Advice on Enclosure

Hi all!
New Sulcata Owner here.
Have done hours of research and would like advice/opinions on my Tort Table.

Use a plastic food box 12x6x6 with lip. Or bigger. Close up cut a hold allow baby access. Place some moss inside and change once a week. Allow baby sleep in a dark high humidity environment up to 16 hours per day. You baby would grow 2x faster with no pyramid issue. Humidity is the key. I will suggest you have your baby access nature sunlight few times a week, each time no more then 30 minutes, don’t bask them in direct sun light, all they need is fair amount of UV.

You have too many lamp but the dark hiding spot won’t keep the correct temperature and humidity. 80/80 rule still works for me.

I personally do not basking my baby tortoise under and type of heat lamp. But it’s your choice.

Welcome to the forum! While your enclosure is very cute, there’s a lot that needs to be changed.

-your enclosure needs to be completely enclosed with no open top to hold the humidity this tortoise needs (80-100%). You either need to create a tent over the enclosure, keep them in a different, new enclosure, or find another way to limit ventilation as much as possible. Open tables should not be used for hatchlings of this species for these reasons.

-lamps should be hanging straight down, and not clamped from the side. It’s a large fire hazard, and makes it very hard to properly measure temps.

-tortoises should not be kept in pairs, and yours need to be separated. Sulcatas are solitary, territorial animals that want nothing to do with each other, and being together is greatly stressful. Unless you have a group of 3 or more, they both need their own, separate enclosures.

-analog thermometers and hygrometers are very inaccurate. You should be using digital ones, or a temp gun for a thermometer.

-I would recommend changing your food and water bowls to a terra cotta saucer. They’re much less likely to flip on them, and easier to use because of their sloped sides.

Be sure to give these a read and come back with questions

How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

Hi, and welcome!

Can an open table setup be used for older torts? How long do they need the enclosed habitat?

NateNickerson said:

Can an open table setup be used for older torts? How long do they need the enclosed habitat?

Click to expand...

You fully understand the size a sulcata will get, correct?

NateNickerson said:

Can an open table setup be used for older torts? How long do they need the enclosed habitat?

Click to expand...

Keep them in a closed setup till u cant provide it anymore if they grow too big for it and then build a humid night box outside.

I use a plastic greenhouse at the moment they come in various sizes and are pretty cheap. For the floor I used a water tight gardentable cover (same size as the greenhouse) and covered it with stone plates so my sully cant puncture it if he burrows.
On top of the stone plates I put fine grade orchid bark.
(If u want to use stones like I did in the last picture make sure no stone not a single one is small enough to be swallowed cause this could lead to impaction)

Also note I don't use the spot anymore I changed to normal light bulbs 60w.
Spotlights produce too much heat on a to small place.

Just tryna give u some ideas [emoji1]

Cowboy_Ken said:

You fully understand the size a sulcata will get, correct? View attachment 275293

Click to expand...

Talk about an open table! : )