"Newb" from So-Cal - Introducing Professor Chaos the Sulcata

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Biff Malibu

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This is my baby Sulcata Tortoise "Professor Chaos" taking his soak for the day.

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I joined the site because from what I read online and hear from people - There is a lot of conflicting information regarding Sulcata Tortoise care.

I currently feed it (obviously I don't know the sex, but I'm going to refer to it as a him until more is revealed) - Red Leaf lettuce and timothy hay with hibiscus. I soak him 3x a week for 15-20 minutes and use repti-safe in the water. I also sprinkle a little bit of calcium on the days that I soak him as well.

I know he is going to get big (hopefully not over 150 lbs. but I know that's possible) - I did do research before getting one and have accepted the commitment. Right now I keep him in a 40 gal tank with vita-sand. It has a daylight and heat lamp.

When he get's bigger I plan to do some custom tortoise condo construction or I may retrofit a rubbermaid shed. The important part to me will be making it comfortable for him, and also safe - pertaining to the heating element.
 

ascott

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Welcome to the Forum :D very pretty baby :tort:

I would suggest that you revisit the choice to use vita sand :D. This can prove a difficult substrate for proper leg muscle formation....as well as it increases the risk of impaction....organic fertilizer free soil, coco coir or soil grade peat moss work really well....some folks will even do a mix of like 75% soil substrate with 25% sand mixed in...I personally just prefer no sand....especially with a growing baby....
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Bif Malibu:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Cute baby, but ditch the sand!!

What would you like us to call you?
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome.

Definitely ditch the sand.
Dry hay is more for older tortoises. If you want him to eat hay now, switch to orchard grass or bermuda grass, put it in a blender and rehydrate it first.
The red leaf and hibiscus leaves are good, but now go find about 10 or 20 other things to feed too.
I would soak every day for the next 5 months or so.
Does he have a humid hide box?
Has anyone told you yet that "desert" conditions are horrible for babies?

If you click on the links in my signature below, you might find some helpful info.
 

Arizona Sulcata

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RE: "Newb" from So-Cal - Introducing Professor Chaos the Sulcata

Welcome!
I agree with Tom, lose the sand. It's one of the worst things for these tortoises.
 

Peaches bts

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Welcome. Take out the sand. Try mazuri, some members sell it or u can get it at the feed store. They love that stuff. Let him get some sun, even just an hour a day.
 

Biff Malibu

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Tom said:
Hello and welcome.

Definitely ditch the sand.
Dry hay is more for older tortoises. If you want him to eat hay now, switch to orchard grass or bermuda grass, put it in a blender and rehydrate it first.
The red leaf and hibiscus leaves are good, but now go find about 10 or 20 other things to feed too.
I would soak every day for the next 5 months or so.
Does he have a humid hide box?
Has anyone told you yet that "desert" conditions are horrible for babies?

If you click on the links in my signature below, you might find some helpful info.

1 - To everybody - Ditching the sand today. Thanks for the heads up. Going with coco coir or peat moss.
2 - I know of a lot of other things I CAN feed it. That information is pretty available. I haven't quite figured out the proper portions relative to body size or how varied its diet should be. Different green every day? Greens and carrots? (looking at you link after I finish typing this).
3 - Will soak everyday as recommended.
4 - He has a hide log - although its not 'humid' (or any more humid than the rest of the tank). My humidity sensor says its 51% in there, but it would be hard to measure if the humidity is higher within his hide log. This is a good thing to talk about. It seems that there is debate as to whether you should put a water dish in its terrarium or not. Some people say no - you should only soak it because a water dish could lead to respiratory problems.


*** Headed to the pet store and getting some lunch. BBL. Glad too see this is an active forum! Thanks everyone!
 

Tom

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Responses by the numbers:
1. Woo hoo! Good news!
2. Feed him as much as he'll eat. If conditions are correct, this is no problem. If conditions are wrong then feeding light will only make him pyramid slower and end up stunted.
3. Woohoo! again. :)
4. He needs a humid hide and he needs a water bowl. These are NOT animals that need "desert" conditions, even though they can survive them for a while. They hatch in the wild during the hot wet humid rainy season. There are puddles and marshes every where, it rains all the time, and it makes Florida or Louisiana humidity seem mild. I have kept them absolutely swampy and wet for years. No URTI and no shell rot. You don't have to go to that extreme, just know that even at that extreme, nothing bad happens and the sky does not fall. The only thing that will make them sick with humidity is getting cold and damp at the same time. Keep him war, Even at night. I shoot for 80. Once he is arond a year old, you can greatly relax with all this, but the first few weeks and months are CRITICAL.
 

Biff Malibu

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How exactly do I create a humid hide hole exactly?

I put Coco Coir in his tank 20 minutes ago, and it obviously able to hold more moisture than sand - therefore that should increase the humidity a good amount.

The log he has fits him now but he will soon outgrow it. I like this one - its a 12x8x4 and relatively cheap.

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What do I need to do to make this his humid-turtle-man-cave?


*** BTW another member asked what to call me - My real name is AJ - You can call me AJ or Biff - whichever you prefer.
 

Biff Malibu

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How exactly do I make his humid hide hole? I'm getting a new 12x8x4 shell shaped hideout. The log he has fits him now, but I'm sure he will outgrow it soon.
 
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