New owner of a large female sulcata
- Thread starter SallytheSulcata
- Start date
Hello and Welcome.
Hi...welcome...how much does she weigh? 40-50 pounds?
Welcome to TFO (Tortoise Forum), As another Sulcata Parent (PeeWee @ 80#) & 4 other Torts, you now have a lil bulldozer. There is a wealth of knowledge here, lots of smart Tort folks. I don't know if you have had Torts before, but be wary of info from other sources (FB). There is a lot if OLD info that is no longer considered viable in regards to their care. I live in the SF Bay Area, Just North of SF, and PeeWee Roams my yard in the spring, summer and Fall. Right not he's hold up in his DogLoo with his heating pad. Been there for a while now, but as the weather warms up, he'll start wandering out..
Once again, Welcome to the Tort Forum!
Once again, Welcome to the Tort Forum!
Hi, and welcome!
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2013
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They say it weighs "roughly 60 pounds" in Post #1. That's a pretty big female.
Hello and welcome!
Do you need any tips on housing and feeding? Do you have a heated night box set to 80+ degrees already? This species needs to be kept warm year round.
Post a pic showing the tail and anal scutes and we can verify that Sally is not more of a Sal, or Sam...
SallytheSulcata
Member
Funny story about that, when we got her we was told that it was a male sulcata but after about 3 days she nested and layed eggs (we was told the eggs were not fertile)
I do have questions about housing more specifically bedding and heating. She's lives outside and I've built her a 4ftx4ft foot house we have a heating pad it the back right corner and a 250w ceramic heating bulb with an auto temperature control set at 85. Question 1 is if I leave the door open at night the house drops to mid 70 is that ok? Question 2 bedding. We have been using top soil inside the house for bedding but I've read that might not be good. What type of bedding is best for them?
I've order cypress mulch but it won't be here for 10 days. I was gonna go get hay and coco coir today and change it out.
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Unfortunately no that is not OK. Start with this thread, which is dense but has lots of info, and look for the link to Tom's Night Box. You will need a more insulated box, with a closable door and a better heating source. Otherwise will be able to advise you more/better, but start here:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
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Also, welcome from LA!
Guess I was studying the picture...lol
SallytheSulcata
Member
We was told she weighs roughly 60lbs but I'm gonna try to weigh her today and will report back my findings
SallytheSulcata
Member
62lbs we just weighed her
SallytheSulcata
Member
Just switched to orchid barkUnfortunately no that is not OK. Start with this thread, which is dense but has lots of info, and look for the link to Tom's Night Box. You will need a more insulated box, with a closable door and a better heating source. Otherwise will be able to advise you more/better, but start here:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
it looks so much nicer!
Is this too much bedding?
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You don't want any substrate over the heat pad - it looks like you have a Zoomed one in there?
You'll want to shut and lock the box at night after she goes to bed for her safety and to keep the heat in
Also, those clamp lamps can be a fire hazard if they're not secured properly. You could get a radiant heat panel to mount on the top of the box instead - like this https://www.reptilebasics.com/80-watt-radiant-heat-panel
Welcome!!
You'll want to shut and lock the box at night after she goes to bed for her safety and to keep the heat in
Also, those clamp lamps can be a fire hazard if they're not secured properly. You could get a radiant heat panel to mount on the top of the box instead - like this https://www.reptilebasics.com/80-watt-radiant-heat-panel
Welcome!!
Stop reading right now and go unplug that CHE. SERIOUSLY! Come back and read after you've unplugged it.
You are on the right track, but you have some serious safety hazards there. Please don't be offended. If no one tells you what is wrong you won't know what to fix, and we don't want to see a disaster.
1. Your box looks great, but you've got to get that substrate out ASAP. You can't use substrate on top of that type of heat mat. It can start a fire. That needs to be removed right away, like tonight. You don't need bedding inside the night box. I just use a thin layer of plain old regular yard dirt. This makes clean up easy, and its very safe. No hay, no substrate, certainly no soil or sand.
2. Several problems with the CHE. First and foremost, you can't use CHEs with large tortoises because they will "slow-burn" the top of the carapace. This damage cannot be fixed once it occurs and this beautiful girl will be permanently scarred from it. CHEs are also not an effective heating strategy for larger torts because they concentrate the heat into too small of an area and it only warms the surface, while not warming the core of the tortoise. The tortoise doesn't feel warm enough inside, so it just sits under the CHE even longer, causing ever more damage. Radiant heat panels are much safer and more effective when used in combination with the heat mat underneath.
The next problem with the CHE is the fixture. Those black plastic bakelite fixtures are not suitable for tortoise use at all, but they definitely cannot handle the heat of even a low wattage CHE. Did you smell something burning in the box with your 250 watt CHE? I wouldn't be surprised if you did. You need ceramic based fixtures for tortoise use because we often have lights on for 12-14 hours a day every single day. Those bakelite fixtures are okay for a low wattage bulb that is occasionally used in the garage or under the hood, but they can't handle the heat of being used all day every day with hot bulbs. I get my ceramic based fixtures with a heavy duty long cord from Home Depot for about $13.
Final problem with the CHE is that the clamps should never be used. They ALWAYS fail. The clamp needs to be removed and the fixture needs to be hung from over head, but you shouldn't be using that type of fixture for this application anyway.
3. The door needs to also be insulated, and it needs to be closed up every night.
4. Sulcatas can't be on concrete. It wears through their feet eventually and you'll see bloody foot prints all over. The larger and heavier they are, the sooner it happens. Cover it with rubber horse stall mats, plywood, dirt, or something else that appeals to you.
Looks like you've already got a great night box, and the 85 degree setting is great for winter, but I'll post these threads just to show you two different, but safe and effective heating strategies:
Single Tortoise Night Box
I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...
tortoiseforum.org
Double Door Night Box
As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...
tortoiseforum.org
Over all, you've done a great job compared to most of the new people we see here. You are already way ahead of the game. Questions are welcome!
SallytheSulcata
Member
Tom thanks for the advice
Ive got all the substrate out took out the CHE, made a better door and I even redid the insulation. Gonna put a RHP in it tomorrow. I'll keep everyone updated and post some better pic of sally soon!!
Ive got all the substrate out took out the CHE, made a better door and I even redid the insulation. Gonna put a RHP in it tomorrow. I'll keep everyone updated and post some better pic of sally soon!!
I would first like to say "Way to Go" ... Not getting offended, making necessary changes this is how 1 becomes a "Successful" tort owner. If you find yourself falling in love with tortoises then you have just came Home .... WELCOME.
I see you are using Tom's night box...I brought a large Sulcata to the PNW from California...he lived here
Mary comes and goes as she wants...
I close the doggie doors at night...inside the shed she has a 'sleeping box' with a pig blanket inside...she takes herself to bed in that box...I know she gets up in the night and roams around the shed...your tort is gonna be closed in that small box? here's the sleeping box
The temp inside the shed is a pretty consistent 85 degrees...There is a plywood insulated floor, every large Sulcata that I have had here has lived in the shed...and they all would get up in the night and go sleep in a corner, or under a 65 watt black light bulb. I just thought I'd show you my set up...
Mary comes and goes as she wants...I close the doggie doors at night...inside the shed she has a 'sleeping box' with a pig blanket inside...she takes herself to bed in that box...I know she gets up in the night and roams around the shed...your tort is gonna be closed in that small box? here's the sleeping box
The temp inside the shed is a pretty consistent 85 degrees...There is a plywood insulated floor, every large Sulcata that I have had here has lived in the shed...and they all would get up in the night and go sleep in a corner, or under a 65 watt black light bulb. I just thought I'd show you my set up...
