New Sulcata

[lMorphine]

Hello guys,

I just recently purchased a pair of hatchling sulcatas from lancecham. Who by the way is quite awesome. But back to the tortoises. I kept one and gave the other to a family member who was in the market for a new tortoise.

Lighting: 60W Zoomed MVB, 60W CHE
Diet: Spring Mix, Wheat Grass, Mazuri, Cactus Pads.
Substrate: Coco fiber and some type of snake aspen.
Temps: 100 under basking, 90 on hot/warm side and 75-80 on cool side
Humidity: 70-100% changes throughout the day depending on when I spray him

My question is when I soak him, he does not poop. To be honest, I haven't seen him poop since I got him. There is nothing in his cage, I think he is eating it. However I cannot be sure. Should I just leave him be?

 

[Tom]

Mine take about two weeks after they start really eating to poop. Are they older than two weeks?

The aspen bedding worries me. You aren't supposed to have that stuff damp.

They don't make a 60 MVB. Did you mean 160?

I think 75 is too cool. I shoot for 80.

How are you measuring humidity?

 

[lMorphine]

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I believe they are older than 2 weeks. Also yes you are correct, I meant a 100W MVB. As far as the aspen bedding, Im not sure what the correct term is. Its sort of like wood chips but its not as hard as wood chips and not as soft as aspen bedding. I also do not keep that wet as I use it directly under his basking bulb to keep in some heat. His coco fiber is on the cool side with his humid hide which is kept damp. Also, as far as the cool side being 75, how would you recommend getting it up? Should I adjust the mvb bulb? Thanks Tom. I also included a picture for you, of him outside eating, right after he arrived.

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Also I'm using a digital and analog system to measure temp and humidity. I also use a temp gun to measure temp if need be. Usually the humidity is less than a 5% difference between the digital and analog.

 

[Dizisdalife]

One way to raise temps is to cover the top, or most of the top, of your enclosure. It would also help stabilize the humidity by holding it in. Another thought is to increase the wattage of the CHE. If you close the enclosure you might not need to increase the CHE. I would put it on a thermostat to prevent the ambient temp from rising too much beyond the 80 - 85 range.

I suspect that as winter rolls around and the house heating starts kicking in and drying out the air inside your home the humidity levels in your enclosure will become an issue. A closed chamber type enclosure will really help in that case.

 

[wellington]

Incase you need a refresher or if you have t read them at all yet. Toms threads are below in my post for raising smooth sulcatas.