Pyramiding?

[Dizisdalife]

Chuck came to me about 3 months ago. The previous owner got him as a hatchling about a year ago and then decided he could not care for him. So he is about a year old, is 3.5 inches long and weighs 106 grams. Chuck is alert and active. He eats and drinks and although he isn't pooping as often as I think he should right now I believe he is in good health. I would like any advice you can give me on his shell condition.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Joe:

He actually looks in pretty good shape. My GUESS is that the previous owner didn't feed him very often and that's why he's fairly smooth. With a little more hydration and humidity, you won't even notice that he's not perfectly smooth in a couple more months.

You've lucked out. You got a nice little tortoise who is past the danger/hatchling stage.

Warm water soaks usually make my babies poop.

 

[Laura]

I would think he should be bigger,, but that will change quickly with good food and calcium. He looks good.
Make sure he gets a good variety of dark green leafy lettuce, weeds, and plenty of real sunshine when the weather improves.
Keep him warm and damp.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Thanks. I soak him every day and keep his enclosure humid. The substrate is coconut coir. Working on a diet that gets calcium into him. Mostly he eats Santa Barbara Mix plus I have some ZooMed Grassland Tortoise pellets. I soften those with water and add calcium and vitamins to it and some squash or pumpkin so that he will eat it. I also feed him fresh dandelions and grasses.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sounds like you're on the right track.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Thanks everyone. I love this forum. About twenty-five years ago my kids and I adopted some California Desert tortoises through the San Diego Tortoise Society. There was no internet, no forums, and not a lot of available information. Just a monthly meeting with some helpful, if not always available, rescuers/breeders to talk to. I am sure many of you experienced something like that in the past.

 

[Shelly]

Thanks everyone. I love this forum. About twenty-five years ago my kids and I adopted some California Desert tortoises through the San Diego Tortoise Society.

Do you still have them?

 

[Tom]

Sounds like you're doing everything right Joe. Just wanted to emphasize sunshine and the great outdoors as much as possible, when the weather permits.

You might also want to start planting your own food supply right now too. Grape vines, hibiscus, roses, rose of sharon, a fruitless mulberry tree, if you've got the room for it, and lots of spineless opuntia cactus. In a couple of years you'll need a ton of food and this stuff is all good. It takes 3-12 months of "weathering" and new growth before you should begin feeding off of this stuff, so I like to get a head start early.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Thanks everyone. I love this forum. About twenty-five years ago my kids and I adopted some California Desert tortoises through the San Diego Tortoise Society.

Do you still have them?

No, Shelly, I haven't keep tortoises for over ten years now. Now I have the space and the time to enjoy these creatures once again

 

[tortoises101]

Have you checked out Tom's caresheet on sulcatas hatclings? Very very helpful indeed.

As for feeding, I think that the Zoomed Grassland diet is a bit boring for tortoises. You can mix some leafy greens/weeds in with the pellets, add a dash of calcium powder and a flower or two if you like. That mix is readily eaten and enjoyed by most tortoises.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Have you checked out Tom's caresheet on sulcatas hatclings? Very very helpful indeed.

As for feeding, I think that the Zoomed Grassland diet is a bit boring for tortoises. You can mix some leafy greens/weeds in with the pellets, add a dash of calcium powder and a flower or two if you like. That mix is readily eaten and enjoyed by most tortoises.

Thanks. I try to follow Tom's care sheet as closely as I can.

I have had a difficult time coaxing this tort to eat the Zoo Med Grassland diet. He only eats it when it is mixed with some banana squash. I have recently got some Mazuri pellets and he loves them. Mostly he eats the greens that I feed him.