ChildishYazz

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Rockford IL
I have a couple of questions. I recently acquired a three month old sully from one of my old coworkers. I bought a new enclosure, (will attach photos) (also I lined the bottom with a yoga mat to help keep from water seepage) but I did b know what kind soil to use. I bought a thing of Scott’s Premium Topsoil but I wanted to ask if that is what I should use. Also in his/her current enclosure, I’m having trouble keeping humidity. I wanted to ask how exactly can I Keep that up.
I will be attaching a photo of her/him, I do not have a name yet because I want something unisex.
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vladimir

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For substrate you'll want coco-coir or orchid bark (fir bark). The humidity is going to be a challenge with an open enclosure like that, but people have used foil to seal the top to keep the humidity in. I'm sure someone will be along with pictures of ideas soon. There are also small greenhouse setups on Amazon that people have customized to work as a closed chamber enclosure.
 

ChildishYazz

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Rockford IL
For substrate you'll want coco-coir or orchid bark (fir bark). The humidity is going to be a challenge with an open enclosure like that, but people have used foil to seal the top to keep the humidity in. I'm sure someone will be along with pictures of ideas soon. There are also small greenhouse setups on Amazon that people have customized to work as a closed chamber enclosure.

I have the coco -coir but the man I got the sully from said to mix it with topsoil. With is why I ask if the kind I have will work, or if I should keep looking.
 

ChildishYazz

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Rockford IL
For substrate you'll want coco-coir or orchid bark (fir bark). The humidity is going to be a challenge with an open enclosure like that, but people have used foil to seal the top to keep the humidity in. I'm sure someone will be along with pictures of ideas soon. There are also small greenhouse setups on Amazon that people have customized to work as a closed chamber enclosure.

I was wondering if you could point me to where I can find greenhouse set ups
 

Tom

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I have a couple of questions. I recently acquired a three month old sully from one of my old coworkers. I bought a new enclosure, (will attach photos) (also I lined the bottom with a yoga mat to help keep from water seepage) but I did b know what kind soil to use. I bought a thing of Scott’s Premium Topsoil but I wanted to ask if that is what I should use. Also in his/her current enclosure, I’m having trouble keeping humidity. I wanted to ask how exactly can I Keep that up.
I will be attaching a photo of her/him, I do not have a name yet because I want something unisex.
Hello and welcome. Please read these. You've gotten the old wrong info. Here is the right info:

Please come back with all your questions after reading those. We are happy to help.
 

ChildishYazz

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Rockford IL
Hello and welcome. Please read these. You've gotten the old wrong info. Here is the right info:

Please come back with all your questions after reading those. We are happy to help.
Thank you very much, but I’ve read these a million times before I submitted my post. They do not really help with my original submission. I guess I’ll just continue reading different forums
 

Tom

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Thank you very much, but I’ve read these a million times before I submitted my post. They do not really help with my original submission. I guess I’ll just continue reading different forums
These three threads directly address your original questions on this thread.

That enclosure is no good. As explained in the threads, you need a closed chamber to maintain humidity and warmth. The open top is why you are having trouble keeping humidity up. The yoga mat or soil is no good. You need a thick layer of fine grade orchid bark for your substrate. This is another reason for your humidity troubles.

If you follow what is described in the threads, you'll have a healthy thriving tortoise and an easy time maintaining things. Contact @Markw84 for a great enclosure that you can get quickly.
 

ChildishYazz

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These three threads directly address your original questions on this thread.

That enclosure is no good. As explained in the threads, you need a closed chamber to maintain humidity and warmth. The open top is why you are having trouble keeping humidity up. The yoga mat or soil is no good. You need a thick layer of fine grade orchid bark for your substrate. This is another reason for your humidity troubles.

If you follow what is described in the threads, you'll have a healthy thriving tortoise and an easy time maintaining things. Contact @Markw84 for a great enclosure that you can get quickly.

she is not in that enclosed yet she is in a tank right now that’s covered and I’m still having issues with humidity. I was asking for advice on how to keep the enclosure up and which I was given a couple of links to greenhouse type things that could help me. Also the yoga mat is under there to keep the dampness from ruining the floor. One of my questions was about the topsoil to see if that was OK. I did not get any answer on the topsoil that I had bought. Those links what I read from them only gives generic options of what you should get but I’m trying to find something that gives me a name or something that I can go to the store and find. But thank you again I really do appreciate your help :)
 

ChildishYazz

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Rockford IL
Also I was watching Kamp Kenan and he said cypress mulch and top soil mixed. That is one of the reasons why I asked if the topsoil I had would work.
 

Maggie3fan

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Hi and welcome...I mean no disrespect when I say you asked for advice then argued about it We here are all very experienced or damned good Sulcata keepers. We actually want to help that baby so help us help you...I use fine grade orchid bark. Lowe's Home depot most of the big box stores have that. No pine, no cedar, or in the pet stores you can buy a brick of coconut coir. Top soil is dirt. Take out the yoga mat and staple a shower curtain on across the bottom and up the sides some, no leaks, ...read about a "humid hide" which is small to fit inside your box. Your problem is not unsolvable just needs tweaking. And please don't go to other forums for your basic care as you WIll get outdated and just plain bad advice...Take what advice you need here for sake of that baby... and leave the rest. I hope you will stay.
 

Tom

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she is not in that enclosed yet she is in a tank right now that’s covered and I’m still having issues with humidity. I was asking for advice on how to keep the enclosure up and which I was given a couple of links to greenhouse type things that could help me. Also the yoga mat is under there to keep the dampness from ruining the floor. One of my questions was about the topsoil to see if that was OK. I did not get any answer on the topsoil that I had bought. Those links what I read from them only gives generic options of what you should get but I’m trying to find something that gives me a name or something that I can go to the store and find. But thank you again I really do appreciate your help :)
Open topped tanks with covers don't work very we'll as you are seeing. You'll need to buy or build a closed chamber type of enclosure with all of the heating and lighting inside.

If the bottom of the the container is made of something that will rot with moisture, the yoga mat isn't going to help. You need to use materials that aren't going to rot.

Topsoil is not okay. There is no way to know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. The makers/sellers don't intend for live animals to be living on it.

Order a cage from @Markw84, or Animal Plastics, or Reptile Basics.

You can buy orchid bark at any pet store, but its expensive to do it that way. Call a local garden center and order "fine grade orchid bark". If they don't have any, ask them to order it for you. People in IL grow orchids. They need orchid bark to do it. It might take some time to find a source, but it will be worth it. I pay $12 for a 2.0 cu. ft. bag.
 
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