Review and critique please!

[Tort_nube]

Hello everyone I've been on this forum a ton lately gaining as much knowledge as possible. My user name is extremely accurate I am a nube when it comes to tortoises and I receive my little sulcata tortoise hatchling tomorrow morning from backwater reptiles. Regardless of your opinions on backwater reptiles I am confident I will be receiving a beautiful baby tort tomorrow and I ask anyone now to review this simple habitat I have put together and critique it harshly please. The pickier the better. I live in Illinois. The weather during the day is usually in the 80's this time of year and once in awhile in the 90's. Plants in the pool are simply dandelions and I have some cat grass growing as well. I realize I need a food and water dish still! Thank you.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. You do have an indoor enclosure too correct? If you are getting a Sulcata hatchling, he really needs to spend most of his days in a closed chamber humid hide. Read atoms threads below in my post for the info on humidity, temps and closed chamber. This outside enclosure is fine for an hour or two a day outside but lots of shade is needed as hatchlings over heat very quickly.

 

[Tort_nube]

Hello and Welcome. You do have an indoor enclosure too correct? If you are getting a Sulcata hatchling, he really needs to spend most of his days in a closed chamber humid hide. Read atoms threads below in my post for the info on humidity, temps and closed chamber. This outside enclosure is fine for an hour or two a day outside but lots of shade is needed as hatchlings over heat very quickly.

Thanks for replying and yes I plan on having an inside terrarium as well but because of the cool temperature in my house I'm struggling between where to put the baby tort. Everyone is stressing humidity and heat and I thought outside would be a great place for that heat and humidity the hide box I put in there provides a deep cool place to get away and the coconut coir holds humidity extremely well. I was planning on keeping the baby outside more than just a couple hours per day but I also plan on giving the hatchling tortoise a nice warm bath everyday for about 10 minutes to rehydrate the baby properly. All in all I was hoping this would workout for the most part for the rest of this month atleast

 

[wellington]

An open top enclosure doesn't do very well and it's almost impossible to keep the humdiity where it needs to be to grow him nice and smooth. One heat source like a CHE for the indoor enclosure is probable all you would need inside for the summer months in a closed chamber. The time he is outside will be enough uv for the summer too. @Tom can help you further.
Are you getting a new hatchling or is it older, do you know? Also, because of the sources reputation, I'm pretty sure the little guy will not have been started out the right way, which means the humidity is that much more important for him. The soaking every day for 20-30 minutes is highly recommended too.

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!! A hatchling tortoise should not be kept outside for more than an hour or two a day...It would be nearly impossible to keep temps where they need to be for a baby tort. Plus, it is really easy for tortoises to overheat and with the sun hitting in different spots during the day you'd need to be there pretty much all the time to monitor the temps and make sure there is adequate shade. A hatchling needs to be kept inside in a warm, humid enclosure. Glad you are here and asking questions and make sure to read the care sheets in the Sulcata section of the forum.