Hello from Texas! (DFW Area)

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ra94131

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Hello from Texas. I've been lurking for a while, but since I'm new to keeping a tortoise (a Sulcata hatchling) I know I'll have some questions. I've historically been more interested in lizards/snakes, so I'm excited to learn about a very different part of the reptile family.

My hatchling (born in July and acquired last weekend) is currently living in a mid-sized plastic storage container and following a number of the widely accepted practices on this forum. (75F-90F w/ basking around 105F, high humidity on coco coir, a humid hide, etc.) I've always been a believer that if you witness your animal naturally using all parts of your enclosure you're on the right track, so I feel good at the moment. He spends so much time (including all night) in the humid hide it amazes me to hear that this is apparently a new practice.

I'm hoping to build a table on the back porch for long-term use, until he's large enough that I feel comfortable giving him free rein in the backyard. Expect some questions to be popping up in the Enclosures forum in the near future, although some of the past posts there have already served as inspiration.

I tend to avoid posting, but I'll probably pop in from time to time with a question. Hopefully in the near future I'll have the knowledge to confidently answer a few.

And here's a couple pictures of my little guys:

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ra94131

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tortadise said:
Welcome from DFW area as well. Did you get that little bugger at NARBC show?

Yep. Had a great time at the show. A friend of mine was getting a tortoise so I had done a lot of research already. When my wife loved his new hatchling and decided she wanted one as well, who was I to say no? We have a great backyard and no intention of getting any dogs/cats, so a larger outdoor tortoise is a great fit.

Now if only I can stop obsessing over his living arrangements. (I know they're great, but I'm a bit anal retentive when it comes to my reptiles.)
 

tortadise

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Cool. I supplied my buddy with some babies I produced that he sold at that show. the first table on the right as you walk in. Just seeing if maybe thats one of my offspring. How cool would that be. If so I could give you an exact hatch date. Its pretty simple for these guys. Keep them warm, humid, and soak them alot.
 

ra94131

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tortadise said:
Cool. I supplied my buddy with some babies I produced that he sold at that show. the first table on the right as you walk in. Just seeing if maybe thats one of my offspring. How cool would that be. If so I could give you an exact hatch date. Its pretty simple for these guys. Keep them warm, humid, and soak them alot.

We got it from a guy towards the back, but I can't remember the name. (I have his contact info at the house.) He had a couple older ones that were mildly pyramided but looked otherwise very healthy. And his hatchlings were on damp substrate with a spray bottle nearby, so I took those as good signs. So far the little guy is eating (and pooping) like a champ.

I do remember seeing your little guys. They looked great, too. In fact I would have probably bought one except my wife was already attached to the ones at the back of the room, where my friend got his.

Small world.
 

tortadise

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Yeah I remember that table. Was kinda disapointed with the tortoise selection. Too many ball pythons. Small world indeed.
 

ra94131

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tortadise said:
Cool. I supplied my buddy with some babies I produced that he sold at that show. the first table on the right as you walk in. Just seeing if maybe thats one of my offspring. How cool would that be. If so I could give you an exact hatch date. Its pretty simple for these guys. Keep them warm, humid, and soak them alot.

Yeah, the number of Ball Pythons at the shows is a little depressing... actually the quantity of many of the reptiles at the shows is depressing. There is now way they all get a good home (or even a decent one). While wildly unrealistic and logistically impractical, sometimes I wish people wouldn't breed animals unless they knew they had a long-term home. (Conservation-type projects obviously being the exception.)
 

ra94131

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Just a few new pictures of both of the little guys. They're both growing like weeds. Ivan growing too fast... it feels like I've been going up a size in rats every month. Rasputin'll be living outside full-time before I know it.

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mainey34

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Hello and welcome...Ivan is simply gorgeous.... and Rasputin is a cutie. Wait, they have such personalities. Sulcatas are so much fun. Below my signature are some threads for further reading on care for your new sulcata.
 
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