Recently rescued two Sulcata Tortoise

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SamanthaM88

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Hello!

My name is Samantha and my roommate and I recently rescued two Sulcata Tortises from a lady in Dallas, Texas. I live in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

We have all types of weather here. Currently they live in a larger aquarium with lots of reptile bark and a half log to hid under and a heating pad on the bottom of the tank. They are small, possibly 2 inches each. We have also started an outside enclosure for them by taking four two by fours and connecting them and closing that with chicken wire. There are two pie pans dug into the ground for water and grass and sand to dig/explore in. They spend as much time as possible outside at least an hour a day .

We are feeding them a mixture of greens/grass with a sprinkle of reptile calcium daily.

I dont know much else to do for them so any suggestions would be welcome as I am an animal lover and want to give each of my pets the best life possible!

Im so excited to learn and create more for them!

Thanks for helping me by welcoming the next two to my zoo!

--Shitzu (Chapis)
--Yorkie (Chevy)
-- Dachshund (Dori)
--Bichon (Cooper)
-- Black Moor (Weezy)
-- Fancy Goldfish (Trina)
-- Sulcata Tortoises ( Two un-named as of yet)
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome.

Click the links in my signature for hatchling sulcata info.

Heating pads are potentially dangerous. You need over head heat from an incandescent bulb for basking. Set it on a timer for about 12 hours a day and adjust the height of the fixture so that the temp directly under the bulb is around 100. Then run a ceramic heating element on a thermostat to maintain ambient temps at 80, day and night.

Sulcatas hatch into the rainy season in Africa. They need it hot and humid. They also need drinking water and abundant food.

They need daily soaks in a tall sided tub with shallow warm water. Your pie pans are too deep and slick for tiny babies to use as a water source. Get some 4" terra cotta plant saucers instead.

It would also be best to give each one its own enclosure. Sulcatas don't do well in pairs.

They only need calcium a couple of times a week with a good diet. Everyday is too much.

All of this is explained in more detail in my signature.

Why did they need to be "rescued"? What was wrong?
 

wellington

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Also, sand can be ingested and cause impaction. If its not mixed with dirt or coconut coir, then either mix it or remove it.
 

Maggie and Torie the Tort

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Hello, welcome to the Forum! You are very kind rescuing two Sulcata Tortises! It is always nice to hear someone doing that!
 

samsmom

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hello, welcome and what lucky torts to have such a caring mom!
 

SamanthaM88

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Tom said:
Hello and welcome.

Click the links in my signature for hatchling sulcata info.

Heating pads are potentially dangerous. You need over head heat from an incandescent bulb for basking. Set it on a timer for about 12 hours a day and adjust the height of the fixture so that the temp directly under the bulb is around 100. Then run a ceramic heating element on a thermostat to maintain ambient temps at 80, day and night.

Sulcatas hatch into the rainy season in Africa. They need it hot and humid. They also need drinking water and abundant food.

They need daily soaks in a tall sided tub with shallow warm water. Your pie pans are too deep and slick for tiny babies to use as a water source. Get some 4" terra cotta plant saucers instead.

It would also be best to give each one its own enclosure. Sulcatas don't do well in pairs.

They only need calcium a couple of times a week with a good diet. Everyday is too much.

All of this is explained in more detail in my signature.

Why did they need to be "rescued"? What was wrong?

Thank you so much for the info! We just purchased a new home for them that will hopefully last at least a year!

ImageUploadedByTortForum1374363676.028247.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1374363711.105751.jpg

They now have Eco earth/reptile bark mixture , a new log or hiding spot and lamp. I will look into the terra cotta saucer this evening as I'm trying to get them up and going ASAP!

However the brand of heating lamp/bulb and wattage is confusing.. What exactly do they need?

I hadn't hear they don't do well in pairs!

A family in Dallas was trying to find them a new home or let them to roam in the woods so we rescued them because no one wanted the huge responsibility and didn't want them to die
in the woods.
 
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Laura

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they might still fit in there after a year,, but possibly not.. start planning for bigger now.. HA!
outside as much as possible.. sun with shade, and be sure its level so they cant sneak under the 2x4.
 

ShreksMom

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Hello and welcome. I too am a new sulcata mom although my boy is 16 and weighs about 60lbs. I can let you know what you may be in for in years to come.... LOL.
 

mainey34

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Hello and welcome...you will need a uvb/uva bulb, not the coil type bulb. A (che) Ceramic Heat Emitter. This emits heat only, not light. You will need to get your humidity 80% and above..ambient temp 80* and above basking temp. 100-110. Never let your temp go below 80% you may want to look into a humid hide...
 

oknursedana

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Welcome! I live in Edmond so it will be great to have a local person to bouncy ideas off of.
 
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