My new tortoises

[Samhain]

I just got my sulcata's for my birthday last February. They're both hatchlings and are driving me crazy. I've been working to get them everything they need but I'm so worried about something happening to them. I really wasn't prepared for them. Currently I keep them indoors with a UVB lamp and an infrared night light. They're in a glass tank until they outgrow it, I heard as long as they're babies they should be fine in there for some time. I use alfalfa pellets and timothy hay for substrate. The temperature is about 75-80 degrees in there. I build them a play pen for outside when the weather permits it. Its 4 2x4's with chicken wire across the top. I usually put them in there during the sunny parts of the day. I've started soaking them every other day. I've been feeding them things like turnip greenes and mustard greenes chopped small. They also seem pretty content to eat the grass and weeds in my yard. They really like to eat dandilions. I'm really concerned about if I'm doing a well enough job taking care of them. From what I read online there so much that can go wrong and its worrying me to death.

I havn't been able to find anything abought them having dry skin. My smallest one is peeling a little on the underside of his neck. The other thing worrying me is that he seems to be choking on something but he isn't. He can't be because he continues to eat normally but hes kind of wiggling his neck and moving his jaw like something is wrong (not constantly but it did catch my attention). I feel like I'm overreacting or just looking for something wrong but it can't hurt to ask, can it?

After reading some info I'm worried one might have a cold, I caught a single bubble in his nose and what could be described as a "popping" noise. There arn't any reptile vets in the immediate area, any idea what I should do?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Samhain:

to the forum!!

You have to toss all that info that you have researched and start fresh. There's new information and most of what you end up with in web searches is the old stuff.

Baby sulcatas and leopards really (I mean REALLY) need humidity. It is MOST important in the first year of life, but continues to be needed most of their growing life. So get rid of the alfalfa pellets and get a substrate that you can moisten.

It sounds like your temperature is the same all over the habitat??? You need to have a hot side (85 to 90) and a room temperature side. With it being appx. 100-110 directly under the light.

Grasses and weeds are the best thing to feed, and your diet sounds great, with maybe a little more of a variety on the dark, leafy greens.

Dry skin is nothing to worry about. Baby desert-type tortoises do peel quite a bit. Just don't pull off the pieces, let them fall off on their own.

Don't know what to tell you about the head movements of the bubbly nose. Other than, just wait and see.

 

[Samhain]

I'm wondering if its a result of the bedding dryness? Like an allergy? I'm in the Southeast US and theres alot of pollen in the air

 

[Maggie Cummings]

They need a substrate of something like cypress mulch that you can keep damp. They need humidity here's a link to a care sheet for you...

http://africantortoise.com/

 

[Tropical Torts]

A moist substrate is your best bet. And a hide on the cool side and the hot side filled with the moist subsrate wouldnt be a bad idea either, but personally I would recommend you building a tort table because it allows better air flow and can give your little guys more more room to roam. There are many great ideas and plans on how to build a tortoise table on this site. Good Luck with your little ones!