My Pebbles

[pebbles]

Sorry for the bad quality of the pics! This is my Sulcata Pebbles. He is now about 15 months old. I'm still learning a lot about him. The thing that gets me most is what to feed him & where to get it(the flowers and cactus)! Other than that he has been such a great pet to have and such a wonderful pet to watch grow! Today he was trying to climb his hut in the tank and ended up slipping and falling upside down! I have a pic of it, he looks so funny but I worry. Is this a average growth rate & how is his shell? Anyway heres pebs!

 

[dmmj]

where's bam-bam?

 

[pebbles]

where's bam-bam?

haha! A pebble was what he resembled when I first got him

 

[Traveller]

Pebbles is adorable.

You may want to redesign Pebbles' habitat so that flipping over is
reduced to nil. Tortoises can be flipped over but if left in this position
it's not good.

Post some more info on Pebbles such as shell length, weight, age etc.,
and I'm sure more experienced Sulcata owners will be along to help you
out.
Enjoy your little guy and take good care of him.
They are precious.

 

[Livingstone]

For food, try dandelion, clover, grated carrots,spring mix, and cucumber slices. Also get your self a bag of mazuri, soak the pellets til they are soft. This will get you started.

If you pick the "weeds" make sure you know if the area has been treated with any chemicals, if you dont know, dont feed.

The spring mix is available from grocery stores, and is a decent staple if you cant get anything else.

Mazuri is an excellent food, and is available from many places including mazuri.com. Mazuri was developed for zoos, so its very nutritious, torts love it.

You are off to a good start.

Good luck

 

[pebbles]

Thank you so much for the info!

I will try to get his measurements tomorrow.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

His shell looks really smooth! My juvie climbs on his log and has flipped over too. I'm hoping mine will out grow this
naughty behaviour someday. I just try to rearrange his log so its harder for him to climb on.....but he's very persistent!

 

[Tom]

Size looks pretty well within the normal range for that age. Shell looks very good. The pics are small, but is that grayish color from hard water stains? My Daisy has that all over her too. Please share with us what you are doing to keep the shell so smooth.

What are you using for substrate? Humidity? Soaks? Do you spray the shell pretty regularly? What is your supplementation routine?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Pebbles is a very pretty tortoise. I would limit the cucumber slices tho, maybe use them as a treat. Sulcata are grazers and as such, should have 80% or more of the diet should be grasses and weeds. I go for daily walks and collect the weeds that way. I live in Oregon in a rural area so I don't worry too much about pesticides. I throw them all in Bob's pen and he either eats them or he doesn't. If he doesn't then I don't pick that one next time. He's a good eater tho and doesn't refuse much. But as your's is still a baby I would be cautious about chemicals. A smaller tort couldn't handle chemicals like Bob could as he is 80 pounds now and seems to know what to eat and what to refuse.

 

[pebbles]

Size looks pretty well within the normal range for that age. Shell looks very good. The pics are small, but is that grayish color from hard water stains? My Daisy has that all over her too. Please share with us what you are doing to keep the shell so smooth.

What are you using for substrate? Humidity? Soaks? Do you spray the shell pretty regularly? What is your supplementation routine?

I think the grayish color is from the sand & the shell being dried. I think I'm going to buy moss perhaps and switch from sand.

I soak him once a week. Total of maybe 4 times a month. I do not spray the shell.

Humidity is 83-85% from the UV light. It's on almost the entire day until 11pm maybe and then turned at 10am in the morning. I was told to keep it on as long as possible.

He was eating a little too much protein when I first got him until I wised up and did my research and now he just eats grass/weeds. but he did receive calcium from a powder the pet store gave me. He also always has his water dish in the cage. He soaks himself almost every day and I clean the water ever day.

 

[Tom]

I agree with you about switching out the sand. Possible impactions and eye problems.

Spraying the shell will help keep him smooth like that. If he soaks himself daily, no need to change your routine IMO.

What was the protein source when you first got him?

Whatever you are doing is working pretty well.

 

[pebbles]

I agree with you about switching out the sand. Possible impactions and eye problems.

Spraying the shell will help keep him smooth like that. If he soaks himself daily, no need to change your routine IMO.

What was the protein source when you first got him?

Whatever you are doing is working pretty well.

A lot of nothing but lettuce. I felt so bad after I did research...finding out way later how terrible nothing but lettuce was for them because of too much protein. I did everything the pet store told me but I don't recall them telling me not to give them certain food because of too much protein. BUT I should have done my own research online from the beginning.

I'm going to buy a water bottle and start spraying him everyday. I was reading up on pyramiding and I want to continue to keep him healthy and keep the shell as smooth as possible.

If anyone else has any more advice I'd really love to know!

 

[zoogrl]

Hello pebbles! Nice to meet you I'm a new tort owner & have found TONS of info here!!! And I enjoy the stories and pics from everyone too. Best wishes to you & pebbles in your adventures together!

 

[Missy]

Its a good idea to leave a cuttlebone for him to eat for extra calcium. Sounds like your on the right track