potential new sulcata owner

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
hey! so im moving down to florida in a couple months, and i have a friend in orlando whos looking to give some sulcatas a new home. i have potential to get a hatchling or around the 5-10 year mark. (they weren’t originally hers so she doesn’t know age, im guessing off size) i wanna keep it outside and after reading toms post about feeding grasses and such i know that much. i know basic heating and UVB as i have other reptiles but what is a recommendation for outdoor enclosure size and design? also some things that are just overall good to know
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong
hey! so im moving down to florida in a couple months, and i have a friend in orlando whos looking to give some sulcatas a new home. i have potential to get a hatchling or around the 5-10 year mark. (they weren’t originally hers so she doesn’t know age, im guessing off size) i wanna keep it outside and after reading toms post about feeding grasses and such i know that much. i know basic heating and UVB as i have other reptiles but what is a recommendation for outdoor enclosure size and design? also some things that are just overall good to know
The enclosure size? As big as possible. Torts love wandering around, whilst a sulcata is the 3rd largest tort, hence a huge enclosure is required. You also need a night box in the enclosure, doesn't need to be too big. You can have a temporary indoor enclosure for winter. I know there is a thread here about building a night box but idk how to find it. Sorry about that.
Guessing off the size? Mind sending some pics of the sulcata? We can help determine its age.
One more thing, make sure the grass hasn't been grown using unknown fertilisers and any pesticides, those can cause harm to your tort if they eat the grass. You can also grow some flowers like dandelion, hibiscus etc. for your tort, the more kinds the better, but some sweet foods like most fruits, it's not recommended to feed it too often, maybe even never.
Here's a good thread that may help you.
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
The enclosure size? As big as possible. Torts love wandering around, whilst a sulcata is the 3rd largest tort, hence a huge enclosure is required. You also need a night box in the enclosure, doesn't need to be too big. You can have a temporary indoor enclosure for winter. I know there is a thread here about building a night box but idk how to find it. Sorry about that.
Guessing off the size? Mind sending some pics of the sulcata? We can help determine its age.
One more thing, make sure the grass hasn't been grown using unknown fertilisers and any pesticides, those can cause harm to your tort if they eat the grass. You can also grow some flowers like dandelion, hibiscus etc. for your tort, the more kinds the better, but some sweet foods like most fruits, it's not recommended to feed it too often, maybe even never.
Here's a good thread that may help you.
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

IMG_6723.jpg IMG_6724.jpg sorry those are the best i have right now. these are all females, this is the only male she was given: 1BF8B0DF-88C7-4246-BA2D-D8ECBA20CB79.jpg
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
Wait so which one are you getting exactly? If one of the females, they have varied sizes, I'd say they're like 9 months to a year old. As for the male, judging from the pic, I think it looks to be 8 to 11 years old.

my bad, my judgement was way off, itd be one of the females. from what i gather someone kinda dropped them off to them along with a few adult redfoots (11 torts in total) and they have no clue if theyre going to come back for them or not.
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong
my bad, my judgement was way off, itd be one of the females. from what i gather someone kinda dropped them off to them along with a few adult redfoots (11 torts in total) and they have no clue if theyre going to come back for them or not.
Forgot to mention, you can't tell sulcata's gender until they reach 6 years old, so one of those "females" may end up being actually a male.
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
Forgot to mention, you can't tell sulcata's gender until they reach 6 years old, so one of those "females" may end up being actually a male.

im okay with that really, size doesnt bother me too much if at all. i havent looked at that thread yet but do you have recommendations for setting up an outdoor enclosure? aside from the night box? (which i had already planned on and i know tom made a build plans thread for it that i saw at least a year ago)
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong
im okay with that really, size doesnt bother me too much if at all. i havent looked at that thread yet but do you have recommendations for setting up an outdoor enclosure? aside from the night box? (which i had already planned on and i know tom made a build plans thread for it that i saw at least a year ago)
I would put a huge water dish in the middle of the enclosure. Contrary to popular believe, torts do need drinking water, they don't get enough water from food. Tbh, there isn't much needed in the enclosure, sulcata graze on grass all day and that's pretty much it. Just make sure the grass doesn't have pesticide and isn't grown by unknown fertilisers. Also, I know having outdoor enclosure means bugs are going to be a big problem, but I'm not experienced in dealing with them. So I think it's better to let others tell you what to do about them. Apologies for that.
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
I would put a huge water dish in the middle of the enclosure. Contrary to popular believe, torts do need drinking water, they don't get enough water from food. Tbh, there isn't much needed in the enclosure, sulcata graze on grass all day and that's pretty much it. Just make sure the grass doesn't have pesticide and isn't grown by unknown fertilisers. Also, I know having outdoor enclosure means bugs are going to be a big problem, but I'm not experienced in dealing with them. So I think it's better to let others tell you what to do about them. Apologies for that.

id want an 8x16 footprint ideally. id be able to have a decent size water area maybe ill even make one out of concrete if i can. id probably build a raised bed to grow my own grass worst case
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
If it's a hatchling I think it will be awhile before it can live outside full time, I'm sure other sully keepers can advise you about that, but you may need a heated indoor enclosure until its old/grown enough.
When it is outdoors for any length of time you'll need a covered enclosure while it's small to keep predators including big birds at bay.
If you read the caresheet that will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity substrate etc and also find the Beginners Mistakes thread which will help you avoid most problems experienced by others.

If you go for a bigger tort they need a huge space to wander and eventually you will have to make sure all your fences and boundaries are reinforced and strong enough to cope with a very determined escape artist!

Don't be tempted to get more than one - pairs don't work because one will get bullied by the more dominant tort and have a miserable and probably short life. The more torts you have the more space you need!!!
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong
id want an 8x16 footprint ideally. id be able to have a decent size water area maybe ill even make one out of concrete if i can. id probably build a raised bed to grow my own grass worst case
Awesome! Just remember to change the water in the water area since torts often urinate on their soaking/drinking water. A raised bed could solve the pesticide risk, but for unknown fertilisers, I'm not too sure, grasses are really great survivalists, the old grass could just grow out of the raised bed. So idk..
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
If it's a hatchling I think it will be awhile before it can live outside full time, I'm sure other sully keepers can advise you about that, but you may need a heated indoor enclosure until its old/grown enough.
When it is outdoors for any length of time you'll need a covered enclosure while it's small to keep predators including big birds at bay.
If you read the caresheet that will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity substrate etc and also find the Beginners Mistakes thread which will help you avoid most problems experienced by others.

If you go for a bigger tort they need a huge space to wander and eventually you will have to make sure all your fences and boundaries are reinforced and strong enough to cope with a very determined escape artist!

Don't be tempted to get more than one - pairs don't work because one will get bullied by the more dominant tort and have a miserable and probably short life. The more torts you have the more space you need!!!

yeah i have plenty experience with indoor enclosures as thats all ive ever had, but i dont think itll be necessary because even if i dont get one from this person i really want to get one and id rather get a well established juvenile. i intend on having the walls of the enclosure outside being a couple feet deep and id reinforce as it got bigger. outdoors i know a lot of carpenters who i can commission to do a night box and winter box if i dont wanna do it, but i might try to do it.

also believe me, i dont want more than one hahahaha
 

Pure Tortoise Power

Active Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
Hong Kong
If it's a hatchling I think it will be awhile before it can live outside full time, I'm sure other sully keepers can advise you about that, but you may need a heated indoor enclosure until its old/grown enough.
When it is outdoors for any length of time you'll need a covered enclosure while it's small to keep predators including big birds at bay.
If you read the caresheet that will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity substrate etc and also find the Beginners Mistakes thread which will help you avoid most problems experienced by others.

If you go for a bigger tort they need a huge space to wander and eventually you will have to make sure all your fences and boundaries are reinforced and strong enough to cope with a very determined escape artist!

Don't be tempted to get more than one - pairs don't work because one will get bullied by the more dominant tort and have a miserable and probably short life. The more torts you have the more space you need!!!
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
Awesome! Just remember to change the water in the water area since torts often urinate on their soaking/drinking water. A raised bed could solve the pesticide risk, but for unknown fertilisers, I'm not too sure, grasses are really great survivalists, the old grass could just grow out of the raised bed. So idk..

IMG_6727.jpg i was thinking something more like this so that wouldnt be a problem. itd be outside of the pen and id grow my own grass/flowers/weeds and id harvest on occasion for feed
 

EllieMay

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
9,603
Location (City and/or State)
East Texas
View attachment 269881 i was thinking something more like this so that wouldnt be a problem. itd be outside of the pen and id grow my own grass/flowers/weeds and id harvest on occasion for feed

If you keep an adult Sulcata in a 8x16 enclosure, you will never have any grazing food in there... it’s not big enough.. and he would go through everything In That raised flowerbed in 3days or less... you need to think bigger. Like a yard for a pony:) I am not an experienced tortoise keeper but I have been raising sulcatas for a year now and I’ve seen how much they eat. It’s good that your asking questions now! Reach out to @Tom or @Yvonne G or @Tricia Stringer and they can give you much more experienced advice!
Good luck and congrats in advance!
 

baldegale

Active Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
454
If you keep an adult Sulcata in a 8x16 enclosure, you will never have any grazing food in there... it’s not big enough.. and he would go through everything In That raised flowerbed in 3days or less... you need to think bigger. Like a yard for a pony:) I am not an experienced tortoise keeper but I have been raising sulcatas for a year now and I’ve seen how much they eat. It’s good that your asking questions now! Reach out to @Tom or @Yvonne G or @Tricia Stringer and they can give you much more experienced advice!
Good luck and congrats in advance!

i know, the enclosure im making will be expandable, but this is just for right now. the enclosure will grow with the tortoise.

also the raised bed would be double or triple that size, it was just an example of the style!
 
Top