Homey: Sulcata Hatchling

DWeathers

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Summerville, SC
Hello friends.
My name is Dana. I purchased "Homey" my Sulcata hatchling on July 4.
He seems to be thriving. His weight has almost doubled in less than a month.
What is a normal weight gain for these little nuggets? I know he eats like a beast and has 2 large poos every day.
Anything I should be on the look out for? He stays on the porch during the day enjoying the warm air and humidity of Charleston, SC.
Loves his afternoon walks up and down the front yard sidewalk.
I would appreciate some pointers from those that have been through the hatchling stage.
 

Blackdog1714

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Richmond, VA
Welcome! What kind of enclosure do you keep him in on the porch? Just wondering for heat- they need shade to escape the extreme heat on The East Coast. BTW pictures are always welcome. I am out chillin with the chickens!
 

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Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Location (City and/or State)
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Hello friends.
My name is Dana. I purchased "Homey" my Sulcata hatchling on July 4.
He seems to be thriving. His weight has almost doubled in less than a month.
What is a normal weight gain for these little nuggets? I know he eats like a beast and has 2 large poos every day.
Anything I should be on the look out for? He stays on the porch during the day enjoying the warm air and humidity of Charleston, SC.
Loves his afternoon walks up and down the front yard sidewalk.
I would appreciate some pointers from those that have been through the hatchling stage.
Hello and welcome.

Outside all day is not good for babies regardless of the weather and climate. This is true even in their native range!

What does the baby weigh now?

Here is the care info. Follow this and your baby will thrive:
 

DWeathers

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Summerville, SC
I should clarify. He is on back covered porch. Temp stays around 85 degrees humidity on the moderate side. The only time he gets direct sun is his hour walk time. Is this acceptable? I have no problem changing it up. I read your care sheet and I am willing to make some changes. Thank YOU!!!
He currently weighs 42g. Weight gain daily.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
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Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
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I should clarify. He is on back covered porch. Temp stays around 85 degrees humidity on the moderate side. The only time he gets direct sun is his hour walk time. Is this acceptable? I have no problem changing it up. I read your care sheet and I am willing to make some changes. Thank YOU!!!
He currently weighs 42g. Weight gain daily.
Not acceptable for your baby. I recently had a similar conversation with a forum member in Florida housing her baby similarly. It took some convincing, but she finally decided to move the baby inside. Within two or three weeks she was back posting about what a difference it made. She seemed pretty happy and said here tortoise was doing much better inside.

I'm always such a bearer of bad news.... I hate to be a downer, but I like people to know what they are getting into, and what they are dealing with. So here goes: Most breeders do not start babies correctly. They are usually dehydrated, and this damages their internal organs. Most of them seem fine for a few weeks or months. They eat and bask and behave normally, but they don't grow much, and then eventually get sickly and die. Vets diagnose all sorts of issues, and charge hundreds or thousands for treatment, but these babies were doomed in their first few days and weeks by the person that hatched them.

What does this have to do with your baby? They hatch at 35-40 grams. By the end of a week or two, they are nearing 45-50 grams if card for correctly. If yours is 42 grams, and it has doubled in weight in two or three weeks, that tells me it was light due to dehydration, and your soaking and feeding has put the water back into it. 21 grams is nearly half the weight of a healthy hatching sulcata. One of the hallmarks of these dry started, doomed babies, is that they never pass 50 grams. They get to 50 grams and then stay there for weeks or months. They might get up to 52, but then poop and pee and be back down to 48.

I always hope that the baby of the person I'm talking to will be one of the ones that pulls through and makes it. Some do and some don't. What can you do? Follow that care sheet to the letter and give the baby the best possible conditions. This means mostly indoors in a stable closed chamber.

Here is more info on what MIGHT be going on there with your baby:

By contrast, here is how they SHOULD be started:

Your mind is probably swimming with questions and concerns. Ask away. Let 'er rip! Where did you get the baby?
 

DWeathers

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Summerville, SC
Not acceptable for your baby. I recently had a similar conversation with a forum member in Florida housing her baby similarly. It took some convincing, but she finally decided to move the baby inside. Within two or three weeks she was back posting about what a difference it made. She seemed pretty happy and said here tortoise was doing much better inside.

I'm always such a bearer of bad news.... I hate to be a downer, but I like people to know what they are getting into, and what they are dealing with. So here goes: Most breeders do not start babies correctly. They are usually dehydrated, and this damages their internal organs. Most of them seem fine for a few weeks or months. They eat and bask and behave normally, but they don't grow much, and then eventually get sickly and die. Vets diagnose all sorts of issues, and charge hundreds or thousands for treatment, but these babies were doomed in their first few days and weeks by the person that hatched them.

What does this have to do with your baby? They hatch at 35-40 grams. By the end of a week or two, they are nearing 45-50 grams if card for correctly. If yours is 42 grams, and it has doubled in weight in two or three weeks, that tells me it was light due to dehydration, and your soaking and feeding has put the water back into it. 21 grams is nearly half the weight of a healthy hatching sulcata. One of the hallmarks of these dry started, doomed babies, is that they never pass 50 grams. They get to 50 grams and then stay there for weeks or months. They might get up to 52, but then poop and pee and be back down to 48.

I always hope that the baby of the person I'm talking to will be one of the ones that pulls through and makes it. Some do and some don't. What can you do? Follow that care sheet to the letter and give the baby the best possible conditions. This means mostly indoors in a stable closed chamber.

Here is more info on what MIGHT be going on there with your baby:

By contrast, here is how they SHOULD be started:

Your mind is probably swimming with questions and concerns. Ask away. Let 'er rip! Where did you get the baby?
Thank you so much. I have changed his routine up and he has gained 4 grams since Friday. We are keeping him inside and making sure his temps and humidity are up. I only walk him outside with me right beside him to graze for a few weeds (approx 20 min in morning and 20 in evening to avoid direct sun).
My husband and I are building a large indoor enclosure and hope to find some Plexi-glass soon for the top. Do you know of something else to use for the top? Plexi-glass is a hot commodity these days.
Thanks again. (I apprciate brutal honesty. Sugar coating only leads to sick babies :))
 
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DWeathers

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Summerville, SC
Not acceptable for your baby. I recently had a similar conversation with a forum member in Florida housing her baby similarly. It took some convincing, but she finally decided to move the baby inside. Within two or three weeks she was back posting about what a difference it made. She seemed pretty happy and said here tortoise was doing much better inside.

I'm always such a bearer of bad news.... I hate to be a downer, but I like people to know what they are getting into, and what they are dealing with. So here goes: Most breeders do not start babies correctly. They are usually dehydrated, and this damages their internal organs. Most of them seem fine for a few weeks or months. They eat and bask and behave normally, but they don't grow much, and then eventually get sickly and die. Vets diagnose all sorts of issues, and charge hundreds or thousands for treatment, but these babies were doomed in their first few days and weeks by the person that hatched them.

What does this have to do with your baby? They hatch at 35-40 grams. By the end of a week or two, they are nearing 45-50 grams if card for correctly. If yours is 42 grams, and it has doubled in weight in two or three weeks, that tells me it was light due to dehydration, and your soaking and feeding has put the water back into it. 21 grams is nearly half the weight of a healthy hatching sulcata. One of the hallmarks of these dry started, doomed babies, is that they never pass 50 grams. They get to 50 grams and then stay there for weeks or months. They might get up to 52, but then poop and pee and be back down to 48.

I always hope that the baby of the person I'm talking to will be one of the ones that pulls through and makes it. Some do and some don't. What can you do? Follow that care sheet to the letter and give the baby the best possible conditions. This means mostly indoors in a stable closed chamber.

Here is more info on what MIGHT be going on there with your baby:

By contrast, here is how they SHOULD be started:

Your mind is probably swimming with questions and concerns. Ask away. Let 'er rip! Where did you get the baby?
I got him from Lexington, SC at Reptile City. I hope he reaches 50 grams by the end of this week. That is our goal. I found some plexi today. His enclosure will be properly enclosed this evening. I have been putting a heating blanket underneath and a night heating lamp. This keeps enclosure nice and warm and humidity at 70% sometimes higher. He has lots of greens and weeds also water. His hide is a log but I plan to also change that up. Again one of those items I bought before chatting with you. Wish us luck. :)
 
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