Question on new baby sulcata

[Daveh219]

Hello everyone,

I recently just received a baby sulcata. It is about 3-4 inches in shell length. My question is she won't eat hay or grass. She only eats dark leafy greens..I know she is supposed to have a high fiber low protein diet which is why I was trying to get her to eat the timothy hay but she refuses to eat it. I would appreciate any advice anyone has on this.

Also, I was wondering on basking light. I have a tortoise table I made for her that is 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. the sides height is 2 feet tall and it has no top since no predators can get to her. I was wondering what size basking bulb would be right to use?

 

[dmarcus]

Most hatchlings won't eat the hay or grass, just keep feeding the greens or spring mix they have all that the little one needs and as he/she get bigger the hay may become something they crave. my hatchling will not touch Timothy hay but will graze on grass if it's outside enjoying the sun.

I am not an expert on bulb's so someone will help with that, I am sure soon..

 

[DeanS]

Welcome Dave! You'll find a wealth of info here from a lot of seasoned keepers! Here is the BEST place for you to start!

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1KqoVoyWv

 

[dmarcus]

O yeah I forgot, welcome to the forum..

 

[Daveh219]

Alright, thank you guys. I appreciate the information and the help. I have a russian tortoise as well and just wasn't sure on the diet. I"ll keep feeding her the spring mix, I found at Wal-Mart? I believe.

 

[Floof]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on your new Sullie! They can be loads of fun!

On the basking light: There are a great deal of factors that come into play when it comes to what wattage gets what temperature. Things like your room's ambient temperature and even humidity can factor in. So does how far from the substrate you plan to have the lamp, what kind of bulb, and how you plan to mount it (i.e., if you have it mounted at an angle, you need a higher wattage bulb since most of the heat is reflecting off, where if you have it pointed straight down, you can get away with a lower wattage bulb).

You might be able to get an idea based on what other people with similar set ups and house temperatures use, but, in the end, the only sure-fire way is do a little experimenting and find out what works for you.

 

[coreyc]

Welcome Dave I use a Powersun 100 watt that should work for you are you able to get her outside ?

 

[DeanS]

Welcome Dave I use a Powersun 100 watt that should work for you are you able to get her outside ?

I second that!

 

[TortieLuver]

Babies tend to like to graze outside and pull the grass themselves or have fresh grass cut and mixed with a spring mix. Try that, as not many like the dry/hay grass.

 

[Jacob]

Welcome, Babies usally wont eat hay for a couple years!
and Buy spring mix from the grocery store, and slowly mix in other greens, such as
grass etc! So he gets the taste for it

I Use a Exoterra 125 watt uvb and heat,
as well with a 100w heat lamp at night!

 

[Daveh219]

Alright, thank you everyone for the quick responses. I really appreciate it. I just want him/her to grow properly.

I have the lights mounted on the top of the enclosure. They are not at an angle, except the heat lamp for night time. I have a 100 watt heat night lamp for her and a 10.0 uvb. I was using a 150 watt basking light but wasn't sure if that was too warm or not.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

If your 10.0 light is a coil light you need to stop using it immediately. They cause serious eye damage. Make sure your UVB light is pointing straight down. Everybody has already given you great info so I won't repeat it. Add some other stuff to the Spring Mix, like endive, escarole, collards, kale, hibiscus blooms grape leaves and mulberry leaves. Add different stuff like that and your baby will be getting a good diet. Put her outside as often as you can, she needs the sun and don't worry about the hay, she will eat that in time...

 

[Floof]

I have the lights mounted on the top of the enclosure. They are not at an angle, except the heat lamp for night time. I have a 100 watt heat night lamp for her and a 10.0 uvb. I was using a 150 watt basking light but wasn't sure if that was too warm or not.

At 2 feet above the tortoise, the 10.0 isn't going to be doing much, if any, good. They really need to be within 6-12" to have the best effect, and even then they don't always put out quite "enough" UVB. You'll need to either lower the UVB bulb or get a good MVB (I second the Powersun suggestion) to use in place of the basking light.

Of course, this is assuming the 10.0 is a standard tube. Like Maggie already said, if it's a compact bulb, it's safest to just get rid of it. They've been known to cause serious eye and health problems.

Do you have thermometers in the enclosure? If not, you'll need to get one or two to know the temperature in the enclosure. I like infrared thermometers, like the PE-1 "temp gun," because you can point it at any spot in the enclosure and instantly know the surface temperature. If you go the way of a regular thermometer that you just leave in the enclosure, digital "indoor/outdoor" thermometers from the department store work like a charm. You can set the probe/"outdoor" sensor under the basking light and know that temperature, and put the unit itself (which measures the "indoor" temp) on the cool side so you know the air temperature there, too. Both of these are important to know for your tortoise's health.

 

[Daveh219]

Alright then. I will have to stop using the compact uvb light. Not sure how to use a strip light in the enclosure....so I will probably just look into the Powersun since it combines both the UVA and UVB lighting. Is the 100 watt infrared night light too warm or will a 75 work?

 

[DeanS]

No...you'll want the 100W.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Dave:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know where you are?

 

[Daveh219]

Yes, I am located in Indiana.

 

[Tom]

Alright then. I will have to stop using the compact uvb light. Not sure how to use a strip light in the enclosure....so I will probably just look into the Powersun since it combines both the UVA and UVB lighting. Is the 100 watt infrared night light too warm or will a 75 work?

Hi Dave, and welcome to the forum.

Any wattage will work, you just have to adjust the height to get the temps you want. I use 35-50watt regular incandescent flood bulbs from the hardware store since my torts get sun almost every day. Since yours will be indoors most of the year, I'd use the 160 watt flood bulb. Since you have such a large enclosure, it will heat a greater area than a 100 watt spot bulb.
With your night bulb, if 75 watts keeps it warm enough, according to your temp probes and infrared temp gun, then you don't need a 100. If its too cool with a 75 then try switching to a 100. Everyone's houses and enclosures are different, so the only way to know what works in YOUR home is to check it with good thermometers and make the proper adjustments.

As others have already said, grass hay will usually only be eaten by bigger ones. However, you can chop it up finely with scissors, sprinkle a little on your greens and weeds, and spray it with some water to re-hydrate it. This will get them used to it and make them much more likely to eat it later on.

Next subjects are a humid hide box, and an outdoor pen for sunshine and exercise.

 

[Daveh219]

Alright thanks Tom. I appreciate the advice.

Do you agree that the UVB compact lights are bad for the torts? I used one for my russian for a long time and never heard of them causing eye infections?

 

[Daveh219]

I found the 160 watt powersun bulb. will this be ok? or should I get the 100 watt powersun?