Hi I'm new to this site and have some questions.

[HollyH8]

I just adopted the two cutest Sulcata tortoises yesterday. They are only about two inches long and are so small. I am a new time tortoise owner and have a few questions on their care. I live in Arizona so the weather is mostly a dry heat. I have them in an aquarium right now with a UVB light and for substrate I bought the reptile carpet because it's easy to clean. I have two container lids that I'm using for food and water. I've been feeding them fresh greens like romaine and spinach but I recently found out that those are only good in small quantities if so where do you get grass for them to eat? Also what cage decor would be good for them..do they make tortoise toys? Is it ok to handle them everyday? Thanks for your time and answers!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi HollyH8:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Is your name Holly?

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum... The link below is a great place to start...

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1ay7Pn5vt

 

[Redstrike]

Welcome to the forum! I'll repeat what many others have said, Tom has some really good information on raising Sulcata hatchlings posted on the forum, poke around a bit and learn as much as you can.

 

[AnthonyC]

Welcome to the forum! I agree with everyone above.

 

[HollyH8]

Thanks Everyone! I'll check out the link. And yes my name is Holly

 

[reneereichert]

Welcome, Welcome!

 

[jackrat]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Tom]

I just adopted the two cutest Sulcata tortoises yesterday. They are only about two inches long and are so small. I am a new time tortoise owner and have a few questions on their care. I live in Arizona so the weather is mostly a dry heat. I have them in an aquarium right now with a UVB light and for substrate I bought the reptile carpet because it's easy to clean. I have two container lids that I'm using for food and water. I've been feeding them fresh greens like romaine and spinach but I recently found out that those are only good in small quantities if so where do you get grass for them to eat? Also what cage decor would be good for them..do they make tortoise toys? Is it ok to handle them everyday? Thanks for your time and answers!

Hello and welcome. Ooh. Lots of questions.
1. Your UV bulb isn't one of those compact florescent coil bulbs is it? If yes, then go turn it off right away. They can damage tortoise eyes.
2. You need some real substrate. It will be hard to provide the conditions that babies require with carpet. See the care sheet for options and cautions.
3. Food dish sounds great. I like terra cotta plant saucers for water. Bury a small one flush with the substrate... which brings up another point. Pet stores are just about useless for tortoise supplies and advice. I will admit that there are rare exceptions. I do most of my tortoise supply shopping in hardware stores. Its cheaper, and the stuff is much more suitable.
4. The best food is safe weeds and grass that they graze naturally. Store bought foods are okay too. I buy spring mix at Costco and Santa Barabara mix at Smart and Final. A wide variety of leafy greens is best.
5. For decor, the basics are food and water bowl, basking slate and a humid hide box. Outside of that, the sky is the limit. Make it as pretty and fancy as you like.
6. Yes, you can handle sulcatas every day. They are pretty tough little animals and not generally sensitive to handling.

Good luck! Ask all the questions you want. We love to help.

 

[blafiriravt]

Hey there. Welcome to the forum Gratz on the little sullies!

 

[pdrobber]

welcome

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You can get Spring Mix in the produce section at the grocery store, then add some more greens like your Romaine and spinach, collards, endive, escarole, radicchio, stuff like that. Then I cut some grass and weeds and sprinkle that over the Spring Mix when I feed. I cut it all up small for tiny mouths but some people don't. I feed twice a day, morning and night.
Get cypress mulch for substrate so you can dampen it and create the 80% humidity they need. Tom already warned you about the spiral bulbs, so I will warn you about using slate under a basking light. You have to be careful that a baby doesn't get burned. I have a 3 yr old who just got burned feet on slate that got too hot. You'll need to soak them every day. just put warm water up to the bridge, that's where top shell meets bottom shell. Give'em a 10 minute soak. You could drop some bird vitamins into the soaking water, I do every day. Guess that's about it. Keep asking questions, we don't mind answering and it helps your babies when we do...welcome

 

[jbean7916]

I use spring mix as well and also add in other greens from the produce section. My sully doesn't like mustard greens at all though I don't cut up or even tear it into smaller pieces, He likes to take bites out of the whole leaf and I found he eats more when he does. I have a planted home for KP, He's on organic soil and his whole space is planted with grasses and plants he can eat. He's only a teeny tiny thing right now so I don't worry about him trampling everything.