Hello :) Newbie with 2 Desert Tortoises

[HelenP]

Hello I have acquired to baby Desert Tortoises, Got them on Friday, though learning a lot quickly there is a lot of conflicting advise..I am keeping them indoors for now, At the moment I have them in a glass tank, though am hearing not to, I have taped the bottom up, to stop them tryin to climb through the glass, I am in the high desert in Southern Cali so plenty sunshine for them to go out and bask in for a while. I also have them on a coconut husk, thats kept slightly damp, Any info is greatly appreciated, regarding diet, lighting heating etc

 

[Jacqui]

*waves* Hello! How did you happen to decide to get a couple of DT? You will find almost every thing to do with toroises has more then one way to do it and do it right. You just need to read, try what sounds right and workable for you, your tortoises, and your situation. No one size will fit all. So tweak or even completely change anything that doesnt end up "fitting". I personally am a big fan of large "aquariums" for small hatchlings because you can observe them easier and hold himidity in better. They do have a few bad points too, including that some animals have issues with the glass which you have already read about.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Helen, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Helen welcome to the TFO
You will love your DT just as I love
Mine

 

[luvpetz27]

Welcome!!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Your set up sounds good so far. Here is what else I like to do with DTs:
1. Put a regular low wattage incandescent flood bulb over one end of the tank and raise or lower the ceramic based fixture to get a basking temp on a flat rock underneath it of about 100 degrees. The temp will drop across the tank and the far end will be near room temp. They don't need any night heat indoors.
2. Use a terra cotta saucer for water and food bowls and sink them down into the substrate to make it easier for you torts to get in and out.
3. Make a humid hide. I usually just just some sort of opaque plastic tub, flip it upside down and make a door hole. Keep the coir underneath this hide more damp then the rest.
4. If you hand pack the coir, it makes it much less messy.
5. I would recommend making two separate habitats. Pairs are usually problematic and one of them will suffer for it. They will each be much happier as the sole king of their own castle. They don't need or want companions.
6. Here is a diet sheet I made for sulcatas, but most of the same stuff applies. DTs don't need the emphasis on grass is all.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

 

[HelenP]

Helloooooo and thank you so much for the warm welcome

Jacqui, I have friends who have Desert Tortoise's, they where out in their yard and saw movement by their shed, and out came the babies, they found 4, but we still look for others. That's how I got my little ones
I don't like not being prepared or ready for anything, or having at least a basic knowledge, so I have been cramming the last few days, made changes already and learning a lot!

Tom thank you, I think I read something from you yesterday, about Humidity etc lol I had no idea, The humid hide is excellent !!
I will separate them probably within the next few weeks, so I can get both set ups working well. We are able to put them outside for a short while a few times a day, though I have no forage outside at all, I am all desert landscape, stones and sand lol. I will probably get some seeds and grow a small patch for them.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Helen:

You can keep them together for a bit. Baby desert tortoises do better in pairs. Its the 'competition for the food' thing. Who knows...you may be able to keep them together their whole lives. They will let you know when its time to separate them.

 

[Tom]

I left out a couple of things:

I like to sun hatchlings daily for an hour or two, but make sure they have a cool shady retreat so they don't overheat. Use a thermometer with a remote probe to be sure temps are safe. Then I like to soak them on the way back in for 20-30 minutes, since we live in such a dry area and they are so little. As they gain size, I leave them out longer and longer, until I finally leave them outside all day every day once they are 4-6" and have a suitable outside enclosure.

If you can get a third little baby, they tend to get along better. Pairs are just too personal in my experience, but trios generally work out okay, at least until they start reaching adolescence. Then sometimes all hell breaks loose, but thats a few years away.

 

[HelenP]

Hi Helen:

You can keep them together for a bit. Baby desert tortoises do better in pairs. Its the 'competition for the food' thing. Who knows...you may be able to keep them together their whole lives. They will let you know when its time to separate them.

Thank you, Would make life a little easier for now, they do seem to like to huddle together, I assumed that was because they liked company lol

 

[HelenP]

I left out a couple of things:

I like to sun hatchlings daily for an hour or two, but make sure they have a cool shady retreat so they don't overheat. Use a thermometer with a remote probe to be sure temps are safe. Then I like to soak them on the way back in for 20-30 minutes, since we live in such a dry area and they are so little. As they gain size, I leave them out longer and longer, until I finally leave them outside all day every day once they are 4-6" and have a suitable outside enclosure.

If you can get a third little baby, they tend to get along better. Pairs are just too personal in my experience, but trios generally work out okay, at least until they start reaching adolescence. Then sometimes all hell breaks loose, but thats a few years away.

Yes I have been suning them on the patio, covered with half sun half shade, the soak I will do today, we seem to be in the same climate of California lol I have weeds in my back yard not many, but no idea what they are, I will try to find out, kind of like a purple clover, lol I wont feed them anything till I know, would be nice to let a bit of weed growth for them lol..They do get grass, I grab some when I go to where they came from.
Thank you so much, you help is really appreciated

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Welcome HelenP! Congrats on your little treasures. They are so awesome, the desert tortoise. Tom has already started you off with some great advise. You will love all the info on this forum to help you be a fab keeper/host. Read-read-read and ask for what you need! Let us know what you eventually name the babies and don't forget that everyone loves to see pictures when you can. : )

 

[HelenP]

Thank you, and yes lots of reading going on!! They don't have names yet, can't make my mind up lol.

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[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Sooooo darn cute. Love them! : )

 

[thatrebecca]

Welcome! They're darling. I have a pair of juvenile DT siblings (ages 3 and 5) and I love to see new DT keepers on the forum. There's lots of great info to be found on here.

I just separated my pair this week after subtle signs of bullying started to show. You may be fine for quite some time with them housed together. But it's always good to be prepared to separate them if you need to. In our case the behavior change was quite quick -- in a matter of weeks things went from chummy to not chummy.

 

[HelenP]

Welcome! They're darling. I have a pair of juvenile DT siblings (ages 3 and 5) and I love to see new DT keepers on the forum. There's lots of great info to be found on here

I just separated my pair this week after subtle signs of bullying started to show. You may be fine for quite some time with them housed together. But it's always good to be prepared to separate them if you need to. In our case the behavior change was quite quick -- in a matter of weeks things went from chummy to not chummy.

Thank you yes I am learning a lot and fast, I am already changin things round, I am one of these that like to learn and try to get it right and keep them happy I think I need new heat lamps for them, the one I have doesn't seem to get up to heat

 

[Yvonne G]

I like the Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) because it provides heat and UVB all in one fixture.

Be sure to moisten your substrate. Your little ones look pretty dry in the picture.

 

[HelenP]

Yes I am spraying them through the day, and try to keep the substrate sprayed to.I will spray more often..I need to set up a area more wetter then the rest like Tom spoke off, and thank you for the advice always great fully received.

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[shayzeeeee]

Hi and welcome! I have two 3 1/2 month old desert tortoises and I named them koopa troopa and sage.