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Sulcata questions! =)

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Turtlegirl Oct 31, 2004 02:55 PM

Hi everyone,

Well yesterday I was at the Greenville, S.C herp show, (to buy some new snakes) and my dad kept trying to talk me into buying a baby spur thigh tort. I kept telling him "no" and after about 45 minutes he decided to buy his own...
I had a baby Sulcata a few years ago that died, and I hadn't really planned on getting another, (it's not that I don't like them, it's just that they get sooo huge and I would rather have something like a Golden Greek, Red Foot or Russian..) but anyway, we came home with a torotise and even though it's "my dad's" I'll be the one careing for it since I'm the "reptile person" in the family.

The little guy is about 4 1/2 inches long, and he is in a 40 gallon rubbermaid containor with a basking and uvb light.
He is VERY active and alert, and has beed feeding really well on Musterd & Collard greens this morning.

I just got him last night, and don't have any bedding/substrate in the cage yet. Can I use playsand? Or what about something like aspen bedding??
I kept my last Torotise on Burmuda Hay, but I'm out of it, and am not sure what to use (I want something that he can borrow in.)
Any sugesstions? Thanks!
-----
-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

http://www.laurenslizards.20m.com

Replies (5)

iananderson02 Nov 01, 2004 11:45 AM

Newspaper is good for small torts, maybe with some hay in the corner for burrowing, I have gone through this research before and ill let you know what I collected:

rabbit pellets: controversial, some say good some say bad, my opinion, not so good...

Newspaper: most say its ok, but no microclimates, which is why some hay in the corner is reccomended, easy to clean...

Cypress bark/mulch : I have heard nothing bad about this, besides the possibility of ingestion/impaction, I keep my redfoots on cypress and topsoil mixed...

Topsoil, same as cyperss bark/mulch above, get "sterile" or organic (no pearlite or styrafoam, and probably less parisites)...

Aspen, pine, cedar: all not reccomended because of their aromatic(sp?) porperties, can irritate torts resperatory tracts...

Bed a Beast and other artifical products: Also mixed opinions, risk of impaction...

Sand: Also mixed opinions, risk of impaction, mixed with sterile topsoil and bark seems good though...

My opinion, go with newspaper or paper towells with some timothy or other hay in a corner or in its hide...

Hope this all helps!!!
-Ian

Turtlegirl Nov 01, 2004 07:58 PM

Thank you!

I have newspaper in there now, and we're going to get some Timothy hay tomorrow.

here's a picture of him:

-----
-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

http://www.laurenslizards.20m.com

iananderson02 Nov 01, 2004 10:17 PM

Nice looking baby, take good care of him and you will really enjoy having him around!!!

-Ian

iananderson02 Nov 01, 2004 12:33 PM

Straiche from Riptarian Farms website (richard Fife)

"These "Ivory Tortoises" hatch out with red eyes which turn a dark blue gray within a few weeks. The development of pigment in the eyes allow the "Ivory Tortoise" to be maintained outside without worry of eye problems. These are beautiful tortoises and are very hardy."

Seems like the "ivory" sulcatas are ok....

-Ian

iananderson02 Nov 01, 2004 12:43 PM

.