Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I am a new baby sulcata owner-I did research first but have found some conflicting information (alright, LOTS of it) and I am wondering if you experienced owners have a specific reccomendation with sound advice (book or website) that is safe to follow.
heh heh, I had set up an order from ravenrock for two pounds of the
spineless cactus pads to be delivered to my home every month prior to my torts arrival-what a HUGE box it is. My baby weighs 35 grams. lol.
My first question to you is this:
My sulcata weighs 35 grams and is 2.5 inches. Does that sound about right? Need to gain weight? I was paranoid when it first arrived, but it has been eating heartily and eliminating daily during its morning soaking session so perhaps it is fine. Absolutely without a doubt the cutest critter I have ever seen-but I thought she should feel heavier.

(My reptisun 10.0 compact lasted only two days- the two days I had it set up BEFORE my sulcata arrived, so I could check temps, etc throughout the day. The day the tort arrived, I turned on the lamp and it blew. I have replaced it, however THIS time I kept my receipt. )
My second question- I have been sprinkling repti cal (without phosphorous) on the food daily. How often should I be doing this?
I also have pieces of cuttlebone in its enclosure.
next question:
I am using a mixture of coconut bark ( bed a beast) and desert sand as my substrate in an enclosure- turtle table that is 4 ft by 2ft by 2ft, solid walls; I am using a ceramic heater that keeps the center of the enclosure at 80 degrees, the hot end with the basking light is at 85-90 degrees(this fluctuates depending on whether I measure from the top of the ledge or on the ground), my cool end is at 75 degrees. Are my temps alright? I have a water dish that the tort can easily get in and out of, and of course she has a ledge to hide under/bask on that runs the full length with ramps on either end. Sound okay? Should I change anything?
I have a pile of timothy hay in there for burrowing and a feed dish. I chop up wheatgrass and the cactus daily, adding either a scraping of carrot, pumpkin,or cactus fruities depending on what day it is and what I used the day before. I was paranoid when it first arrived and I also added a small amount of Critical Care for Herbivores (purchased from my work) The main ingredients is timothy hay.It is made to add water to in order to make a mush. I would like to use a small amt of this weekly.

[ingredients-
timothy grass meal, soybean hulls, wheat germ meal, oat groats, wheat middlings, soybean meal, cane molasses, limestone, yeast culture, vit. a, vit d3 supplement, vit e,vit b12, biotin, thiamine, calcim chloride, zinc,vit c, lactobaccilus bulgaris& acidophilus, papaya, pineapple,mineral oil.]

I placed an online order from a specific website a LONG time ago with the mazuri tortoise diet however my order never arrived, much to my frustration. I will look to purchase this at a petstore this weekend. How does this diet sound? I have an add-on question here- I chop up the food very very small for my tort but this causes it to dry up very rapidly. Is it necessary for me to chop it so small? In the wild, the torts would be hardpressed to find pre-chopped food but I dont want it to a) choke or b) refuse food due to the size.
Now that I have written a novel here, I have one last question- her (it's) shell is somewhat soft-moreso on the back end and underneath. By soft, I mean, if I press it gently it gives yet bounces back. Is this normal or should I be worried? I thought perhaps because she was so small it was still soft. It is by no means mushy.
Thank you very much in advance for taking the time to read this long post and to help me correctly care for this baby.

Don't worry about the growth rate. All tortoises will grow at a defferent rate depending on the animal and the conditions under which it is kept. You are looking for a healthy and active animal with a normal appearence. Time shouldn't be an issue.

I always suggest plain ol calcium carbonate at every feeding. It sounds like you are feeding a varied enough diet that vitamin supplements shouldn't be needed. I used to use a sprinkling of Centrum on the tortoises food on occasion as a precaution but since using Mazuri tortoise diet I've stopped this altogether.

Temperatures sound good but I'd suggest the warm end be brought up to 100F or better. They do like it hot but you really want to give them a choice.

Everything else sounds good.

As to the conflicting information... you're on your own on that one. It depends on what approach you wish to take... radical, liberal or conservative... kinda like politics... no, just like politics.

Welcome to the wierd world of tortoise keeping.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I suggest you read the article on hatchling failure syndrome on the Sulcata Station web site. I lost two hatchlings to this, but have raised two more successfully after reading this article. The only thing I did different the second time was provide more humidity. Try Turtlecafe.com for mazuri, or I know my local PetSmart carries it in small quantities. Also if you search the Mazuri website, you can find feed stores in your area that carry it. Usually feed stores have the 25 pound bag, too much for your little guy now.

Good Luck
Shawnon

I really think it should be retitled Hatchling Keepers Failure Syndrom.

Yes, some hatchlings are not meant to survive but this particular 'syndrom' is easily preventable. Most tortoise keepers in general keep their hatchlings too dry. It is mind boggling to think just how much moisture and hydration these little guys need because of the rapid hydration loss due to their size.

This is why I stress heat and hydration so strongly and probably why the concept of the 'Humid Hide' is becoming so popular.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

...or is that time for a new pair of reading glasses...