Hi!

[hoopytortoise]

Hi everyone! My husband had told me he wanted a tortoise for years. I always brushed him off because I am a bird person. I have a cockatiel and budgies. Recently, my step mom (who always had water turtles) purchased a tortoise. My kids and I fell in love. I got online and began to do the research. I discovered that although we didn't live in the ideal climate we still had the space for one of the larger species. So, we purchased a sulcata hatchling.
From here on out I will be browsing the forums to learn how to make my large back yard 100% safe. I'd like to allow him or her to roam free (once grown)during the summer. During the winter we have decided to build a habitat in our garage which is already fully heated. We will be adding both Uva and uvb lamps regardless. In the mean time we build a 40"x20" habitat in our living room to raise our hatchling. I also have a small table with lid that I can take our new baby outside with us while kids play and do yard work. Get some natural straight from sun light as long as the weather permits.

About my family, I am married to an amazing man and have 3 boys. We are a happy family of 5. My furbabies consist of 1 .. 11 year old dog, 1 cockatiel, and 5 amazing budgies. And 1 sulcata hatchling.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and all your family and pets.
Have you read http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/ yet ?
Good advice there.
And if you haven't seen them http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-end-of-pyramiding.15137/
are also very helpful threads.
Enjoy your new baby and The Forum, too!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome.
A lot of us here also have quite a zoo at home.

 

[BrianWI]

I have a new sulcata hatchling as well named Nadine. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. I have an enclosed set up that is working very well for me. I got some deals on some used stuff, plus bought other items new. Ended up pretty affordable and working well. Of course, that will last a year or so when she outgrows it! She has doubled in size in less than two months time.

I'd love to hear about your set-up and would be happy to tell you what works for me as well. I look forward to seeing updates on your new baby!

 

[Gillian M]

Hi everyone! My husband had told me he wanted a tortoise for years. I always brushed him off because I am a bird person. I have a cockatiel and budgies. Recently, my step mom (who always had water turtles) purchased a tortoise. My kids and I fell in love. I got online and began to do the research. I discovered that although we didn't live in the ideal climate we still had the space for one of the larger species. So, we purchased a sulcata hatchling.
From here on out I will be browsing the forums to learn how to make my large back yard 100% safe. I'd like to allow him or her to roam free (once grown)during the summer. During the winter we have decided to build a habitat in our garage which is already fully heated. We will be adding both Uva and uvb lamps regardless. In the mean time we build a 40"x20" habitat in our living room to raise our hatchling. I also have a small table with lid that I can take our new baby outside with us while kids play and do yard work. Get some natural straight from sun light as long as the weather permits.

About my family, I am married to an amazing man and have 3 boys. We are a happy family of 5. My furbabies consist of 1 .. 11 year old dog, 1 cockatiel, and 5 amazing budgies. And 1 sulcata hatchling.

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please post pics of your tort and his/her enclosure, and give your tort daily soaks in warm water.

 

[hoopytortoise]

Thank you! My tort arrives tomorrow. I will be sure to post pictures. This is what I have set up right now. I'm adding a heating stone and having my husband make a better lid... right now the temp under the light is 98 and the side with out the light is staying steady between 80 and 82 degrees. I'm hoping a heat stone and a better lid will help maintain heat and humidity through the night when lights are off.

 

[hoopytortoise]

Another pic

 

[hoopytortoise]

The substrate is organic soil. I out it in slightly moist... I also covered top completely with Towel and it seems to be nice and humid in there right now.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

do you have a thermometer and hygrometer ? those are necessary in keeping up with the temp and humidity in the enclosure. you can usually find a pretty cheap one at home depot.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

OH ! & welcome to the forum

 

[hoopytortoise]

Okay? I was just told no heating stone. So I canceled thst order.

 

[hoopytortoise]

do you have a thermometer and hygrometer ? those are necessary in keeping up with the temp and humidity in the enclosure. you can usually find a pretty cheap one at home depot.

I have 2 thermometers... I need a hydrometer. I put the substrate in slightly moist hoping with heat it will build humidity. I have since covered it and it feels very humid in there as the day goes on. I will order a hydrometer asap. And thank you i am trying to do this right.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Keep the substrate moist.
Poor in water and mix it by hand.
Should be warm and moist, not cold and wet.
A hydrometer measures the density of liquids. You need a hygrometer.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome ! You can get something like this , that gives a digital temp and humidity display . I think about 10 dollars at walmart !

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

a closed enclosure (what youre aiming to build at the moment) is great at keeping the temps and humidity up

 

[hoopytortoise]

I have 2 thermometers... I need a hydrometer. I put the substrate in slightly moist hoping with heat it will build humidity. I have since covered it and it feels very humid in there as the day goes on. I will order a hydrometer asap. And thank you i am trying to do this right.

Hi and welcome ! You can get something like this , that gives a digital temp and humidity display . I think about 10 dollars at walmart !

Fantastic thank you !! I will go tonight to get one!

 

[Speedy-1]

Fantastic thank you !! I will go tonight to get one!

It worked great for us , here is Speedy checking his temp and humidity !

 

[BrianWI]

They have cheap hygrometers on ebay with remote sensors. Temp tends to be in C, but converting is easy. Take temp in C, double it. Subtract 10%. Add 32. Can do in head easy that way. So 29.2 C is 58.4. Minuse 5.8 is 52.6 plus 32 is 84.6F. EASY PEASY!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-LCD...166298?hash=item3ab941479a:g:6yQAAOSwCQNWcnNk