New enclosure, any tips?

[KimandKarasi]

Due to many people begging me to change my poor sulcata's enclosure, I have done just that! lol, but I still feel like I could do more... plants will be coming in soon, but I was wondering if anyone with an eye for design could tell me where I could put one of those awesome burrow looking hides where she can walk on top and hide underneath? or is the enclosure too small... I was going to put it where the flagstone is and have the stone on top where she could bask, but i didnt know if having it there would make the burrow too hot due to the basking light...

(some were taken before the flagstone was put in, but they're the ones with Karasi in them so I thought I'd throw those in too And does anyone notice the water slowly gets dirtier as the pictures progress? that was within an hour! lol, dirty girl )

 

[Tyrtle]

Very nice! I love your upside-down pot hide.

 

[tyrs4u]

Too cute! Great home you made her... I'd only suggest maybe a little plant (something edible) just for looks (snack) & a tad of Humidity.

 

[Laura]

those hides they can climb on... they also fall and tip over and cant right themselves...
what else do you feed? ones that size usually dont eat hay...

 

[KimandKarasi]

I'm thinking about maybe getting a second container the same size, cutting one wall of them both and combining them with some flex-seal or something to make it wider, lol! but yeah, i will be planting several pots of edible plants (clover seems to be her favorite.) to spruce it up and add some flavor (haha, literally ).

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those hides they can climb on... they also fall and tip over and cant right themselves...
what else do you feed? ones that size usually dont eat hay...

She'll eat it sometimes, I put it in there so she'll be used to it in the future, but I also feed her a little bit of hibiscus flower and clover from my yard. someone told me not to give them lettuce (I used to give her romaine, she'll eat that up on-sight along with clover.) so I stopped giving it to her, but when I look at everyone pics on here there hasnt been one that didnt have lettuce..

 

[pinkpirate]

I really like how you used the pot, I have one tipped over for mine but he won't go in it. Maybe I will try that.

 

[KimandKarasi]

I really like how you used the pot, I have one tipped over for mine but he won't go in it. Maybe I will try that.

he wont go in? really? thats odd.. I just did mine like this because i thought it would be more cave-ish, but when i saw yours i thought that one was better because he had more room to walk to the back of it.

 

[Jacob]

Nice, just keep up the humidity

 

[KimandKarasi]

Nice, just keep up the humidity

do you usually spray it down once a day? or however often you think it needs it? I was a little worried about molding.

 

[lynnedit]

Organic bagged spring mix is OK. that is a mix of healthy greens, some lettuces (but red, dark green, etc.). Mustard greens, kale, endive, radicchio, and so forth.
This time of year, there are a lot of things in the garden you can feed: petunias, snapdragons, dandelions, sedum, pansies, etc.

Just give him a lot of variety.

You can get a small rectangular plastic storage container (hopefully opaque) turn it upside down and cut a doorway. You can put some Sphagnum moss in it and keep it damp for a nice humid area for him to hide in.

 

[KimandKarasi]

Organic bagged spring mix is OK. that is a mix of healthy greens, some lettuces (but red, dark green, etc.). Mustard greens, kale, endive, radicchio, and so forth.
This time of year, there are a lot of things in the garden you can feed: petunias, snapdragons, dandelions, sedum, pansies, etc.

Just give him a lot of variety.

You can get a small rectangular plastic storage container (hopefully opaque) turn it upside down and cut a doorway. You can put some Sphagnum moss in it and keep it damp for a nice humid area for him to hide in.

the list really helps, thank you! i really want to know what is acceptable to give her thats avaiable here in southern Texas from a real sulcata owner, because pet stores dont know jack squat, they just want to make a buck.. and which sedum is edible? when i googled it all sorts of types came up, and they all looked different!

 

[pinkpirate]

he wont go in? really? thats odd.. I just did mine like this because i thought it would be more cave-ish, but when i saw yours i thought that one was better because he had more room to walk to the back of it.

Lol nope he would much rather burrow which freaks me out. I'm so afraid he will suffocate even though I know that the like to burrow.

 

[KimandKarasi]

he wont go in? really? thats odd.. I just did mine like this because i thought it would be more cave-ish, but when i saw yours i thought that one was better because he had more room to walk to the back of it.

Lol nope he would much rather burrow which freaks me out. I'm so afraid he will suffocate even though I know that the like to burrow.

Awwww, you're just bein a good momma mine tends to burrow while she's inside the pot, lol! thats why the opening is now facing away from the water, she would kick so much dirt in there it wasnt even funny!

 

[lynnedit]

the list really helps, thank you! i really want to know what is acceptable to give her thats avaiable here in southern Texas from a real sulcata owner, because pet stores dont know jack squat, they just want to make a buck.. and which sedum is edible? when i googled it all sorts of types came up, and they all looked different!

The 'hens and chicks' variety, usually low to the ground.

They also need grasses, of course.

Here is a nice list of foods (more complete)
http://www.sulcata-station.org/diet.html

 

[KimandKarasi]

I was thinking about planting some bermuda grass (the only grass seeds available at the local feed store...) in her enclosure, is this a bad idea since i dont have soil? or is the coconut mulch alright? (it has the chunks... so i wasn't sure if as soon as the shoots start sprouting that when she goes to eat it itll pull the whole thing up root and all...)

 

[lynnedit]

A bite or two of substrate won't hurt.
There are some online sources for seed mixes for your tort:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/AfricanGrazerMix

You can sprinkle these in your substrate, but they can get trampled.
Or, you can start seeds in small flat trays, and when they have grown a bit, sunk them into one area of the substrate.
Stagger seeding containers so you can replace them weekly or so!

 

[KimandKarasi]

I just made a new thread today (under "quick question about edible plants for sulcatas") if you would like to see the pictures of how i set up the plant side! there are bermuda grass seeds you cant see, but they'll be sprouting very soon I'll give them a little time before i let her step in it lol!

 

[Tom]

This is all good info and helpful for your indoor enclosure, but good lord, you are in Houston TX! You have great tortoise weather ther most of the year! Concentrate all this effort on your OUTDOOR enclosure, will ya?

 

[KimandKarasi]

This is all good info and helpful for your indoor enclosure, but good lord, you are in Houston TX! You have great tortoise weather ther most of the year! Concentrate all this effort on your OUTDOOR enclosure, will ya?

The only reason I'm not is because I heard you shouldn't leave a small tortoise outside on their own... She's only 4 inches from nose to tail, so I was afraid a raccoon was going to take off with her.. She already has an outside pen available, but like I said I was worried about her constantly. I take her outside for 4 to 5 hours every day, so though she doesn't live out there quite yet she still gets to utilize the great weather!! Lol

 

[lynnedit]

Yep, eventually she will transition outside more and more! The seed mix works great outside too.
I will look for your other post.