Nova Yearling Pics

[dannomite]

Hey All,

Its been a while since I've been on the forum, hope everyone is doing well. Looks like there is a lot of new members.

Anyways, just thought I'd share some recent pics of Nova...in these pics she is just under a year old. Taken just before Xmas.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Dan:

Glad to see you back posting.

What a beautiful shell. That tortoise looks SO GOOD!!! Can you share your set-up with us. It would be helpful for new sulcata keepers with young sulcatas to know how you've managed to grow such a smooth shell. Also, what part of the world you live in weather-wise.

 

[spikethebest]

OMG SUPER SMOOTH SHELL!!!

please take pics of set up, detailed diet description, lighting, heating, humity %... everything!

mazuri? calcium supplements? substrate?

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Wow what a beauty!! The shell looks perfect!

 

[ChiKat]

What a gorgeous girl!! I agree, share your secrets

 

[Weloveourtortoise]

very good looking!!! you have been doing a great Job!!!

 

[chandlerledray]

Wow, looks great!!

 

[sulcata]

OMG SUPER SMOOTH SHELL!!!

please take pics of set up, detailed diet description, lighting, heating, humity %... everything!

mazuri? calcium supplements? substrate?

im with him!
we need all the details to grow such a smooth shell!

 

[terracolson]

Love the shell

 

[Candy]

Beautiful tortoise. Glad to see you back posting also. Don't stay away so long.

 

[dannomite]

Hey everyone, thanks for the compliments on Nova!! I do my best to provide her with everything she needs and I love her to death....

Sorry it took so long to reply, just been super busy at work. I'll answer a few of the questions, then one day this weekend i'll write up a very detailed care sheet of everything involved with Nova's care, maybe we can speculate what is causing her shell to grow so smooth.

Location: London Ontario Canada (Cold climate right now, not ideal for Sulcatas, and I realize I will have some challenges in the next 5-6 years on creating a large enough place for her to live...but I have some ideas and feel I can be creative/innovative enough to come up with something...or re-locate to a warmer climate if need be...and in all honesty its a challenge I look forward to facing)...in the summer it does get hot here, so Nova does get to go outside late spring, summer and early fall depending on the day.

Food (in order of most fed to least): Zoomed Grassland Tortoise food, Organic Spring Mix, Carrots, then Spring/summer grasses dandelions etc. Would love to try Mazuri, but its hard to get here, might have to order some from Spikethebest soon, if you can PM me prices shipped to Canada that would be great!

Supplements: Calcium +Vit D, a little sprinkle almost every day with 1 or 2 days a week left out...Cuddlebone in the enclosure always

Humidity: I never measure the humidity mostly due to confidence that it is humid enough. My reasoning for this is Nova's soak routine. I soak her for 15 mins every day, and if she doesnt poop in the water I dump the water on the substrate. The substrate is always moist underneath, but dryer on top. And she has a water dish accessible at all times.

Lighting: 160 watt Powersun UVB bulb over basking (gets to about 100 degrees right underneath) and I have a 75 watt heat bulb on the other side just to keep it warm (70 -85 in majority of enclosure)

Enclosure: Will take pics and post sizes, I think its 3 foot by 4 foot..theres also a spycam hooked up so I Can watch her over the net...and she is very active a majority of the day, loves to march around like she owns the place

Substrate: 60% Coir, 40% playsand

I will rewrite this and add more details and post to the Sulcata section when I Get a chance....let me know what you think...it seems to be working out well so far

 

[Tom]

It is sooooo nice to see a smooth sulcata. I'm just not used to it. I'm really looking forward to seeing today's babies growing up. I think that soon pyramiding will be something that used to happen, before we knew better. Thanks for posting pics. Your set-up sounds great!