Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a baby sulcata and i seem to have gone wrong somewhere. I have the humidity at around 70, it goes up a little after i mist,(two times a day) and the cage temperature is around 80 degrees with a 95 degree basking spot. I have a uvb light going across the cage long wise, and one uvb basking spot. I feed him everyother day dusting it with either calcuim or tortoise dust everytime. he looked good for about 2 months, then he started getting this crusty stuff on his head and over his eyes. almost like he cant shed or something, and now his shell is getting softer and softer. any advise would help, if you need any more information please just ask!!!

It sounds like your set up is pretty good--
What are you feeding him?
Are you soaking him? I notice my babies will get some peeling around their eyes/face and when I see this they get extra soakings. I think this is somewhat normal since they are growing and shedding.

The softer shell doesn't sound normal--if weather permits does he have outside time in the sun? The natural sun is the best for them (of course with shady areas and water). My babies have been moved inside during the night since our night time temps dropped below 60 but we still have high 80's low 90's during the day so they are out during the day.

I soak them in luke warm water once or twice a week. should i do that more often?? and i feed them mustard and collard greens. and everynow and then some the that fancy lettuce. but never iceberg. I put them outside as much as possible. in houston though i think it gets to hot outside, cuz after a few minutes it looks like their sweatting like crazy. should i put them outside more often anyways?? thanks.

Maybe try soaking them every other day to keep them hydrated--Definately ad some grass/weeds/edible plants/flowers to their diet. You can always grow grass in containers and trim as needed.
Keep in mind that as long as you have shade and water for these guys the weather outside should be just fine (espeically right now during the days) and may be just what the Dr ordered!! I live in AZ so it get's HOT here! I mean somtimes up and over 117 degrees--during the hottest parts of the summer months I have my sprinklers set to go off and cool them down 3-4 times a day. My one smaller tort dug herself a burrow where she spends the hotter parts of the day, my older one hasn't figured that technique out yet so he hides to his doghouse but keeping them outside is truly the best things for them. When it gets cooler it would probably be best to bring them inside unless you have a heated house for them.
But adding more natural food to their diet may help. You can also give them some hay--I leave a pile of timothy/bermuda down all the time. If they are smaller or not used to hay you can chop it up or put it in a blender and mix with their current food so you can start weaning them over to more natural foods. I do treat mine with romaine/carrots/and other stuf but maybe only once a week.
I hope this helps.

Here's a pic of my new little one--Sampson. He was found "wandering" in the streets and a friend of mine found him and of course called me since she knows I love torts.

I have 1 baby Sulcata
a 2 year old
and a 4 year old
1 year old Marginated

Wandering the streets? Poor thing! Glad he's in your care now.

what kind of grass would you recomend?? also if you have any pics of your outdoor cage could you show me those?? thank you for all your help so far. it is greatly appriciated!!

Kentucky, Rye, Bermuda--Carolinas Pet Supply and Turtle Cafe sell mixed tortoise grazing seeds. Or just mix some up yourself and plant.

And no problem with the help, I've been there done that and still seek answers all the time to my questions.

For my hatchling I use this potting bench--I like the idea because It's raised off the groung so it doesn't take up floor space inside my other enclosure--I can plant grass/weeds and it will grow--they can't climb out or dig out. I've seen a lot of people use the platic kiddy pools and they put soil/dirt and grow stuff as well--seems to work very well.

The other picture is my bigger enclosure for my 4 year old and 2 year old. I went a little overboard but only because I have dogs.

That potting bench looks great! did you make that yourself or buy it somewhere?? if so where?? Thank you so much for all of your help. I really appriciate it.

I actually bought it off of Targets website--you can only buy it online. I think it was 120.00. For that price you can build a decent size little wooden enclosure from Home Depot/Lowes--but I wasn't about to pull out the tools and start hammering away!! ha ha

And like I said, I've seen a lot of people use the plastic kiddy pools--- you can fill it with a sand/soil mixture and plant grass and flowers--the pools are cheap, maybe 10.00 at the most. If I wasn't worried about taking up ground space I would have went with the pool idea.

great photos! I love the umbrella over the dog house.
We bought a tree a month or so ago which we hope will live, it's going to be shade for the tortoise mansion if it does not die.
I bought a tree like it a few years ago for 12 bucks, it was a sprig of a tree then but it did so well. We paid more for this one because it's larger... but because I paid more money for it, it'll probably die LOL!!!
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PHRatz

Hopefully it lives. I know what you mean though--the same thing happens to me. I just planted 3 palms 8 months ago and only 1 survied..darn things!! I need to start saving my Home Depot receipts. I found the Syso/Cisso(sp?) trees are great for shade and grow like crazy--the more you water the quicker they grow but are very heat tolerant. I have 2 in my yard now and love them. Well so far, they are still babies but growing quickly.

If you notice in that picture I did 2 patio umbrellas--it just get so darn hot mid summer (dry heat of 117)...I feel so bad. I'm able to maintain the temps with patio umbrellas and sprinkler systems during the summer time. Now I only have 1 umbrella up, I took the rest down so the sun can shine shine shine!! Before it gets too cold.

>>If you notice in that picture I did 2 patio umbrellas--it just get so darn hot mid summer (dry heat of 117)...I feel so bad. I'm able to maintain the temps with patio umbrellas and sprinkler systems during the summer time. Now I only have 1 umbrella up, I took the rest down so the sun can shine shine shine!! Before it gets too cold.

Yeah it's hard to combat that heat! We usually get temps over 100 in summer but more like 105, not as high as 117 however- that has happened before- it's been as hot as 118 at our house before.
Our tortoise then sits in areas where we don't really want her to sit so my hope is if her main home is cooler then she'll stay in it instead of in the way.
For now like you we need that sun to shine shine shine!
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PHRatz

I just had to comment on this. That looks great! A tortoise's paradise. :-P

if his shell is getting softer and softer its prolly a calcium deficiency, even if u are sprinkling all his food with calcium suppliments. there are some foods that have calcium inhibaters in them (oxalates)that if given in large quantities will completly stop calcium absorbtion, http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=17&cat=1797&articleid=2434 try looking here, also does ur calcium have d3 in it if not i would recomend it to indore sulcatas

I think it has d3 in it. not sure tho. is there a calcuim dust brand you would recomend?? thanks for the info.

Hello. I hope this message gets to you in time. It can be really difficult looking after a sulcata.

In relation to around 70 degrees, that should be raised to about 75 degrees. But your basking spot is good.
You should feed him/her every day, but the dusting of the calcium is good too.
However, you should stop misting the viv. Generally people dont recommend using vivs at all because of various respitory issues. The misting is going to increase that If you have to, open up the glass panels if possible so there is good air circulation.
You should be bathing abour 3 times a week as they can become deyhdrated over night, its worth putting a very very shallow dish in their so she can help herself to water if need be.
Shell becoming soft is major issue. Your tortoise may die of this. It becomes softer because the body needs calcium, and its shaving it off the supply. You will need to take the tortoise to a vet with the hope its not too late.
If the shell is red underneath then it means the tortoise has septecemia. I really recommend seeing a vet