Newbie here, and trying to do right by my little Doris

[Doris]

I live in dubai, and am wondering about keeping my baby sulcata outside all the time. It gets hot here real hot, in the summer, and I have been bringing her inside so she doesn't cook in her shell. We keep the house at 24 degrees Celsius. Is that warm enough for her? Or is she really better outside? and this is her outside home the temperatures here in the summer can average about 40 Celsius outside. So many other questions, but thought I would start with that one

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Read Toms threads below on raising Sullies. Your baby should get outside for 30-60 minutes a day, making sure it has enough shade and water a available. The sand you have in the enclosure should be replaced. Sand can cause impaction. If you can get coconut coir or cypress mulch, that would be better. If not, mix the sand with plain dirt. 80% dirt to 20% sand. Also provide water 24/7 and soak in warm water daily for 30 minutes. An 80% humidity is needed with temps so lower then 80 and a basking spot of 95-100.

 

[Doris]

So in your opinion, the little blue dish is not enough for a little pool for her? I should get a bigger one? And yeah, I finally read the care sheet, and realized sand was the worst. So glad I found this site, cause I think she is too dry based on what I have read. The humidity outside is pretty high, but it's only 60% humidity today, so betting that it isn't enough on a daily basis.

 

[wellington]

Oops, sorry. I thought those were mushrooms in the blue dish After you post I looked again and made the pic bigger and then noticed they were shells. The dish does look big enough. However, you should bury it so the top is level with the top of the substrate.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "Doris" and welcome to the Forum!!

It might help if you had some plants in there. Like Barb said, change the substrate to something you can keep moist...add a few plants (plants keep it more humid) and make sure the little habitat is always in the shade. The weather where I live is in the upper 90'sF sometimes jumping up to 100F or so, and all my tortoises are outside all the time. They have plenty of shade, lots of plants and bushes to hide under, and when it gets real hot, I turn on the misters over their habitats.

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome...your sulcata will do fine in your temps. As long as you keep your humidity up. And keep shade available. You dont want Your Temp to go below 80* it gets to 115* f where i am, i spray my sulcata often, but she is 3 years old. Just remove the sand and the aspen bedding and replace with appropriate bedding and you will have a happy sulcata. Just remember plenty of greens, exercise, hydration, and humidity...

 

[Doris]

I just can't stop smiling, my little Doris is in her "hide" that I put some water into yesterday. I have poured some water into the little enclosure I have and put it outside so she is finally warm again, lol. And added another water dish. Just until I get a mister, cause those I know I can find! And of course better substrate. If I get soil, and plant in it, and put some moss down, with some large rocks, think that would do for her? I'm thinking if I get a mister and have it on all the time in the summer, during the day, she will be happy. Wait, I think I saw that I should have the mister on during the night instead? So much info, trying to take in all at once.

 

[Doris]

her new home, what do you think? I also bought a mister, although she doesn't seem to like it much. She turns and runs for her hide when I start spraying lol. I have to put shells in her water dish, cause she is too little to make it over the ledge after she is done soaking.

 

[kanalomele]

Welcome to TFO.

 

[shanu303]

Hello and Welcome to TFO!! shells is really beautiful

 

[Doris]

Hi thanks, quick question, is it ok for the soil to be in her neck folds?