Re: Sulcata hatchling-please read-he/she arrives Tuesday!

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Posted by Terry on December 12, 2000 at 02:00:07:

In Reply to: Sulcata hatchling-please read-he/she arrives Tuesday! posted by Lisa on December 11, 2000 at 22:42:01:

Hi Lisa,
everything sounds great except for the strawberries!
No fruit for this species, the cactus and foods like that can be a treat. I grow my own cactus, but still only give it to my sulcatas once a week to every ten days as it does cause them to produce loose stools.
I also grow hibiscus bushes and the sulcatas get all the hibiscus flowers daily . So think about growing hibiscus if you can, red flowers are a favorite.
You can mix in freshly sniped grasses from your yard into the greens and infact I recommend you do that.(no pestisides or fertilizer)
Sulcatas are grazing herbivores and grazing on grasses and edible weeds and flowers provides fiber which is very important to this species.So by sniping some grass daily, then cutting it up into small pieces and mixing it in with the greens, you'll be making sure he/she gets his fiber.
A little grated yam can also be given ( mixed in with the greens)once a week or so.

Soaking is also recommended for young sulcatas, soak every other day in shallow, lukewarm water.
The water should only come up to the bottom of it's chin, or where the top shell (carapace) meets the bottom shell (plastron).
Soak for around 10 minutes.
As he/she gets bigger you can soak twice a week, then once a week for a sub adult. I don't soak my sulcatas which are 8" and the others over 50lbs, but they will walk through the sprinklers . I don't water the back yard during the day when they're out roaming. But the sprinklers round the side of the house will hit a small area in the back yard and they sometimes sit in the water/drink or just walk through.
They do have water dishes, for a small sulcata you can use the lid off a tupperware container.
Shallow and flat, or a sunny delight ( or something similar) small plastic top.
I use plastic plant pot saucers for my larger sulcatas to drink from.

Sounds like you've done your homework, congrats on your new sulcata, let us know when he/she arrives.

I'll leave the UVB light question to somebody else as I don't have any experience with it, luckily I live in a warm climate ( Hawaii) so my torts are outdoors year round.

I'm rambling again!
Enjoy your little sulcata and keep us up dated.
Terry.
PS. If you haven't already visit Sulcata Station ( linked below) lots of sulcata info there.

sulcata station.

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: Hi Lisa, : everything sounds great except for the strawberries! : No fruit for this species, the cactus and foods like that can be a treat. I grow my own cactus, but still only give it to my sulcatas once a week to every ten days as it does cause them to produce loose stools. : I also grow hibiscus bushes and the sulcatas get all the hibiscus flowers daily . So think about growing hibiscus if you can, red flowers are a favorite. : You can mix in freshly sniped grasses from your yard into the greens and infact I recommend you do that.(no pestisides or fertilizer) : Sulcatas are grazing herbivores and grazing on grasses and edible weeds and flowers provides fiber which is very important to this species.So by sniping some grass daily, then cutting it up into small pieces and mixing it in with the greens, you'll be making sure he/she gets his fiber. : A little grated yam can also be given ( mixed in with the greens)once a week or so. : Soaking is also recommended for young sulcatas, soak every other day in shallow, lukewarm water. : The water should only come up to the bottom of it's chin, or where the top shell (carapace) meets the bottom shell (plastron). : Soak for around 10 minutes. : As he/she gets bigger you can soak twice a week, then once a week for a sub adult. I don't soak my sulcatas which are 8" and the others over 50lbs, but they will walk through the sprinklers . I don't water the back yard during the day when they're out roaming. But the sprinklers round the side of the house will hit a small area in the back yard and they sometimes sit in the water/drink or just walk through. : They do have water dishes, for a small sulcata you can use the lid off a tupperware container. : Shallow and flat, or a sunny delight ( or something similar) small plastic top. : I use plastic plant pot saucers for my larger sulcatas to drink from. : Sounds like you've done your homework, congrats on your new sulcata, let us know when he/she arrives. : I'll leave the UVB light question to somebody else as I don't have any experience with it, luckily I live in a warm climate ( Hawaii) so my torts are outdoors year round. : I'm rambling again! : Enjoy your little sulcata and keep us up dated. : Terry. : PS. If you haven't already visit Sulcata Station ( linked below) lots of sulcata info there.

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