Sulcata tortoise too small?

[STortois99]

I have two sulcata tortoises, one being 2 years old and the other 1 year old. My older one is roughly 3 inches long and I’m very worried he is way too small and my younger one is roughly 2 inches long. They eat good and are very active and I have been keeping them in a cheap enclosure I made outside and they also get to exercise in the backyard in the grass everyday and they get good sunlight. I also bathe them everyday! Is there something wrong? Anything I can do? Or will they be undersized forever? Help is much appreciated.

 

[wellington]

Are you housing them together? If so get them separated ASAP.
Also they should have been housed in a closed chamber enclosure with 80% humidity and temps never lower than 80.
Sounds like they were housed wrong from the beginning and if in a pair, that all will affect their growth.
They should not live outside 24/7 until 10-12 inches in length.
Get them set up in their own enclosures that is a closed chamber enclosure and get the temps where they should be. 95-100 basking with incandescent flood bulb. 80 all over day and night. UVb not needed if you get them outside around 11:00 2-3 times a week for about 30-60 minutes. Humidity needs to be 80%.
You can get a couple of these to use as the closed chamber and put a tarp under them for the floor.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I'm far from an expert, but from my reading you could have two things being at play here.

Outside full time at that size is not good for them. Second it sounds like they are together. If so the stress of being together is also playing a part in this.

To give you an idea. I do not know 100% when my sulcata hatched. I was told late 2022. So mine at just a year old is 5 3/4 inches well over 700 grams.

Here is a really good link to get you on the right path https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

 

[STortois99]

I'm far from an expert, but from my reading you could have two things being at play here.

Outside full time at that size is not good for them. Second it sounds like they are together. If so the stress of being together is also playing a part in this.

To give you an idea. I do not know 100% when my sulcata hatched. I was told late 2022. So mine at just a year old is 5 3/4 inches well over 700 grams.

Here is a really good link to get you on the right path https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

This is their enclosure although I’ve moved the cave closer to the heat lamps and moved the lamps a couple inches closer to the ground.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

That would be a fine outdoor place for a little bit to get some sun but not a full time place. I have two pools set up outside for mine.

I take them outside when it's about 80F here and sit and watch them roam around eating all the weeds/clover and stuff I have growing for them. But that does not work well for them full time. They need to be in the house all closed up with a closed enclosure or in a greenhouse like the one posted above. I use a greenhouse, made a table to set it on.

So first thing is read that link I posted above, and get them separated. You need two enclosures. They cannot be together, weird I know but they like to be alone or in bigger groups. 80F all over at minimum and 95-100 in the basking area. 80% humidity is also need at all times, the red heat light needs to go too. It's frustrating I know getting all this thrown at you but you came to the right place. I was in your shoes with my first but that little one didn't make it.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_792452-T2/images/I/71XmGWq9bxL._AC_SX522_.jpg

I used this one. I made a 4x8 table to sit it on. Added extra plastic. Each torte had a 4x4 side while they were small, the side of the raised beds made perfect walls so they never saw each other.

 

[wellington]

Yes, everything just about is wrong. Get it changed up the correct way ASAP.

 

[Tom]

This is their enclosure although I’ve moved the cave closer to the heat lamps and moved the lamps a couple inches closer to the ground.

Unfortunately the way you are housing them is totally inappropriate for the species, and you are seeing the results. Normal growers are 800-1000 grams at a year old. Fast growers can reach 1200-1500 grams in a year.

Here are some issues for you to fix:
1. They should never be kept in pairs. Groups of babies can usually work, but not pairs.
2. Outdoors all the time is bad for babies in any climate or weather. Even in their native range, this doesn't work well. They need to be indoors in a large humid closed chamber. There is no way to maintain the correct heat and humidity in an open topped enclosure.
3. Never use the clamps on clamp lamps they always fail and that can burn your whole house down.
4. Never use the plastic bakelite clamp lamp fixtures. They can't stand up to the constant use all day every day for reptile purposes. Always use the ceramic based fixtures.
5. That water bowl isn't safe or suitable. Get a couple of terra cotta plant saucers from the hardware store and sink them into the substrate for food and water.
6. Never use colored bulb for tortoises. No red or infrared bulbs. Use CHEs or RHPs for ambient heat and use incandescent flood bulbs for basking.

All of this and more is here in this thread. Look for the sulcata care sheet and the heating/lighting breakdown near the bottom.

 

[Tom]

This is their enclosure although I’ve moved the cave closer to the heat lamps and moved the lamps a couple inches closer to the ground.

I forgot to link the thread:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[TammyJ]

Hi! Take time to try and follow all this good and very important advice! Your tortoises will benefit by growing healthy and smooth shelled. Thanks!