Bradrt
New Member
I am relatively new to tortoises but I have a couple problems.
Background: I have three hatchling tortoises in my possession a leopard, sulcata, and a Pancake I also live in San Diego CA if that helps identify the problem. They all came to me back in march from three accredited breeders and all in good physical condition. I started off for a month with them in a open top enclosure with a heat lamp that i thought was uvb but ended up not being uvb so for a week all they had was heat then I added a uvb lamp. temps of 95 under the basking bulb and radiating heat throughout of 80. then I built a table just like Zoomeds so i could have them outside all the time but not at night. This setup was for 2 months with a sand coco coir dirt mix substrate and temps varied wildly and had really no moisture. I’ve since recently built a sealed lid in which I have consistent temps of 90 in the hide during the day and 82 at night and 112 under the basking bulb(ho flood) I also use a ceramic heat emitter at night to keep temps above 75. Along with that I use a 12’ tube HO uvb bulb. I spray the enclosure twice a day maintaining humidity throughout the day at 70%. I soak them in warm water every day in the sun for 30 minutes. I have been feeding grasses, weeds, and flowers with calcium powder everyday. I also have recently put a cuttlebone in there with them but as expect not much action with that. My problem is that I have had all three for 3 and a half months and none of them have gained weights. When I received the Leopard he was 39g he is now 36. The sulcata was 41g when I received her she is now 39g and has a plyable plasteron and a soft carapace on the edges. The Pancake was 68g and is now 66g but was at one point 82g and dropped back down. (I can send a picture of the enclosure if needed). The only thing I have not tried is building separate enclosures for all of them to separate them.
Background: I have three hatchling tortoises in my possession a leopard, sulcata, and a Pancake I also live in San Diego CA if that helps identify the problem. They all came to me back in march from three accredited breeders and all in good physical condition. I started off for a month with them in a open top enclosure with a heat lamp that i thought was uvb but ended up not being uvb so for a week all they had was heat then I added a uvb lamp. temps of 95 under the basking bulb and radiating heat throughout of 80. then I built a table just like Zoomeds so i could have them outside all the time but not at night. This setup was for 2 months with a sand coco coir dirt mix substrate and temps varied wildly and had really no moisture. I’ve since recently built a sealed lid in which I have consistent temps of 90 in the hide during the day and 82 at night and 112 under the basking bulb(ho flood) I also use a ceramic heat emitter at night to keep temps above 75. Along with that I use a 12’ tube HO uvb bulb. I spray the enclosure twice a day maintaining humidity throughout the day at 70%. I soak them in warm water every day in the sun for 30 minutes. I have been feeding grasses, weeds, and flowers with calcium powder everyday. I also have recently put a cuttlebone in there with them but as expect not much action with that. My problem is that I have had all three for 3 and a half months and none of them have gained weights. When I received the Leopard he was 39g he is now 36. The sulcata was 41g when I received her she is now 39g and has a plyable plasteron and a soft carapace on the edges. The Pancake was 68g and is now 66g but was at one point 82g and dropped back down. (I can send a picture of the enclosure if needed). The only thing I have not tried is building separate enclosures for all of them to separate them.
