said:
Those links were so helpful! Ok, I'm definitely making diet changes.

I do have a few follow up questions... for how long is she considered a baby? She's two years old, but still pretty small. (now I'm starting to wonder if its because I've not been giving her the best care- for which I feel terrible!!!) So, I'll still work on temporarily enclosing this set up to keep the humidity higher, and the temp more consistent...
I'll add some topsoil too, and see if I can get some grass to grow in there with her

Since she is 2, how often should I be soaking her? I've been doing it whenever she starts to look dry, other than that I've just been keeping water available for her

I call them a baby until they are about a year old, but there is no "rule" about what to call them or when. Just personal preferences.

To grow grass you'll need special lighting and your tortoise will eat or trample it before it takes off. You can grow it in separate trays, and sink one tray at a time into your substrate. When one tray is grazed down, you can rotate in a new tray while that one recovers. I like to soak daily until they are over 100 grams. Then, I start skipping a day now and then, but I'm still soaking 6 days a week on average. As adults, once or twice a week should be enough.

Cheryl Hills · Feb 11, 2019

Have you raised this tortoise for two years? Because it sure looks a lot younger then two.

Grandpa Turtle 144 · Feb 11, 2019

ascott · Feb 12, 2019

Yvonne G said:
Oh man. It's a wonder any of those FB people's tortoises are still alive. They don't like any of our current and correct information. You can feed the Mazuri, if he'll eat it, but it has to be moistened so it falls apart. Also, Spring Mix is ok as part of a varied diet. For my indoor tortoises I mix up some of these items:

endive, escarole, radicchio, turnip greens, mustard greens, butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce, romaine, zucchini, and whatever edible weeds are growing outside I can find.

You can drape plastic over the wire, but it won't be quite as effective as a totally enclosed habitat. But it works in a pinch. Just make sure the lights aren't contacting the plastic.

Super like this Yvonne.

Tamihealey5163 · Feb 13, 2019

WhatsTheDifference said:
Hi guys! First post here!

I have a two year old Sulcata and her previous enclosure, a 2'x4' box I built didn't survive a recent move I made... so I made a super fast purchase from Chewy and bought this rabbit house (47"x 27" or something like that)... substrate is eco earth, but overtop I have pebbles and mulch...

I posted this on a facebook group and was told I had to remove the mulch and pebbles immediately because they're an impaction risk..... but I thought cypress mulch was an ok substrate?

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!!View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484 View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484

Tamihealey5163 · Feb 13, 2019

I know you're getting a lot of varied and helpful advice here for you to make your best educated decision...exactly what the forum it's designed for. I just wanted to reply about the rocks in case there is a newer member following this post. When shell babies are little they do have a tendency to get right up on those walls and flip themselves over...kinda panicky if you're at work all day and come home to that. So i did keep smaller river rocks(not tiny pebbles) in my baby enclosure and i pushed them into the corners only. My little guy couldnt get traction on that small pile of rocks to grab hold of the sides and saved me a lot of worry after a long day at work. Youre a good shell parent for gathering all the info you can!

Tamihealey5163 · Feb 13, 2019

WhatsTheDifference said:
Those links were so helpful! Ok, I'm definitely making diet changes.

I do have a few follow up questions... for how long is she considered a baby? She's two years old, but still pretty small. (now I'm starting to wonder if its because I've not been giving her the best care- for which I feel terrible!!!) So, I'll still work on temporarily enclosing this set up to keep the humidity higher, and the temp more consistent...
I'll add some topsoil too, and see if I can get some grass to grow in there with her

Since she is 2, how often should I be soaking her? I've been doing it whenever she starts to look dry, other than that I've just been keeping water available for her

2wgasa · Feb 13, 2019

Search 5m21 on forum. Most posts indicate they (the torts) "prefer" this formula. Bomber would not eat LS but eats this before he heads out of his enclosure for his initial perimeter patrol then grazing. Get mine at an almost local feed store.

DesertGirl · Feb 13, 2019

WhatsTheDifference said:
Hi guys! First post here!

I have a two year old Sulcata and her previous enclosure, a 2'x4' box I built didn't survive a recent move I made... so I made a super fast purchase from Chewy and bought this rabbit house (47"x 27" or something like that)... substrate is eco earth, but overtop I have pebbles and mulch...

I posted this on a facebook group and was told I had to remove the mulch and pebbles immediately because they're an impaction risk..... but I thought cypress mulch was an ok substrate?

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!!View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484 View attachment 264483 View attachment 264484

Welcome to the group. You’ll find everything here for a wonderful life with your little friend.

Is this enclosure ok? Or is it crap...?

New Member

Well-Known Member

Old Timer

Well-Known Member

New Member

Old Timer

The Dog Trainer

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

New Member

The Dog Trainer

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads