Hello everyone,
I recently purchased a sulcata and have a few questions. I am not a first time tortoise owner; my girlfriend and I have had a rescued desert tortoise for about a year. However, we're graduating from college soon and won't be staying in Arizona--and it's illegal to take him across state lines. So we're going to have to pass him on to some caring friends when we leave, and we'll need a tortoise in our lives. My sister is going to raise our sulcata in her dorm in Texas for the rest of the semester, and then my girlfriend and I will take custody in the summer.
Here are my questions:
1. How large can I expect my sulcata to be by the time I finish law school (3 years)? Will he still be manageable inside at this point? I ask because I am mostly considering law schools in the northeast, which will be too cold for our tortoise most of the year. After this, it is very likely that my girlfriend and I will move to a warmer part of the world because we both hate the cold.
Although, just to touch all the bases: are there any sulcata owners otu there near the DC area? is it feasible to raise one here?
2. How easy is it to find a new home for an adult sulcata? Is this true:
"A hatchling (<1yr old) can cost between $50-$120 depending on the company, business, or breeder you are buying from.
A yearling (>1yr/<2yrs old) can cost between $80-$140 depending on the company, business, or breeder you are buying from. Shipping for both is usually $40 or so.
2-4 yrs old are normally $120 to $350 and shipping goes by weight, generally $70
5-6 yrs old are normally $350 to $500 and shipping can be well over $100
and 6+ yrs old can range from $500 to over $3,000 depending on if you are getting a proven breeder Sulcata or not."
Can you really sell a 6+ tortoise for over $500? We are very committed tortoise owners and do not anticipate parting with our tortoise any time soon. But we are trying to plan for unexpected events (e.g., untimely death, unforseen job opportunities in frigid parts of the world), and one thing we want to know is whether we will be able to find a good home for our tortoise once he reaches adulthood, if things do not work out as planned.
That's all for now!
Thanks in advance
I recently purchased a sulcata and have a few questions. I am not a first time tortoise owner; my girlfriend and I have had a rescued desert tortoise for about a year. However, we're graduating from college soon and won't be staying in Arizona--and it's illegal to take him across state lines. So we're going to have to pass him on to some caring friends when we leave, and we'll need a tortoise in our lives. My sister is going to raise our sulcata in her dorm in Texas for the rest of the semester, and then my girlfriend and I will take custody in the summer.
Here are my questions:
1. How large can I expect my sulcata to be by the time I finish law school (3 years)? Will he still be manageable inside at this point? I ask because I am mostly considering law schools in the northeast, which will be too cold for our tortoise most of the year. After this, it is very likely that my girlfriend and I will move to a warmer part of the world because we both hate the cold.
Although, just to touch all the bases: are there any sulcata owners otu there near the DC area? is it feasible to raise one here?
2. How easy is it to find a new home for an adult sulcata? Is this true:
"A hatchling (<1yr old) can cost between $50-$120 depending on the company, business, or breeder you are buying from.
A yearling (>1yr/<2yrs old) can cost between $80-$140 depending on the company, business, or breeder you are buying from. Shipping for both is usually $40 or so.
2-4 yrs old are normally $120 to $350 and shipping goes by weight, generally $70
5-6 yrs old are normally $350 to $500 and shipping can be well over $100
and 6+ yrs old can range from $500 to over $3,000 depending on if you are getting a proven breeder Sulcata or not."
Can you really sell a 6+ tortoise for over $500? We are very committed tortoise owners and do not anticipate parting with our tortoise any time soon. But we are trying to plan for unexpected events (e.g., untimely death, unforseen job opportunities in frigid parts of the world), and one thing we want to know is whether we will be able to find a good home for our tortoise once he reaches adulthood, if things do not work out as planned.
That's all for now!
Thanks in advance