I'm not sure if I missed it but what kind of list are you looking for?
— Gus
— Gus
I would definitely stick to just this forum for your information. There is so much conflicting information out there that you can easily get overloaded and frustrated and confused. I have never had a Sulcata hatchling so take this for what it was worth, but I would get your baby from somebody who has started it right. Otherwise you may be setting yourself up for failure. There are many available from people on this forum, check out the for sale section. I personally would avoid Zillah lighting. it is definitely a process that continues for a while but you will get everything right for your little baby.A list for people who have never bought or hard of CHE or HO etc. I think I understand the best things to do is probably just I'm getting anxiety from forums. Sometimes it seems like no tortoise will survive no matter what. I'm going to study the animal and do my best to recreate how it lives.
I've read and retained the info and appreciate it. I did mention to him that they were born during the wet season and his reply was yea that's why you soak them once a day.
Is there a bullet list with brand names and model names? I'll get the best for my baby
I'm going to study the animal and do my best to recreate how it lives.
A list for people who have never bought or hard of CHE or HO etc...
There is a problem with this. No one knows how they live in the wild. Especially the babies. The top experts in the world, people who live over in sulcata territory don't know. Its not been studied and study would be incredibly difficult because the brush grows in so thick and so fast that babies hatch and quickly disappear. All we have is speculation. Even more problematic is that much of the speculation that has been floating around for decades is based on weather data collected from weather sensors that are 6' off the ground. An area that no sulcata has ever occupied.
Another issue with attempting to simulate wild conditions is that most of the babies in the wild die. It is estimated that between 300 and 3000 babies die for every one that makes it to maturity.
The info I gave you is based on around 20 years of failure trying to follow the advice like your breeder is giving you, and going on around 6 years of doing it the right way, an doing tons of my own "experiments" on how best to raise sulcata hatchlings. I have raised 100's of them using the "rainy season simulation" methods I'm sharing with you, and 100s of other people all over the world have followed the advice and had the same success as I have.
I've raised sulcatas just about every way there is to raise them. Sad to say, I know what will happen if you keep them in dry desert-like conditions. Your tortoise won't like it, and neither will you.
When we say enclosure are we talking a glass aquarium ? With a glass top ? And what's a good substrate and way to keep it humid and wet inside
Glass tanks are fine. I've raised hundreds of baby tortoises in them with all excellent results.
I think a 30 is too small. Can you get a 100? That should last you for a few months at least.
I don't know what is making you think they are fragile. Its pretty easy to set them up and get them going. Big enclosure, heat lamp, water dish, CHE on a thermostat to keep the ambient warm, D3 from either real sunshine or an indoor source...
I guess if you try to follow all sorts of people's advice at the same time it would be a bit mind boggling... How about you pick one person, evaluate their results, and just talk to them about how you can get the same results as them?
Good choiceI picked one. Congratulations Tom
You are right where I was about 4 years ago. Tom and several other Forum members helped me to help my tortoise. Relax. You are on the right track. Once you have the substrate moist and the top enclosed the humidity will stay up. You will need to add water from time to time as it drys out. I kept a sponge in the top of the hide I made for my tortoise to keep it as moist as possible. When the tortoise got a little bigger I put the sponge on top of the hide. It didn't look like much, but it helped keep the humidity up. Today, my tortoise is 50 pounds and sleeps in a heated box outside. There is a sponge in there too, it helps raise the humidity.So the right food. The right temps. The right humidity plus exercise...seems to be the big things. A ceramic heater with a thermostat and a mercury vapor light for warmth and UVB. Not sure of wattage on any. Not sure how to keep it humid. Un less I soak da2 and mist often. Not sure What food. I'd like to find a big bag a grasses mixed and maybe some fresh leaves mixed in.
So the right food. The right temps. The right humidity plus exercise...seems to be the big things. A ceramic heater with a thermostat and a mercury vapor light for warmth and UVB. Not sure of wattage on any. Not sure how to keep it humid. Un less I soak da2 and mist often. Not sure What food. I'd like to find a big bag a grasses mixed and maybe some fresh leaves mixed in.
To get a young on to add variety you need to get creative. Mix new with the old. Then they get used to it. There are good threads on what Sulcatas can eat Variety is key to good nutrient and health.All he eats is chopped greens
I suppose you posted this link as a potential information site for good care. I too read this site very carefully in the recent past.