Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It's been a little while since I've been on here (trying to balance school, teaching lessons, being a professional musician, having a day job, having a girlfriend AND keeping all my reptiles healthy and happy). Of the two eggs I got out of that female that was purchased gravid, one hatched (the other shows no signs of fertility). The little guy is running around a small tank I set up for him with a few inches of dirt, some nice hiding spots, an appropriate basking spot, etc. etc.

Besides that, what should I know? Is it true that he'll probably go a week or so before eating anything? I notice he's testing things out (trying to eat everything, including dirt). Is this normal?

The setup sounds good.

Try including a small, shallow water bowl. Maybe a jar lid. He may not use it but it won't hurt. And soak him a couple times a week. You'll soak him in maybe a quarter inch of lukewarm water. They are very susceptible to dehydration at this point. The layer of soil in his tank will help him stay hydrated when he burrows in at night.

And it won't hurt to offer some food now. Place it on a flat surface (a tile or rock) that he can easily get to. Offer up some chopped greens or weeds if you have them. After he has eaten a time or two, start including a very light dusting of calcium/d3 powder. And be sure to offer him a varied diet so he doesn't get stuck on one or two items.

Good luck. They are very interesting at this stage.

So it's normal for them to bury themselves a lot at this stage? I have noticed that sometimes he completely disappears (burrowed deep in the soil). Should I trust that he knows what he's doing?

>>So it's normal for them to bury themselves a lot at this stage? I have noticed that sometimes he completely disappears (burrowed deep in the soil). Should I trust that he knows what he's doing?

That's what my hatchlings always do. If you don't provide them something to dig into or under, they end up expending a lot of energy scratching at the corners of the enclosure.

When they bury themselves the soil acts as insulation to help them retain heat and moisture. So don't let the soil dry out completely. It should retain some humidity - not wet - just slightly moist. I found a mix of sand and soil worked best. Soil can get too packed down for easy digging but a little sand makes it easier to dig.