Supplements for Sulcata Hatchling

[BubbaJ1020]

Hello everyone,
I have a 2 month old Sudanese Sulcata. We live in AZ and eventually ”Bubba” is going to have a home in our backyard ?
Can any one advise on how much “a sprinkle” of Calcium or Multi Vitamin means? Is it like 1/4 teaspoon? I was told to alternate each Mon-Sat with nothing on Sunday. Thoughts?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Alicia

 

[Tom]

Hi Alicia. Welcome to the forum.

I'll answer your question, but first understand that most of the care info for this species is wrong. Your baby is far too dry, and its survival depends on moisture and humidity.

Give this a read for the current and correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

The answer to your question varies with the diet, size and sex of the tortoise. For growing babies, a tiny pinch once or twice week of each supplement is plenty. Its a good idea to also offer cuttlebone so they can self supplement their calcium intake when needed.

 

[BubbaJ1020]

Hi, how can you tell he’s far too dry? I soak him once a day and mist down the substrate in the morning and at night.
Thank you for the feedback Tom

 

[Tom]

Hi, how can you tell he’s far too dry? I soak him once a day and mist down the substrate in the morning and at night.
Thank you for the feedback Tom

By the appearance of the carapace and the deep notches that will become pyramiding that are forming between the scutes.

Misting the substrate does very little, and if you have to mist regularly, it is an indication that things are much too dry. Sulcatas are NOT a desert species. Babies hatch at the start of the rainy season into conditions that are hot, wet and humid. They need these conditions to thrive and grow normally. Most breeders, vets, and "experts" learned the wrong info decades ago and still don't know better.

Here is what can happen when they are dry started:

"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"

I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...

tortoiseforum.org

By contrast, here is how they SHOULD be started:

Sudan Sulcatas (This never gets old...)

My very first clutch of true 100% pure Sudan sulcatas is now hatching. I don't care how many times I see this, it just never gets old. I dig up the eggs carefully place them in my prepared shoe boxes, watch the temperature in the incubator and tend to them for months, and then... When that...

tortoiseforum.org