Need advice, here's my settup

[Omar T]

Hello all, I am new to raising tortoises. I got a baby sulcata earlier this week and need some advice. I will list my settup and if anyone can tell me what I can improve? The tank I am using is a plastic container that is around 30x60 cm and the height is like 11 inches, approximately 28 cm. The food I am feeding it is zoomed grassland. I am softening it with water and mixing it a little with lettuce. I have a little house in case it gets too hot. As for the lightsource I am a bit confused. My bulb is 100 watts basking bulb that emits UVA. I asked the person who I bought it from if it was good and he said it is but I am not sure. I use that for heat on 1 side and it averages around 88 degrees. The other side is room temperature with its food water and house. I use cypress mulch. I spray his shell with water once a day but I read I should do it like 3-4 times a day so I should start doing that. I have a cuttlebone in there and he munches on it.

How is my settup? What do I need to do to improve it that wouldn't be too costly. I notice he sits in the corner a lot and puts his head on the wall and sometimes it looks like he is trying to climb out of it. It looks depressing and saddens me. How do I fix this. Also, how do I interact with it more? Do I leave it in the tank all day or do I pull it out and keep it by my side and let it walk around? Do I close the container from the top or do I leave it open? Is it too cold for him? From my perspective he looks sad but I don't know I never raised one of these things before. Any help is appreciated.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! the enclosure needs a big size upgrade, make something around 4ft by 8ft that will last him a year or two. the basking sot temps need to be around 95 and the cool side should never go below 80. keep the enclosure top on and make sure the cage has 80%+ humidity. its normal for baby sulcatas to sleep a lot. it good for torts to go outside and get natural sun, outside enclosure are good for them. don't let him walk around the house because thats really dangerous for torts. give him a lot more variety in his diet, feed him fresh grasses and nontoxic weeds. tortoises can't get depressed that is human emotion. can you post some enclosure pics, light pics and tort pics? are you using a coil bulb? whats the cage humidity? read this entire care sheet. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Please read the threads below in y post for raising a healthy, smooth sulcata. They will tell you most everything you need to know and do. The diet needs to have a bigger variety.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum, Omar. The "how to raise a sulcata" threads are a must read, in my opinion. Lots of good information. Sulcatas grow very fast and need lots of room. You should already be planning your next enclosure for your baby. In my opinion the height of your plastic container is insufficient. But then I am a firm believer that a "closed chamber" is the best way to house baby sulcata indoors. There is a section for Enclosures and if you search the forum for "closed chambers" you see many example of suitable habitats for your baby.

 

[Omar T]

welcome to the forum! the enclosure needs a big size upgrade, make something around 4ft by 8ft that will last him a year or two. the basking sot temps need to be around 95 and the cool side should never go below 80. keep the enclosure top on and make sure the cage has 80%+ humidity. its normal for baby sulcatas to sleep a lot. it good for torts to go outside and get natural sun, outside enclosure are good for them. don't let him walk around the house because thats really dangerous for torts. give him a lot more variety in his diet, feed him fresh grasses and nontoxic weeds. tortoises can't get depressed that is human emotion. can you post some enclosure pics, light pics and tort pics? are you using a coil bulb? whats the cage humidity? read this entire care sheet. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

I am not using a coil bulb. The bulb I am using is called zoomed reptile basking bulb. I don't have a humidity thermometer as of now. I will try to post pictures when I can.

Is there any enclosure you recommend by that size? For his food do I just mix a bunch of different dark greens, the grassland food, and grass in 1 container? Is the incandescent flood bulb in addition to the basking bulb?

Can anyone post a picture of what an ideal tank should look like so I can try and imitate it?

 

[Omar T]

Welcome to the Forum, Omar. The "how to raise a sulcata" threads are a must read, in my opinion. Lots of good information. Sulcatas grow very fast and need lots of room. You should already be planning your next enclosure for your baby. In my opinion the height of your plastic container is insufficient. But then I am a firm believer that a "closed chamber" is the best way to house baby sulcata indoors. There is a section for Enclosures and if you search the forum for "closed chambers" you see many example of suitable habitats for your baby.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll look into it.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

heres the closed chamber thread, it has pictures. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I am not using a coil bulb. The bulb I am using is called zoomed reptile basking bulb. I don't have a humidity thermometer as of now. I will try to post pictures when I can.

Is there any enclosure you recommend by that size? For his food do I just mix a bunch of different dark greens, the grassland food, and grass in 1 container? Is the incandescent flood bulb in addition to the basking bulb?

Can anyone post a picture of what an ideal tank should look like so I can try and imitate it?

you can use a little smaller enclosure than 4ft by 8ft, that size is a good size to start your sulcata in. for his food its best to give him lots of variety of fresh grasses and weeds and once a week grassland tort food. here is a food list. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-diet-sheet.64290/

 

[leigti]

You need a UVB bulb, such as powersun mercury vapor bulb

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Omar, and welcome to the Forum!

Your plastic tub is ok for a little while. It's easier to keep babies warm in smaller tubs, but keep in mind that you'll need to go larger as he grows because they need a lot of wandering space.

Here is the light I use:



and I have it mounted in one of these (ceramic base):



...but I don't use the clamp feature, I hang the light so it's straight down.

You shouldn't allow the habitat to be "room temperature" anywhere in the habitat. Because you're keeping the baby moist and humid (you ARE keeping the baby moist and humid, aren't you?), you shouldn't allow him to be below 80F anyplace in the habitat. So you can use one of these on a thermostat:



...and you'd mount it in the same ceramic-based fixture as shown above.

In order to keep the cool house air out of the tub, and the warm, moist air inside the tub, you'll have to cover or partially cover the habitat. I just use cooking foil, but you can get creative if you want it to look nicer.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Hello! Welcome to the forum Omar

 

[Omar T]

The hottest part of the tank for my baby sulcata is 105, which is right under the lamp with the basking bulb. I have it clamped onto the tank so although the tank is open most of it is covered. I am hearing people say it should be in the 90s. Is it too hot? If so I will try and clamp the lamp to something else so it's farther away. Btw, he always sleeps in that spot.

Also, the temperature of the other side of the tank were his food, water, and house are is 77 degrees. I think it's a bit too cold. If I get a ceramic heat emitter and get another clamp light do I place it over his food and water and house or were do I place it?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome to the forum Omar. Those clamps are not reliable. The hot bulbs will eventually end up on the floor or in the enclosure. Your whole house could burn down. Hang the fixtures from over head. This makes it easy to adjust the height and get the right temperatures too. You will need a thermostat with your CHE to keep it from over heating your tiny enclosure. Speaking of the enclosure, you can get a 54 gallon tub for about $20 at the hardware store.

Here is everything you need to learn all in one place:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-end-of-pyramiding.15137/

 

[Omar T]

Hello and welcome to the forum Omar. Those clamps are not reliable. The hot bulbs will eventually end up on the floor or in the enclosure. Your whole house could burn down. Hang the fixtures from over head. This makes it easy to adjust the height and get the right temperatures too. You will need a thermostat with your CHE to keep it from over heating your tiny enclosure. Speaking of the enclosure, you can get a 54 gallon tub for about $20 at the hardware store.

Here is everything you need to learn all in one place:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-end-of-pyramiding.15137/

Thanks Tom. I am not sure on how to hang the light fixtures tho. Is there a way to do it without hanging the light from inside the closed enclosure because as of now I need a bigger enclosure to do that. Also, as for the 54 gallon tub what type would you recommend, I am seeing all types of different colors and shapes.

 

[Tom]

A closed chamber needs to be at least 24" tall to hang normal light fixtures. You could save a few inches if you are handy enough to install those ceramic light sockets that sit flush up against the top.

Any large plastic tub will work. Horse troughs work too. The problem with any tub is the open top. Closed chambers work much better, but they have to be large enough to accommodate the heating and lighting equipment.