Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I am the new owner of a 4 month old sulcatta tortoise, about 3-4 inches long. Right now I have him in a 20 gallon long, UVB lights, heat, hides, everything he needs. I have other reptiles, but no torts, just lizards and snakes.
Now, he was dropped off at my work (pet store) when the owner no longer wanted him, so i took him home. I had wanted to eventually in my lifetime get a large tortoise (yes, I do know how big these guys get.), but i never expected it to be this soon, I admit. So I had done a little bit of prior research before getting him but still had to do a ton when I got home the day i took him. All in all he is doing well. From eveything I've read, the salad I'm feeding him right now consists of dandelion greens, cactus, and chopped up Oxbow orchard grass hay. he pigs this up.
Ok so besides all that, I read in this months Reptiles magazine an article on shell pyramiding. The author experimented and found that baby redfoot tortoises, when their whole environment is kept real humid for the first 2 years, dont get the pyramiding shells. Would this hold true to sulcattas too? What I do now is put a bunch of moss inside one of his hides and scattered around just that part of his cage and keep it wet, so the cage is kind of half humid, half dry. I also am soaking him for a little bit every day like the many caresheets say. Is this ok or should I get the moss out of there or what?
Another thing... he has the tendency to eat some of the moss. Not a whole lot, but I have caught him munching a few bites of it here and there. Will this harm him? I threw the package out, but its not sphaghum moss, its just the green stuff you can get from the pet shop since i ran out of it.
Sorry for the newbie questions, I'm trying real hard here to make sure this little dude is kept happy and healthy. i just wanna see everyone's opinions on the humidity levels as there is so much conflicting info i have found. Thanks!
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~Melissa~
1.3.2 Leopard geckos
1.1 Bearded dragons
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.1 Western hognose
0.1 Coastal carpet python
0.1.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Savannah Monitor
1.1 Ferrets
0.1 Chinchilla
1.0 dwarf hamster
2.0 kitty cats

Hi Melissa,
The theory on humidity should hold true for sulcata too. From the info I've gleaned in the 3 years I've had a sulcata it sounds to me as if you are doing everything right.
The moss eating though, that's something I'm not so sure I'd want to allow so it may be a good idea to try something other than moss but otherwise, what you posted sounds like you have a pretty good system going on.

PHRatz

While it is important to remember that sulcatta's are desert dwellers, neonates would spend most of there time hiding, and in places that would collect humidity. I wouldn't recommend as much humidity as a red-foot, but what you are doing (providing a range) sounds perfect and ideal.

Thanks for the replies! Glad to know I am starting out OK with this guy. Gosh is he ever cute too
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~Melissa~
1.3.2 Leopard geckos
1.1 Bearded dragons
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.1 Western hognose
0.1 Coastal carpet python
0.1.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Savannah Monitor
1.1 Ferrets
0.1 Chinchilla
1.0 dwarf hamster
2.0 kitty cats

You're welcome Melissa,
Oh yes they are cute! Our girl was thrown away by her owner- dumped out in the country, shot with a gun, found by someone else who then dumped her off at the local Pet's Mart store.
One of their employees sent her to me not even knowing what species she is. She was only 9.1 lbs then, her 3rd anniversary with us is coming up in July, she's already grown so much that 3 weeks ago she weighed 48.7 lbs & ya know what?
She is STILL so CUTE!!! Everything she does is cute, she's very different from a turtle, so much more interactive with humans than any of our turtles are. We are really happy around here that she came into our lives.

PHRatz

What a lucky little tort you have, to have found such a great home with you after having a rough start in life! Mine was actually given up by a very caring owner who just couldnt care for it anymore (tort is only 5 months old). Your girl is huge compared to mine, he's (or she's) so teeny. But the cutest little thing ever, their eyes just make you wanna melt when they look at you And not shy at all either!
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~Melissa~
1.3.2 Leopard geckos
1.1 Bearded dragons
1.0 Hog Island Boa
0.1 Western hognose
0.1 Coastal carpet python
0.1.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Savannah Monitor
0.0.1 Sulcata tortoise
1.1 Ferrets
0.1 Chinchilla
1.0 dwarf hamster
2.0 kitty cats