New Hatchling CDT 'Mama'

[SDDTMama]

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Hi everybody,

My name's Andrea & my boyfriend and I were given a hatchling CDT (Owen) about a week ago by a coworker of mine who originally told me 'he' was a Sulcata hatchling. 'He' was given to my coworker by a friend of hers who decided there was *way* too much involved in raising him properly; my coworker owns a 2-year-old Sulcata so her friend knew she knows how to care for tortoises.
Anywho, it was only through my own research ('lurking' on this board, etc) that I came to realize that Owen is really a CDT, NOT a Sulcata like my coworker believed/ had told me.
I have already learned so much here, and am determined to raise one happy and healthy (and smooth!) CDT.
Now, the questions.
I already soak Owen once or twice a day (depending on how long he'll tolerate his first soak decides whether I soak him again later in the day), should I be misting him, too? (I've read about doing this for leopards & sulcatas, but couldn't find anything about CDTs)
I know I have to 'register' him with the CA dept of fish & game, but I've read that I don't have to do that until he reaches 2 years of age do to their high mortality rate (). Is that true?

Thank you for taking the time to 'school' me so Owen can have the best life possible.

Andrea in North San Diego County

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome congrats on the new little one. I can't help you on your questions, but someone that can will be along soon. Here a bump to try and get some answers for you a little fast.

 

[dmmj]

Still not there

 

[taytay3391]

I see them. Cute little dude

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

For pics try to copy/paste the IMG code. That should work for you.

I have tried CDTs with the daily soaks and shell spraying and it worked well for me, but that is not what most people will tell you to do with them. One of the best things you could do for him is to make a nice secure outdoor enclosure with a small hand dug "burrow" for him, and put him out there whenever the weather is nice.

I too have heard that you should wait a couple of years to get their permits.

 

[dmmj]

Permits are not usually issued until they reach around 4 inches, they want to know that it will make it before permits are issued.

 

[SDDTMama]

Third time's the charm?

Thanks for the replies/ info! =)

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Yellow Turtle]

Hello and welcome! Cute baby!

 

[bigred]

Beautiful little guy

 

[SDDTMama]

Thanks for your warm 'welcomes', everybody.

I'm absolutely **obsessed** with the lil' guy. He's my 'baby', & having heard that so many of them don't make it into adulthood has only exponentially added to my anxiety/ obsession with him. I think I'm starting to scare my boyfriend. Seriously, though.

Tom- Thanks for the tips! We plan on moving him permanently outdoors after he's a year or so old (his size will be the indicator of when I feel it's safe to do so in order to keep him safe from the various predatory birds around the area), but I've already ordered a ZooMed Tortoise 'Play Pen' from my local reptile supply store. I currently take him outside anywhere from 20- 45 mins+ a day (depending on my work schedule) and let him explore & graze on the clover along our fence line. Once I get the 'play pen' I hope I won't be as angst ridden the entire time he's out there- I might even allow myself a potty break!

I never imagined that I'd get this deep, this quickly with something so tiny (his brain, as my boyfriend loves to point out, is probably no bigger than a grain of rice at this point). But it's done. He's got me. I'm thoroughly 'his'.

Andrea & Owen from N. San Diego County

 

[DrewsLife727]

Welcome!

-Drew

 

[Laura]

hello...
I would get rid of the sand.... it causes impactions when they accidently eat it...

 

[ascott]

I personally think that moreover the 2 year age has to do with folks will rehome them at a young age due to "accidental" copulation between male/female in captive situations--and suddenly folks find that they have large amounts of babies and no way to maintain/house a large number of them....so they get rehomed early on....sometimes several times...mortality applies to I would suppose every species if you think about it....

I would remove the sand from the indoor enclosure as well (and if the outdoor enclosure has alot of sand I would remove and back fill with dirt---especially since you have a small tort and the small torts sometimes will not be the most precise and efficient strikers for their food...so sand consumption is increased during eating---

I would do a daily warm water soak that lasts for at least half an hour but an hour is better (well, for my preference anyways )

I would offer a WARM humid hide in the enclosure (and not let the temp drop ever below 80 in that humid hide--ever) and not generally soak the substrate in the rest of the enclosure...if you want to generate a little humidity then you can simply pour a touch of warm water in the substrate DIRECTLY under the heat lamp/source but not in the entire enclosure....while some may disagree () high constant humidity, in my opinion, should not be the sole environment for this species....I do promote offering a warm humid hide as an option for them as they absolutely do need the resource at their disposal...

Make sure that you have a basking spot that reaches about 100 degrees and also a cooler dry spot along with the warm humid hide...this will allow your tort to regulate within each climate and also move between each as needed...

Again, this is just my opinion.....I would not mist more than once a day at the warmest time of the day...this species does like water so a shallow flip proof source of water that they can walk up to and drink from should be available most days of the week....along with the daily soaks....

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[mainey34]

Welcome. You have such a cute little one. I to would be obsessed..