Adopted 11 yo 80 pound from neighbors. Has own house and run of yard. He just decided he wants to sleep on dog bed in our bedroom. Is that normal? Is there any problem with that?
80 pound sulcata inside house
- Thread starter 2wgasa
- Start date
Yes. It is a problem on many levels.
1. They make a lot of waste.
2. Your house is too cold for this tropical tortoise.
3. Many of them get injured, sick, impacted or killed when they are running loose in the house like that. Everyone thinks they are being careful and things are safe, right up until the day they realize they were wrong. Then its too late. Make him an enclosure, or make the whole yard his enclosure, and have him sleep in his heated night box.
Here are some examples if you don't have one already:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
These might help too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
How would a tortoise make this decision? You had to be the one to let him in your bedroom.
ETA: Have you seen the waste a tortoise of this size can produce? And smelled it? I can't imagine having that in my bedroom.
ETA: Have you seen the waste a tortoise of this size can produce? And smelled it? I can't imagine having that in my bedroom.
Have had him for 6 months now. He has his own enclosure and house with dusk to dawn heat emitters and a hinged door/ramp that he can open when ready to come out in morning. Later we open the gate to rest of back yard so he can graze. Our "house" with the bedroom is a small detached addition so it's very modest and there's nothing that can fall on him even if he decides to move furniture...TVs mounted on walls. We leave the doors open all day so our dogs can come and go as they please.
He has always returned to his own house at the end of day. At times his route from one part of the yard to his house is directly through our living room. I've seen him go by while I watched TV. Dogs just get out his way. Yesterday he settled in on one of the dog beds instead. Yes, the door was open but in the past he checked things out then moved on. We waited to see if he would go home but he didn't. Instead of dragging him out, wife asked to see what would happen (this dog bed is next to my side of our bed). He was still there this morning and no poop so far. Doors are open and waiting to see what happens.
I am very familiar with the amount of poop they can put out, which is about as much as my 3 golden retrievers combined. Obviously he also poops inside his house but not sure when so I guess this will tell me. I'm more worried about the cottage cheese urates although I've never seen that inside his own house. Otherwise have been pretty much following info from http://ojaisulcataproject.org and http://kampkenan.com.
Anyway, I was just curious if anyone had a "house-trained" tortoise.
Here is the part of enclosure with his house and Bomber in bed.
Thanks for your replies.
He has always returned to his own house at the end of day. At times his route from one part of the yard to his house is directly through our living room. I've seen him go by while I watched TV. Dogs just get out his way. Yesterday he settled in on one of the dog beds instead. Yes, the door was open but in the past he checked things out then moved on. We waited to see if he would go home but he didn't. Instead of dragging him out, wife asked to see what would happen (this dog bed is next to my side of our bed). He was still there this morning and no poop so far. Doors are open and waiting to see what happens.
I am very familiar with the amount of poop they can put out, which is about as much as my 3 golden retrievers combined. Obviously he also poops inside his house but not sure when so I guess this will tell me. I'm more worried about the cottage cheese urates although I've never seen that inside his own house. Otherwise have been pretty much following info from http://ojaisulcataproject.org and http://kampkenan.com.
Anyway, I was just curious if anyone had a "house-trained" tortoise.
Here is the part of enclosure with his house and Bomber in bed.
Thanks for your replies.
If it were my tortoise, and my house, I would get a nice piece of 1x12 and fix it across the lower portion of the door. The dogs can still go in and out, but the tortoise cannot. I do this to a few of my gates here on the property. I have stakes about an inch from the wall/fence, and the 1x12 just slips between the stake and the wall. It's quite easy to remove should the need ever arise.
I disagree with the way the Ojai sulcata project keeps their tortoises. Did you say where you live?
Your tortoise might have gone in the dog bed as a sign of dominance over the dogs. Tortoises are territorial. I don't think anyone has "house-trained" a tortoise.
Neither of those are good sources of info for sulcata care in my opinion.
What sort of heat emitters are you using? If they are the bulb type or ceramic heat emitters, I can't tell you how many sulcata carapaces get damaged by those. Check this out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/open-topped-pyramided-scute.19691/#post-174030
We are not trying to give you a hard time. We are trying to prevent problems for you down the road.
You need to worry about the dogs too. Your sulcata will become the dogs chew toy and with three large dogs going after him at once, which they will if one starts to attack or chew the tortoise the pact instinct will chime in and all your dogs will chew him up. Great care should be given to this tortoise you took in. Not housing him properly and safely from the dogs and electrical cords and other dangers in the house, is not it. You asked help and advice and everyone is giving you correct answers. It needs to be what's right for the tortoise, not what is easier or more entertaining for the humans.
Update: good idea about the 12” boards but I only have senior Golden’s and they can’t walk over them however managed to make sliding door entries to main house ok for dogs but too narrow for Bomber.
Only reason updating is because Bomber is lying on floor next to my bed at this moment and no need to move. He will go out and start grazing in morning. My wife and I dont care if he poops. Easy enough to clean...no big deal.
My three Golden’s do not bother him. My oldest ate pumpkins with him during thanksgiving holidays. He is more curious about them than they about him.
The one thing you brought up that concerns me is the ceramic heat emitter. I will replace with thermo controlled space heater within next week.
I am old and weak. Any tips on how to easily lift one of these guys into a vahicle for vet visit is welcomed.
Thank you.
Only reason updating is because Bomber is lying on floor next to my bed at this moment and no need to move. He will go out and start grazing in morning. My wife and I dont care if he poops. Easy enough to clean...no big deal.
My three Golden’s do not bother him. My oldest ate pumpkins with him during thanksgiving holidays. He is more curious about them than they about him.
The one thing you brought up that concerns me is the ceramic heat emitter. I will replace with thermo controlled space heater within next week.
I am old and weak. Any tips on how to easily lift one of these guys into a vahicle for vet visit is welcomed.
Thank you.
Vehicle. Aka van
Some people have trained their tortoise to walk up a ramp into a van. Although if your tortoise is sick, he might not cooperate. When Charlie is cold, it is really hard getting him to move. I've never taken him to the vet. When I have to move him, it is really difficult. We try to get a towel under him and then slide it where we want him to go.
Take a solid blanket under the tortoise. With 2 or better 4 persons you can lift the tortoise into your car.
Good luck. Why do you want to visit a VET with the tort ?
I thought he might need annual check same as dogs, but I’ve never looked it up. He appears to be perfectly ok.
Good idea about blanket. I’ve always wanted to get a dog stretcher, which should work for him too. I initially got an extra large firewood sling for his 46 inch “waist” that allowed me to move him short distance but no way could do vertical lift into van
Well he was in same place this morning so I used a small blanket slung around his rear to slide him around on laminate floor to get him outside before his morning poop while basking in the sun. I should be able to fabricate a smooth surfaced ramp to pull him into a van that is way less elaborate than ideas I had.
He’s been here a year now and is completely part of the family. I think he actually responds to my wife’s voice. Granddaughters already know he’s in the will.
Thank you
Hello, when your tortoise is active, good eating and pooping, there is no reason to take him to a VET. Most VET`s have no idea what to do with tortoises and want to give them vitamin or calcium shots that are not needed and do more harm than good. Save your force and money and don`t take your tort to a VET.
May I ask you how old you are ? I am glad that your granddaughter will take your tortoise. I would appreciate more pics and some updates of your big "dinosaur" in your house if you want to. It seems funny to me having such a big tort free roaming the house but is it warm enough for him on the ground ? Sulcatas need a lot of warmth to stay healthy.
Your tort is adorable!
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Wow. Ever since my Sal got to about 50 lbs I don’t even let him on my lanai. He bulldozes chairs around & knocks over planters.
I knew a couple once that had a 350lb pig that lived in their house & yard. That was something to see.
As others have said , houses often have things on the floor that a Sully will eat - I know my house does ( I’m not the neatest person ) ;
Socks, coins, toys, you name it they might eat it. Lol.
Interesting situation. He is a big boy for sure ! I don’t move Sal unless I really need to. The way you have to lean over - the angle , to pick him up , is very dangerous for my back. The blanket idea with several people is best.
I wish you the best with him.
I knew a couple once that had a 350lb pig that lived in their house & yard. That was something to see.
As others have said , houses often have things on the floor that a Sully will eat - I know my house does ( I’m not the neatest person ) ;
Socks, coins, toys, you name it they might eat it. Lol.
Interesting situation. He is a big boy for sure ! I don’t move Sal unless I really need to. The way you have to lean over - the angle , to pick him up , is very dangerous for my back. The blanket idea with several people is best.
I wish you the best with him.
