Shell hardness & humidity

[DonaTello's-Mom]

How can I help my 1yr sulcata's shell to get harder? Humidity helps (from what I've read here) and CA, anything else?
My other question is should I keep the whole enclosure moist (humid) or is it enough to keep just the hide humid? I have been keeping the whole enclosure humid by lightly misting the substrate and stirring it around 2 times a day. I'm a new keeper of torts so of course I have lots of questions, but you've all been great.

Here's a picture of him..We have only had DonnaTello for 3 weeks, I want him/she to be happy and healthy!!

Does the bottom of the shell look normal?

 

[egyptiandan]

The 3 things a tortoise needs to build bones is Calcium, Phosphorus and vitamin D. If your providing all 3 of this things, the shell will be hard and grow well. Humidity helps with preventing your tortoise from becoming dehydrated.
Your sulcata's plastron looks fine. They get the pinkish cast when they are growing. Your sulcata also happens to be a male.

Danny

 

[Livingstone]

Your tort needs a calcium supplement.
What type of light bulb are you using?

Please post your setup, bulb type, and substrate specific. From there we can work out what needs tweaking.

 

[TortieGal]

Keep a cuttle bone in with him so he can bite on it anytime he wants. My Sulcata bites on his almost everyday.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

I've been really good about keeping his home humid (his hide box). I use "bed a beast" mixed with 'organic" top soil. Spag moss and timothy hay for his bedding. I have the 100 watt zoo-med powersun UVB/heat bulb (cost me $80 at petco, choke). And then the heat lamp at night. He's fed grass and weeds from my yard with vitamins and calicum added, there's always a dish full of fresh weeds and grass to eat. He's soaked 4 times a week and put outside to graze when the weathers nice. He does have a cuttle bone.
We're so happy it's boy! Thanks egyptiandan for letting me know! So I guess he's in a growing stage (pink) like you said? Oh I almost forgot, just built his new enclosure. I took the bookcase idea from here and ran with it. Still tweaking it though. It's 4 foot long and 2 feet wide. he's walking all over the place, our little DonnaTello!

P.S-I think I'm sick. I'm now completly obsessed with torts! My horse friends keep looking at me like I've gone mad. I'm picking weeds all over the barn....

 

[Nobody]

If I may ask,how big is your baby Sulcata?
Thanks.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Hi Nobody, he's 4 inches. Little itty bitty guy.

 

[Tom]

Humidity doesn't make the shell harder, it helps to prevent pyramiding. A soft shell would be a symptom of Metabolic Bone Disease, something totally different. Whether to use just a humid hide box or humidify the whole enclosure kind of depends on where you live. I have to cover the top, keep the substrate wet, use a humid hide box and humidify the whole room just to keep it around 50% (You should be striving for 70-80%). Its is very dry where I live and the other reptile heat lamps dry it out even more. If you live in a more humid area or your house just retains humidity better, you should not have to go to these extremes. Either way I would recommend you soak more often. I like daily or every other day for youngin's, but others prefer less. It also depends on diet, humidity, how much he drinks on his own, etc...Soaking them too often won't hurt anything.

Your diet sounds great. I think variety is important and I feed mine all kinds of stuff. I've got about 10 species of weeds that I know are safe, grasses, two kinds of cactus and cactus fruits, and occasional store bought greens and veggies too. Just recently I've started feeding some occasional Mazuri tortoise pellets too. When he gets a little bigger, you can also start using grass hay, like what they use for horses.

The best way I've found to make sure their shell and bones stay healthy is to get them out in the sun as much as you can. A safe outdoor pen is great for sun and exercise, both of which are extremely beneficial for Sulcatas. I would go so far as to say, they are necessary. They need this and a good diet and mother nature will take care of the rest. The bulb you are using is the best you can do to get them through the colder months, when outside isn't possible. When they aren't getting regular sunshine, I like to use a calcium supplement with vitamin D3 in it. When they are getting sun I use a plain calcium supplement with no D3 added. The above mentioned cuttle bone also works, but mine never touched them, probably because they already had enough calcium from my supplementation. I usually supplement 2 or 3 times a week, in small amounts, sprinkled on the food.

Please keep the questions coming. All of us would like to watch your boy grow up big and healthy.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Thanks so much Roachman26. I live in California, central coast about 10 miles from the beach. Humidity is rarely and problem here but it sure can wreck a girls hairdo! I feel much better knowing I'm getting on the right track for him. I'll keep everyone updated on his progress.

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Thanks so much Roachman26. I live in California, central coast about 10 miles from the beach. Humidity is rarely a problem here but it sure can wreck a girls hairdo! I feel much better knowing I'm getting on the right track for him. I'll keep everyone updated on his progress.