- Joined
- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 29
I had enough scrap wood and chicken wire in my garage to put together a Zoo Med style tortoise table for my very first Sulcata (hatchling). The main difference in my own design is I didn't build in a floor piece. I left the bottom open so I could use the existing grass in my lawn as the surface.
A few questions:
1. Is it okay to use the existing St. Augustine grass in my yard as the "substrate" for my enclosure, or do they need something flatter when they are still hatchlings? (Grass is fertilizer and pesticide free because my daughter plays in the yard)
2. I live in Houston, Texas, where summers are hot & humid. Can I leave the Sulcata out all day if the temps go up into the 90's or 100's? The covered side measures 20 degrees cooler, but there isn't much of a temperature range in the hotter uncovered side.
3. My Sulcata seems to pick out red-leaf and romaine lettuce from the large variety of food I offer. My worry is that when I cut back on those lettuces, she seems to not eat at all. Even if I mince the lettuce and mix with Mazuri, she'll very carefully pick out the lettuce pieces. If I mix it up so much that they can't pick out the lettuce, she won't eat at all. In your experience, will she eventually eat other stuff if she's hungry enough? Is it okay to risk calorie loss in such a small tortoise as I try to transition her to accepting new foods?
4. I purchased the Sulcata at a local reptile show from a breeder who kept all his hatchlings in a dry environment on rabbit pellets. Based on what I've read from Tom, my hatchling might be at a disadvantage health-wise because of this "wrong" environment early on? The reason I'm concerned is that the tortoise was 41 grams the day I purchased her (at 1 month of age), and in the past month she has only gained a gram or two. From what I have read, she should be putting on more than one gram per month!
Anyways, sorry for my lengthy questions.. I just want to make sure I'm doing things right!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.26.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.17.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.12.jpg
A few questions:
1. Is it okay to use the existing St. Augustine grass in my yard as the "substrate" for my enclosure, or do they need something flatter when they are still hatchlings? (Grass is fertilizer and pesticide free because my daughter plays in the yard)
2. I live in Houston, Texas, where summers are hot & humid. Can I leave the Sulcata out all day if the temps go up into the 90's or 100's? The covered side measures 20 degrees cooler, but there isn't much of a temperature range in the hotter uncovered side.
3. My Sulcata seems to pick out red-leaf and romaine lettuce from the large variety of food I offer. My worry is that when I cut back on those lettuces, she seems to not eat at all. Even if I mince the lettuce and mix with Mazuri, she'll very carefully pick out the lettuce pieces. If I mix it up so much that they can't pick out the lettuce, she won't eat at all. In your experience, will she eventually eat other stuff if she's hungry enough? Is it okay to risk calorie loss in such a small tortoise as I try to transition her to accepting new foods?
4. I purchased the Sulcata at a local reptile show from a breeder who kept all his hatchlings in a dry environment on rabbit pellets. Based on what I've read from Tom, my hatchling might be at a disadvantage health-wise because of this "wrong" environment early on? The reason I'm concerned is that the tortoise was 41 grams the day I purchased her (at 1 month of age), and in the past month she has only gained a gram or two. From what I have read, she should be putting on more than one gram per month!
Anyways, sorry for my lengthy questions.. I just want to make sure I'm doing things right!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.26.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.17.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6739062/2013-04-15 11.27.12.jpg