The tortoise with no name

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OnlyOneTortoise

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Hello I am new to the forum but not new to the tortoise world. I pruchased a baby baby sulcata from a swap about 1 and a half years ago only to have it die of a terrible respritory infection 2 months later. We took careful time researching before we even purchased the baby and had a temporary glass enclosure all set up for it when we got home. However, he or she was in there maybe 2 days before we got the real enclosure ready (this one took more time). We had the little guy in the biggest under the bed container her could find and had him on a soil substrate with easy access to water (i think this is where he acquired the infection). No matter how long you research you still do things incorrectly and I am still learning. After Lloyd died we decided to try again. This time we went a little older and bought one that was 1 year old. She had a great shell and a fantastic demeaner. She eats anything and everything I put in front of her especially grass hay. I named her squirt but my husband didn't like that. I gave her that name because when you pick her up off the ground and try to carry her she squirts pee everywhere and swirls her tail around flinging poop. Nothing sticks so she still has no name. I mean she will have it for a really long time so we have to like it. Lately I call her turtle just cuz its really ironic.
We have had her almost a year now and she is doing fantastic. She snores though so I am thinking about taking her to the vet for that. She has outgrown her pen and I came on this forum to look around and see what the best fit would be for her. I have decided since we are not in a place where we can have an outdoor enclosure to build her a decent sized indoor one. We are in an apartment but plan to be in a house within the next few years. This will be around the time that she needs to be outside because she will be getting too large. Anyway I also have a variety of other reptiles in the room. The humidity in there stays between 30-50% depends on if I have the humidifier on. In the summer it gets higher because I live in a humid area. I am from Illinois about 45 minutes from Chicago.

My idea for an enclosure would be 3 very large storage tub filled 1/3 of the way with topsoil. This would give her adequate digging space and keep it in the cage when she tries to flick it around. I want to add some cool things in there for her to explore. This is as far as I got. Me and my husband do not have powertools to create a wood one and we don't want to make something really expensive when we know its a temporary home until she grows out of it. Seems silly to build something expensive when I know we will be making her something more permanent when we find our forever home. At this point and time our jobs are not 100% here we could be asked to move for my husbands job if they want to start a new Gamestop somewhere else.

I also do reptile presentations for the local nature center and teach summer classes to children. One of my classes and camps involves all things scaley!

This is me and I am a one tortoise kind of lady! Two 80 pound tortoises putting holes through the walls and causing mischief sounds terrible lol.
 

Yvonne G

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Well, Hi there, OnlyOneTortoise!!!

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!! We're very glad to have you here with us.

What would you like for us to call you?
 

DixieParadise

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OnlyOneTortoise said:
Hello I am new to the forum but not new to the tortoise world. I pruchased a baby baby sulcata from a swap about 1 and a half years ago only to have it die of a terrible respritory infection 2 months later. We took careful time researching before we even purchased the baby and had a temporary glass enclosure all set up for it when we got home. However, he or she was in there maybe 2 days before we got the real enclosure ready (this one took more time). We had the little guy in the biggest under the bed container her could find and had him on a soil substrate with easy access to water (i think this is where he acquired the infection). No matter how long you research you still do things incorrectly and I am still learning. After Lloyd died we decided to try again. This time we went a little older and bought one that was 1 year old. She had a great shell and a fantastic demeaner. She eats anything and everything I put in front of her especially grass hay. I named her squirt but my husband didn't like that. I gave her that name because when you pick her up off the ground and try to carry her she squirts pee everywhere and swirls her tail around flinging poop. Nothing sticks so she still has no name. I mean she will have it for a really long time so we have to like it. Lately I call her turtle just cuz its really ironic.
We have had her almost a year now and she is doing fantastic. She snores though so I am thinking about taking her to the vet for that. She has outgrown her pen and I came on this forum to look around and see what the best fit would be for her. I have decided since we are not in a place where we can have an outdoor enclosure to build her a decent sized indoor one. We are in an apartment but plan to be in a house within the next few years. This will be around the time that she needs to be outside because she will be getting too large. Anyway I also have a variety of other reptiles in the room. The humidity in there stays between 30-50% depends on if I have the humidifier on. In the summer it gets higher because I live in a humid area. I am from Illinois about 45 minutes from Chicago.

My idea for an enclosure would be 3 very large storage tub filled 1/3 of the way with topsoil. This would give her adequate digging space and keep it in the cage when she tries to flick it around. I want to add some cool things in there for her to explore. This is as far as I got. Me and my husband do not have powertools to create a wood one and we don't want to make something really expensive when we know its a temporary home until she grows out of it. Seems silly to build something expensive when I know we will be making her something more permanent when we find our forever home. At this point and time our jobs are not 100% here we could be asked to move for my husbands job if they want to start a new Gamestop somewhere else.

I also do reptile presentations for the local nature center and teach summer classes to children. One of my classes and camps involves all things scaley!

This is me and I am a one tortoise kind of lady! Two 80 pound tortoises putting holes through the walls and causing mischief sounds terrible lol.
 

OnlyOneTortoise

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Messages
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My name is Ashley if you feel like calling me by my real name. I priced sterilite tubs at target today 21.00 for the big one....I think I may go elsewhere. Does it matter if its a clear bin or a solid colored one?
 
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