Can i put him outside?

[cmacusa3]

Agree with the above, switch to those saucers and make more room, change the substrate. If you can't get some pm me and I will try to help you out. Get the little guy some good sun.

 

[bmeza2]

The coco coir sucks, when he got out of his water bowl the dirt stuck to him. It is also to lose and soft. His arms sunk into the dirt and he flip over trying to get out

 

[bmeza2]

Agree with the above, switch to those saucers and make more room, change the substrate. If you can't get some pm me and I will try to help you out. Get the little guy some good sun.

Do you have a suggestion for the coco coir problem

 

[cmacusa3]

Get it damp and pack it down with your hand, I use it with all my torts and box turtles with zero issues

 

[cmacusa3]

You can also cover the coir with orchid bark or reptibark

 

[bmeza2]

Thank you, I was about to break into a pet store.

 

[Tom]

Fine grade orchid bark works the best for baby sulcatas.

Its all in those links. Just read them.

 

[cmacusa3]

Fine grade orchid bark works the best for baby sulcatas.

Its all in those links. Just read them.

@Tom this is a 2 year old that's extremely stunted got some other tips?

 

[Tom]

@Tom this is a 2 year old that's extremely stunted got some other tips?

Everything in the care sheet. This tortoise needs monsoon conditions. Hot and humid. It also needs the right diet and probably some Mazuri, daily soaks and sunshine, etc… All the stuff in the care sheet.

 

[cmacusa3]

Thank you, I was about to break into a pet store.

Read up on those care sheets, let me know if you can't find mazuri and I will ship you some.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi bmeza2, and welcome to the Forum!

I give you lots of credit for wanting to help this little tortoise. You're very wise to realize there's something wrong and to want to try to fix it.

Here's how I have my baby tortoises set up:



The big plastic tubs are way cheaper than aquariums. The tub in this picture is a Christmas Tree Storage Bin mfg'd by Iris. It's a good size for tortoises. Notice also that I'm using a plant sauce with pebbles in the bottom for the waterer. Originally it was set down lower into the substrate, but gravity and the activity of the babies has packed the substrate down, making the saucer stick up out of the substrate a bit. I'll be fixing that today.

My substrate is fine grade orchid bark. I pour a pitcher of water over it and mix it up with my hand to get it evenly moist.

Here's a nice list of edibles you can choose from, but don't get stuck in a rut and keep choosing the same thing:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard


The most important thing for you to work on right now for this baby is diet and substrate. He needs more of a variety (with calcium sprinkled on it two or three times a week) and a moist substrate.

Are you providing a UVB light? I use this one:


but only 100 watt. The baby needs UVB either from a light or from the sun, in order to make his calcium work.