i need guidance

[Germy]

Hi ya'll! My name is jeremy, brand new to the site! Ihave decided after a year of researching, that now is the time to get my sulcata. his indoor table, grass straw and lights are up. we have been so excited for this new addition. my niece seems to be the "one" that will take him when i die. i have read soo much about them, my two concerns are as follows:
bad nutrition from a pet store that knows nothing about him. I am new, but i think the specimen available now has pyramiding. too much produce(veg protein) or calcium deficiency or d3

burrowing. ive heard they can do 30 ft. when the time comes for outdoor summer living, if i provide adequate shade, will he still burrow?

here is the specimen, tell me your thoughts!

thanks,
jeremy

 

[wellington]

Have you looked on here for anyone that might have them for sale. Chances are if you buy from a TFO member you will get a much healthier baby. There is some pyramiding and possible something else going on with the shell. Yes they could and probably will still dig. Read the threads at the bottom of my post. They both are good for Sulcata's. If you raise your baby like in the threads below, and a good diet you will raise smooth baby. If you still want to purchase the baby in your pic, you can still stop the pyramiding from continuing, but you can't reverse what is already there. Good luck. Giving you a bump with this post, hopefully others will add their opinions.

 

[Jacqui]

He doesn't look too bad at this point. Eyes look bright, nostrils clear, a few minor issues starting to show on his carapace, but nothing too bad. Also nothing that should not clear up with more correct care.

We can't tell you that he will or will not burrow. Certainly having shaded areas, having lots of room, having hides, mud holes, ect.., all will add to the chance that he will not burrow. It is suggested a contented sulcata does not burrow. I for one am not sure if it's contentment or just individual personality, but some do humongous burrows and yet others never dig a burrow during their entire life span. My advise is always prepare for the very worse that can happen, that way if it does happens, it won't be as bad a situation as it could be. To some extent, it's a matter of luck.

 

[Laura]

welcome! forget all the pet store told you and start reading here... its all up to date and proven info..
yes, he already has pyrimiding.. which tell she he was too dry and no humidity..
what is the grass straw for? bedding? get rid of it and read some more!
what is the diet? type of bulb? if its coil.. take it back..
Did I mention to start reading? ;-)

---

IF you have Not bought the pet store one yet.. there are people here who we would recommend getting one.. or better yet.. rescue one or look for one that is 1-2 years old..
past the fragile hatchling stage...

 

[Germy]

Thanks for the quick responses.. I found some hatchlings on the site for 200 dollars cheaper. I am planning on a diet of grasses, grass hay and supplements. Not sure if the young guys need humidity. Is there any care for the shell? Do you just scrub it or is there an oil that you put on? I guess this summer, I will be driving steaks all along the French line

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Hello and welcome below are all the links to information that will raise u a perfectly smooth and extremely healthy sulcata
Main thing is I can say is keep him above 80 degrees, at 80% humidity, get your self a squirt bottle and mist him like crazy all day long, as many times as you can possible stand to mist his shell until iit drips. Then mist the whole cage till it drips too and then when it goes dry do it again : ) the smoothest babies come from owners that misted them like crazy

Here are my favorite threads about sulcatas and how to raise them this is about the best enclosures for sulcata tortoises

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Closed-Chambers#axzz1hkZxITMK

These are care sheets , one is for leopard tortoises but it works really well for sulcatas . Tom's how to raise hathcling sulcatas is the most important though
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Leopard-Tortoise-Care-Sheet#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

This one is about hatchling failure syndrome and how to prevent it http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

These threads are about pyramiding
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

You should also really ,really read this link Its called the Sulcata Challenge Sulcata Challenge

Good food links
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Calcium-rich-gel-food-for-supplementation#axzz1kotpP3QK
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...ises-The-Balanced-Diet-Revealed#axzz1kotpP3QK

Other links
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...on-the-difference-the-sun-makes#axzz1kotpP3QK
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...tive-or-Beginner-Tortoise-Owners#axzz1lBJMwX8

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

How much are you paying?! Please don't overpay, especially for an unhealthy tort!

 

[Jacqui]

Thanks for the quick responses.. I found some hatchlings on the site for 200 dollars cheaper. I am planning on a diet of grasses, grass hay and supplements. Not sure if the young guys need humidity. Is there any care for the shell? Do you just scrub it or is there an oil that you put on? I guess this summer, I will be driving steaks all along the French line

Your going to find, that most hatchlings are not too thrilled about eating hays. Most folks start them with greens and weeds and gradually get them into the hay food choices as they grow older. Some folks also like feeding Mazuri. Yes, humidity is a good thing for hatchlings of any species. I don't believe in putting any oil on my tortoises and seldom even give them a scrub.

I would suggest going to the Sulcata section. Read the threads that have been stickied at the top and then start on the ones below. Also might want to check out some of the enclosures for further ideas and thoughts to compare to your own set up.

Yeah that $200 difference, will even pay for shipping the tortoise to you.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Also buy a temp gun, they are essentially to checking temps lol and use it daily to check that everywhere in the enclosure is 80 degrees or above and the he has a basking spot of around 100 degrees
24/7 shallow water source
humid hide
The care sheets expand more on these things

---

I agree you do not need to put anything on the shell of your tortoise Vitashell or oil wise.
Just mist it like crazy everyday and it will work WAY better than putting oil on his shell

 

[Germy]

The pet store is charging 250. I found hatchlings here on the site for 50. I am going to read some here before I do it. I have gotten all info so far from sulcata station. My information sounds like it needs some updating. I am confused about diet, also wandering how to make my table happy for him. Humidity was not accounted for. Thanks for all the responses!!!

 

[Neal]

Thanks for the quick responses.. I found some hatchlings on the site for 200 dollars cheaper. I am planning on a diet of grasses, grass hay and supplements. Not sure if the young guys need humidity. Is there any care for the shell? Do you just scrub it or is there an oil that you put on? I guess this summer, I will be driving steaks all along the French line

The diet sounds good. I would recommend some greens in the diet as well, spring mix being one of the best choices. Mazuri is great too.

My experience has been that they can be raised smooth without much humidity. I recommend a good daily soak for about 10 mins to keep him hydrated.

I have used vitashell for some time, it does make their shells appear healthier, but whether or not that is actually the case I don't know. But it does not appear to harm them in any way.

 

[Jacqui]

Germy, if you haven't come to realize it yet, from our differing suggestions about the care and keeping of tortoises it is not one set in black and white. You need to read around, keep asking questions, try things out in your own home with your own tortoise (once you get it), then start tweaking until you come up with what works for you and your animal(s).

Some folks do a lot of spraying of their animals, some of us don't. Some do forced soakings, some don't. Some use UVB lights, some don't. Just everything is open for differences and will work differently for each of us. Nobody is right nor wrong. It is one of the things that can make tortoise keeping a never ending challenge, but adds in the end to overall enjoyment.

 

[ascott]

Have you checked your local tortoise rescue group to see if they have any looking for a good home?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jeremy:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know appx. where you are?

 

[Germy]

Thanks for all of the responses! I do just need to spend some more nights poking around the site! I would love to rescue a sulcata, I am surfing now!i was planning UVB bulb that is a heat lamp too. A table at 3x4, I am not sure which substrate to use though. Mazuri( I'm assuming a hard to find lettuce) and grass Hay and good weeds. I want to keep his food as close to wild as I can. He has a log to hide under, a food dish, water dish and a bathtub for soakings. What am I missing?

 

[TaraDodrill]

Hatchlings definitely need humidity. I would agree with everyone else, read everything you can in the forum and buy a tort from one of the breeders here and not from the pet store or an online wholesaler. Austin, Tom and Tyler are excellent breeders with healthy torts and great prices. I am sure there are many other wonderful breeders on here as well, those are the three which I am them mist familiar and who regularly share care tips.

 

[wellington]

Mazuri is a pellet food. You can search for it on amazon or buy it from Caroline pet supply or tortoisemania.com, which is probably the cheapest. The best thing I can tell you is this. Take all the info you get from this forum and put it to use. Do not take info from outside this forum.there is so much info out there that is wrong. Even some breeders out there that still has outdated info. Also check out the threads at the bottom of my post. They are both good for Sulcata's.

 

[Germy]

Emysemys! I live in southern Ohio. Farms and hills, that's all I see!

 

[TaraDodrill]

Hey Germy, I live in southern Ohio too!

 

[Germy]

Where abouts taradodril?