Tom
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  • Tom - I need some of your wisdom please sir... when it comes to night time temp for a baby salcuta what do you recommend?
    Tom
    Tom
    I don't let my sulcata babies drop below 80 at night.
    Hi Tom,

    Sent you a separate message in a "conversation". Had a couple questions...thanks for your wisdom!

    Matt
    Also another question... Sorry. What is the right temp and humidity in a terrarium? I saw so many different things. A lot saying 45-55% for humidity, 70- 80 temp. Not only that but.... They say don't soak. It isn't natural. I'm not trying to come off being mean. Just curios. They say as close to "normal habitat" as possible. Do you agree?
    I found you Tom! I hope your the rite Tom lol. I have 2 tortoises. Ones a hatchling Sulucta. For some reason can't upload the pic! The other I guess is Russian from what the other friends told me. Help me learn this stuff! I'm on a phone so this site is hard to navigate for me.
    Tom
    Tom
    Was I lost?
    Tom I know this area limits response but I want your opinion above all. I think I messed up & sealed my chamber with mold resistant silicone caulk. I let it cure 7 days and there is no smell. Am I killing my hatchlings? They seem fine. I'm scared. I'm wondering if people are just extrapolating from aquarium use and saying not to use it in terrarium set ups. Please help.
    Hi Tom, You seem to be quite the expert so I thought I would ask for some advise. My little one I very recently adopted has sever MBD and I'm doing several things with my vet to try to help the issue, but a new problem I've run up on is that he is not eating very much. At all. I'm offering a variety of grasses, collard greens, mazuri tortoise diet, clover, and He just doesn't seem interested. Suggestions?
    Tom
    Tom
    What age and size? Temps?

    You should take this to a "Conversation" so we aren't limited on answer size. Or take it to a the sulcata forum and start a thread for everyone's input.
    Hi Tom,
    You were pointed out as someone who may have experience with transporting large sulcata tortoise. I need to get my form CA to SC can you point me in the right direction? Thanks Sarah
    Tom
    Tom
    How big?
    Hi Tom I'm some what a new tortoise owner and I wasn't sure if I've been feeding my baby sulcata tortoise the right foods and if his shell is growing properly.. When I first got him I fed him romaine lettuce then fed him kale but then I read somewhere that he should only be fed a very little amount of kale. Now I've been feeding him spring mix and dandelion greens. Please help, thank you!
    Tom
    Tom
    Please check out the threads at the top of the sulcata section. Your diet needs a lot more variety and more high fiber food like weeds and leaves.
    Chloepinedaaa
    Chloepinedaaa
    Okay thank you so much :)
    Chloepinedaaa
    Chloepinedaaa
    Okay thank you so much! :)
    I really believe that tortoises are like humans in that they have different personalities.Some are shy & reticent, others more gregarious& like to have their heads scratched. I know a way to produce an excitement response in many, shall I tell you what it is ?
    Perhaps its just the way of orientals , that are used to living in extended families.Like many humans.I believe my chaps originated in the Syrian desert.
    Ha Ha Ha, they have all lived happily together for 20 years , I started with 4 babies & now have 7 adult females , 4 adult males. , 4 youngsters & last week 11 babies have hatched & are eating lettuces till they are stuffed . BTW I live in a very hot climate , Middle east ,lol
    An aggressive male desert tortoise, of mine was harassing a larger male relentlessly today. A younger one not yet sure of gender, took offence & bit the aggressor on the hind legs. Tortoises display empathy ??
    Tom
    Tom
    No. They don't display empathy. Tortoises are solitary creatures and are very territorial. Some species are worse than others and DT males are usually very territorial. All your tortoises need to be separated to live in their own enclosures. This will only get worse and the stress is not good for any of them. Even without outright injury, it is not good for them to live this way.
    Hey Tom! I finally figured out how to get back on the forum but not sure if this is the spot you wanted me to message you. Just trying to get some outdoor enclosure ideas with cover so the birds dont take my little guy. Thanks again!
    Tom, Sorry for asking in the wrong spot. I'm still learning how to use this forum. I have read your care sheet and should have read it again before I asked you a question. There is so much info and I'm new to this. Again sorry. I do have a question for more clarification and will ask it on the care sheet thread. I hope that is the right place to ask it.
    Tom
    Tom
    No need to be sorry. This area is part of the new forum format and it only lets you type a short response. I want to be able to FUlly answer all your questions without having to worry about how many words I'm using.
    Thanks Tom, I'll keep doing that. How long do they need to be in a humid closed chamber? . They hatched out this spring so they are very young. Also when you take your hatchlings outside for sun do you provide them with shade. I was thinking that if they are out for the purpose of UV then if they just sat in the shade it would be pointless. Obviously I wouldn't let them overheat.
    Tom
    Tom
    There is not enough room to answer all this here. Ask again in a regular thread on the forum.

    All of this info is in the care sheet, and yes they MUST have shade available when they are outside with access to sunshine. Its not pointless because they still get refracted UV even in the shade.
    Tom, Have finished my closed chamber with humid hides. My hatchling does not go in the humid hide at night. Should I go and place him in the hide every night? I have been doing this but didn't know if I should just give him time to do it on his own. Thanks for all your help
    Tom
    Tom
    My russian babies all ran straight into any hole in the ground they can find. My sulcata babies all avoid any kind of hole in the ground. It seems that they wish to avoid whatever made the hole in the first place. I always put mine in their hides just before I go to bed. In time they realize that it is THEIR hole in the ground and then they hardly come out of it. Sometimes this takes a month or two.
    Hi Tom, This might be a stupid question but as far as food goes exactly how much food corresponds with age of a sulcata? I've read all your posts but can you maybe give an idea what a week "menu" for your baby sulcatas (~1 year old) might be? A specific example of how to mix the foods sulcatas should be eating?
    Hi Tom, I was wondering how to keep the humidity at 80% in a closed enclosure and hide box. Sadly, my little guy was brought up dry and has some tough pyramiding that I want to stop for the rest of his long life. I have read all your threads also, but none specifically say how to increase humidity. Thank you for the help you give all of us!
    Tom
    Tom
    Humidity is a function adding moisture and reducing ventilation until ambient humidity is where you want it.
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