Newbie :)

[Dudley The Sulcata]

I am getting a juvenile (?) sulcata, he is 5 inches in diameter. I have a few questions. His current owner is not feeding him a proper diet. right now it consists of collards, kale, and romaine with vitamin supplements once a week. If he won't willingly take the grasses, weeds, leaves, and flowers, how do I wean him onto the new diet? I live in a semi-arid environment, will the grass in my yard have enough calcium or do I need to feed him supplements? My yard was just treated, how long before it's safe for him to eat the grass? I can see his shell starting to pyramid! Is this due to poor humidity levels or poor diet? When will he be big enough to live in my backyard? In Texas winter weather is crazy! It was 80 yesterday and 30 with sleet today! When he starts living in my back yard how do I keep him warm in winter? Is dog poop toxic to tortoises? If I'm taking him out every day ( that it is not freezing) do I need to get uv lights? And what do y'all think about soaking ( I've heard those both for and against)? Sorry for all the questions, but I really need to know! Thanks!

 

[wellington]

Hello,and Welcome. No on the yard grass for about 3-4 months unless you get lots of rain. Pyramiding can be from diet and humidity, give him the humidity though and he should start growing smoother. Yes, soakings are good. At that size, 2-3 times a week should be good. If he gets outside 3-4 times a week for an hour or more, no, you don't need UVB for indoors. For the diet change, chop up his diet he is on now. Do the same for the new stuff you want to add in. Spritz with water. The water will make the food stick together. The small chop will make it hard for him to be picky.
I think I hit most of your questions. Also, read Toms threads below in my post for a better understanding of how a sully should be started out and house until approx. 8 inches or so.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum. Congrats on getting a sulcata. They are a fun and interesting tortoise to raise. Most of you questions are answered in the Important Thread section at the top of this section. Texas is a great place to keep sulcata and you should have no trouble building a heated shed for those cold nights and days. Usually by the time they are about 10 inches SCL they are ready to live outside full time. Before that they should be getting lots of outdoor time when weather permits. Pyramiding is caused by growth in dry conditions. You need to always have water available for them. Soaking daily is recommended.

You should keep your tortoise off the treated yard for now. Not sure what it was treated with, but that is not a good thing. If you are looking to have him outside then remove the grass from that area. It might take six months to a year for the chemicals to clear out.

 

[Dudley The Sulcata]

Thank You both! You were both of much help!

 

[Tom]

Every one of these questions is a matter of opinion and preference. I will share mine:
1. For the diet: Keep feeding him what he's used to but introduce very small amounts of very finely chopped new foods. Mix it all in thoroughly. Over time gradually up the ration of new food to old. You can also start him on Mazuri and mix in the chopped new foods with Mazuri. Most of them really like the Mazuri after having it a few times, so its an easy way to mix in the new stuff. Here is a diet sheet: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
2. Calcium: There is no way for us to know the calcium content of your grass. The safe bet is to supplement with a little pinch of calcium a couple times a week. This amount will be enough if there is a shortcoming in the diet, but it won't be too much if he doesn't need it. You can also leave cuttle bones in the enclosures so he can choose to eat more calcium if he feels the need.
3. Lawn treatment: Treated with what? If its just fertilizer, water heavily for a couple of weeks and makes sure there is no remaining fertilizer pieces (like the visible little granules that some people use). Once it soaks in and the tortoise cannot eat actual fertilizer, it will be fine. If it was treated with pesticide or "weed n' feed" then I would not allow the tortoise access to it for at least one year. Some of that stuff is systemic and it lasts in the plants tissues for a very long time.
4. Pyramiding: It is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Diet and other factors can play a contributing role in some cases. For example: Feeding a high level of protein, like dog or cat food, while housing the tortoise in overly dry conditions will cause accelerated pyramiding, as well as other internal problems. See the care sheet at the top of the sulcata page for how to set them up and combat pyramiding.
5. Housing them outside: At 5"+, I like to leave them outside all day, weather permitting, but still have them sleep inside in their warm humid enclosures. I move them outside full time with heated houses at about 8-10". Here are three ways to do that:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-86632.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-28662.html
6. Dog poo: It can be toxic if your dogs are treated with certain meds like heartworm preventative. Even if it isn't outright toxic, your tortoise should not have access to it. Its not good for them to be eating it.
7. You do not need indoor artificial UV if your tortoise is getting regular sunshine. Totally fine if you need to skip a few weeks in a row in winter as long as the tortoise gets lots of sunshine the rest of the time.
8. I would soak a 5" tortoise 3-4 times a week.
9. You didn't ask but, Dogs: Do not leave your tortoise and dog unsupervised ever. Do not trust the dog ever. Tortoises are chew toys to dogs and this cannot be "trained" out of them. Fine for them to be together if your dog is well behaved and on voice commands and you are right there directly watching. They should have have their own areas and not have access to each other otherwise.

 

[Dudley The Sulcata]

Thanks Tom! Will store bought foods vegetables work for the time being? Its winter so I can't grow much of anything... As far as the pyramiding goes, I really like the look of a smooth tortoise ( I'm a bit of a perfectionist! hah) , will the pyramiding go away or will it always be there? When I take him/her outside how do I keep track of him without having to stay out there the whole time? I thought a kiddie pool? should I plant grass or something in it? Also, is it fine to use tap water to soak him?

 

[Dudley The Sulcata]

Thanks guys! Will store bought foods work to feed him? That is, until I'm able to plant something. Also as far a pyramiding goes, I really like the look of a smooth tortoise shell, with proper care will the pyramiding go away? And while I take him outside how do I keep track of him without having to be out there the whole time? I thought about using a kiddie pool.. Should I plant something in it?

 

[Tom]

Please read the diet sheet above. In it are several ways to improve the grocery store greens. Adding some "Herbal Hay", or some "Salad Style", or mixing in some soaked ZooMed Grassland pellets will help tremendously, as will sprouting and mixing in some chopped grass.

Pyramiding cannot be erased once it is there. And bringing it to a halt can sometimes take years, depending on how badly the pattern for it is established. I would not worry about this. Give him the best care and diet possible and once he is a large adult it will be barely noticeable.

You need a large outdoor enclosure. Your tortoise is past the kiddie pool stage. Here is just one idea: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html

If the tap water in your area is safe for you to drink then it is safe for your tortoise to drink and soak in.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I have a "Dudley" too. Mine weighs about 110lbs now.

 

[Yvonne Thompson]

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[Yvonne G]

Something tells me that Yvonne T. just made a butt post to the Forum on her smart phone!

 

[Dudley The Sulcata]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I have a "Dudley" too. Mine weighs about 110lbs now.

So Cool! I can't wait until my Dudley gets that big!!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Something tells me that Yvonne T. just made a butt post to the Forum on her smart phone!

Nice Yvonne. Nice. LOL