Hi I am Shermies Mom. He is a Sulcuta. How long until I stop worrying about hatchling failure?

[Shermie's Mom]

I got my little guy at 2 weeks old. I don't think he had ever eaten. I think he was kept in a dry enclosure. I came across him randomly and knew enough about the Sulcuta to know we had a lot of space for him. If we move my friend will take him. She has acres of land, she lives in buckeye AZ. I hope we never move because I already just love to spend my time with him. Anyway, I brought him home and thank goodness I looked up some stuff about him on this forum. I didn't know he has so young. I asked my sister who got him from a friend when he was born and she said September 8, 2016. Wow he was so young. By then end of his third week of life I realized he needed more moisture by reading stuff on this forum. I started soaking him daily, sometimes twice a day and still do. Misting his enclosure and him several times a day also. He has a tortoise table about 4 x 4. AZ sunshine daily up to 6 to 8 hours a day. His house is on wheel. My hubby really fixed him up. Keep him between 75 and 82 at night with a flukers premium heat mat, leaving him covered outside under patio. I use a great thermometer to ck the different temps in his enclosure and he seems to have lots of temperature options. From 100+ basking to 70's in shaded areas. During the day, I roll him into the sun without removing him from his home since he is on wheels. It seems less stressful for him to not take him in and out all the time. Also, he has a great cover that allows him to still get sun but keep him safe from predators. He has a great diet of Mazuri and fresh weeds and grasses along with grape leaves and hibiscus and cactus pads. All growing in my yard. No chemicals. My only concern in the first few weeks of his life when he may not have gotten the proper care. When can I stop worrying?

 

[Shermie's Mom]

I got my little guy at 2 weeks old. I don't think he had ever eaten. I think he was kept in a dry enclosure. I came across him randomly and knew enough about the Sulcuta to know we had a lot of space for him. If we move my friend will take him. She has acres of land, she lives in buckeye AZ. I hope we never move because I already just love to spend my time with him. Anyway, I brought him home and thank goodness I looked up some stuff about him on this forum. I didn't know he has so young. I asked my sister who got him from a friend when he was born and she said September 8, 2016. Wow he was so young. By then end of his third week of life I realized he needed more moisture by reading stuff on this forum. I started soaking him daily, sometimes twice a day and still do. Misting his enclosure and him several times a day also. He has a tortoise table about 4 x 4. AZ sunshine daily up to 6 to 8 hours a day. His house is on wheel. My hubby really fixed him up. Keep him between 75 and 82 at night with a flukers premium heat mat, leaving him covered outside under patio. I use a great thermometer to ck the different temps in his enclosure and he seems to have lots of temperature options. From 100+ basking to 70's in shaded areas. During the day, I roll him into the sun without removing him from his home since he is on wheels. It seems less stressful for him to not take him in and out all the time. Also, he has a great cover that allows him to still get sun but keep him safe from predators. He has a great diet of Mazuri and fresh weeds and grasses along with grape leaves and hibiscus and cactus pads. All growing in my yard. No chemicals. My only concern in the first few weeks of his life when he may not have gotten the proper care. When can I stop worrying?

PS. He is 42 grams and 2 3/8 inches long. I just started weighing him so I don't know how much he weight he has gained. He was about 2 inches when I got him.

 

[Tom]

Outside all day is not good for them. They need to be indoors in warm humid conditions. That is what they hatch into in the wild. Think South Florida or New Orleans in summer. Not AZ. Hot weather and soupy humidity.

Spraying an open table does almost nothing, and leaving him outside all day further dries him out.

75 is too cool at night and I would not use a heat mat with a baby. Fine for larger adults living outside though.

Now that I've complained about all the stuff I would do differently, I have to say that his diet sounds perfect!

I mentioned all of the above stuff because if you are worried about him having a dry start and what damage might have been done, the way you are housing him and his outdoor routine will tend to make it worse.

Read these for more info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

To answer your initial question: Generally I stop worrying once I see steady growth and they top 100 grams. Housed outdoors for hours a day will slow their growth tremendously. By as much as three times in my experiments with it.

What does your little guy weigh now at almost 8 weeks old?

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !

 

[Shermie's Mom]

Outside all day is not good for them. They need to be indoors in warm humid conditions. That is what they hatch into in the wild. Think South Florida or New Orleans in summer. Not AZ. Hot weather and soupy humidity.

Spraying an open table does almost nothing, and leaving him outside all day further dries him out.

75 is too cool at night and I would not use a heat mat with a baby. Fine for larger adults living outside though.

Now that I've complained about all the stuff I would do differently, I have to say that his diet sounds perfect!

I mentioned all of the above stuff because if you are worried about him having a dry start and what damage might have been done, the way you are housing him and his outdoor routine will tend to make it worse.

Read these for more info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

To answer your initial question: Generally I stop worrying once I see steady growth and they top 100 grams. Housed outdoors for hours a day will slow their growth tremendously. By as much as three times in my experiments with it.

What does your little guy weigh now at almost 8 weeks old?

He weighs 42 grams and is 2 3/8 inches. I did not weigh him when I got him. He was about 2 inches long when I got him. His shell seems to look better. It was very light and now it has color. His shell looks taller if that makes sense. He is very active. He does have a humid hide. Box lined with saran wrap to sweat and plastic container that I keep moist with moss inside and mist. The humidity is about 40%

 

[Shermie's Mom]

Hi and welcome !

Hi, Speedy!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

The low last night was 52 to cold for your tort .

 

[Shermie's Mom]

He weighs 42 grams and is 2 3/8 inches. I did not weigh him when I got him. He was about 2 inches long when I got him. His shell seems to look better. It was very light and now it has color. His shell looks taller if that makes sense. He is very active. He does have a humid hide. Box lined with saran wrap to sweat and plastic container that I keep moist with moss inside and mist. The humidity is about 40%

Also he does sleep in the humid hide at night. He likes it dark in the hide. The humidity actually goes up at night. I am not sure why. I usually soak him one last time before he goes to sleep. He automatically goes into his hide around 3 30 or 4 pm. I think the people who my sister got him from had him in a rabbit cage with hay in bottom and they were offering them potatoes to eat. I saw a picture. Sad.

 

[Shermie's Mom]

Hi
View attachment 191128
The low last night was 52 to cold for your tort .

It is 75 to 82 degrees in his enclosure

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Shermie's Mom]

Hi
View attachment 191128
The low last night was 52 to cold for your tort .

Welcome to the Forum!

Hi Yvonne G. I am so glad to have you all to glean info from.

 

[Shermie's Mom]

I will include more pics of him and his enclosure once I get them downloaded. He is very active and loves to walk in the rye grass that we just planted. We don't use chemicals except a few times a year on our orange trees. How long after we fertilize them should I keep him off the grass?

 

[Shermie's Mom]

Hi
View attachment 191128
The low last night was 52 to cold for your tort .

Hi

 

[Shermie's Mom]

So right now, Shermie just went into his humid hide for the night. Soaked him for 15 min. he heads right into his hide once he gets his soak, he is so smart he knows the routine, It is 83 degrees right now in the hide. I can keep it at about 80 if you all think the 70's are too cold for him. The humidity is rising as we speak. Probably max out at about 42 to 45% for the night.

 

[Shermie's Mom]

He weighs 42 grams and is 2 3/8 inches. I did not weigh him when I got him. He was about 2 inches long when I got him. His shell seems to look better. It was very light and now it has color. His shell looks taller if that makes sense. He is very active. He does have a humid hide. Box lined with saran wrap to sweat and plastic container that I keep moist with moss inside and mist. The humidity is about 40%

So right now, Shermie just went into his humid hide for the night. Soaked him for 15 min. he heads right into his hide once he gets his soak, he is so smart he knows the routine, It is 83 degrees right now in the hide. I can keep it at about 80 if you all think the 70's are too cold for him. The humidity is rising as we speak. Probably max out at about 42 to 45% for the night.
Slow growth is good right? I will likely have to bring him in soon. It will be too cold out side for him and I won't be able to control the temperature as easily. Right now it is still easy to keep the temps good. I can increase the humidity with a few others ideas also. I was trying not to use an aquarium but I will if necessary.

 

[Tom]

I will include more pics of him and his enclosure once I get them downloaded. He is very active and loves to walk in the rye grass that we just planted. We don't use chemicals except a few times a year on our orange trees. How long after we fertilize them should I keep him off the grass?

As long as the tortoise doesn't have access to the actually fertilizer, he should be fine. Once the fertilizer is absorbed into the ground he should be able to walk there.

This is assuming you are using just a fertilizer and not a "weed n feed" or other toxic chemicals.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I have family in Buckeye!

Welcome to TFO

 

[Shermie's Mom]

I have family in Buckeye!

Welcome to TFO

Hi I am happy to have a young Sulcuta Tort. and all of you to help me!

 

[Shermie's Mom]

As long as the tortoise doesn't have access to the actually fertilizer, he should be fine. Once the fertilizer is absorbed into the ground he should be able to walk there.

This is assuming you are using just a fertilizer and not a "weed n feed" or other toxic chemicals.

Yes only citrus food for the trees a few times a year. No more chemicals. We have been weaning off of them for a few years now.
I want him to be able to graze and walk in the grass. We wont be fertilizing for a while now. Probably not until next year sometime.

 

[Tom]

He weighs 42 grams and is 2 3/8 inches. I did not weigh him when I got him. He was about 2 inches long when I got him. His shell seems to look better. It was very light and now it has color. His shell looks taller if that makes sense. He is very active. He does have a humid hide. Box lined with saran wrap to sweat and plastic container that I keep moist with moss inside and mist. The humidity is about 40%

Some observations that might help:
-42 grams is on the small side for 8 weeks but it does indicate that there has been at least some growth. Most babies hatch at around 30-35 grams. That is very slow growth, but in dry conditions and outside all day, not unexpected. Mine are usually getting close to 100 grams by 8 weeks in monsoon conditions with daily soaks and a grassy, weedy diet.

-75 is too cool for babies of this species in my experience. No lower than 80, day or night.

-Your humidity is way too low. Its not good for this species. They need monsoon conditions. Hot and wet. Very humid. This is what they hatch into in the wild and that is what they thrive in.

All of this and more is explained in those threads I linked above.