Adult sucalta

[BILBO-03]

What do you feed adult Sucaltas I know they graze but what else do they need. Also how much room does a adult male sucalta need as the minimum

 

[Tom]

What do you feed adult Sucaltas I know they graze but what else do they need. Also how much room does a adult male sucalta need as the minimum

Sulcatas need a lot of grass in their diet. Once they hit about 12" or so I make grass hay a major part of their diet. Fresh grass, mulberry and grape leaves, spineless opuntia cactus pads, Mazuri tortoise chow and all sorts of different weeds make up the diet of my adults. I also throw in whole pumpkins every fall and winter.

There is no scientifically determined minimum housing size requirement. They could survive for a long time in a bathtub if fed well, hydrated and kept clean, but I think most would agree that a bath tub is much too small. If they had an entire acre, that would be good, but that much space is not "necessary" to maintain a healthy tortoise. My general rule of thumb is to give them as much space as you can. Juveniles will need something the size of an entire room. Once they start getting bigger than 14" or so, they will need something more than an entire room. I think 50x50' is an adequate amount of space to temporarily house an adult indoors of a cold winter. More space would be better.

 

[BILBO-03]

Thanks that helps
If a I have a male and female adult and want to breed them do I leave the female in there all the time

 

[wellington]

Thanks that helps
If a I have a male and female adult and want to breed them do I leave the female in there all the time

No. They would not be able to be housed together. Pairs never do good. The male would pester her to illness or death. If you have lots of room, get one male and two females. Better yet, get just one and enjoy that one. There are enough sulcatas being hatched out anyway and you have to plan on what to do with any that you can't sell.

 

[Tom]

Thanks that helps
If a I have a male and female adult and want to breed them do I leave the female in there all the time

No. In most cases the males will harass a single female to death.

In most cases you need two or three females to one male and you need a very large enclosure with lots of nooks, crannies, sight barriers and hiding places so the females can avoid the male.

Doing the above will make your females into baby machines. All year long you will be dealing with 100s of eggs and babies. Each female can lay 100 eggs a year. Are you prepared to deal with that? Do you have the contacts to move that many babies every year?

 

[BILBO-03]

Is breeding really hard

 

[BILBO-03]

I know I could sell them but every time I ask about breeding people say there is already enough breeders and they tell me not to but I don't think that's fair because other people want to breed to

 

[Razan]

Think of kittens. Not hard to breed. There are lots and lots of them at a certain time of year and then you can hardly give them away. At some time everyone sees one and thinks I've gotta get one. Then it ends up being abandoned when it gets big or the shelter. Same with sulcatas. Reality can be a little harsh but there it is.

Pardon my bluntness. I certainly am not trying to be harsh. I apologize if the message is received as being too strong.

Enjoy life, enjoy your tortoise. They are awesome pets.

 

[cmacusa3]

I know I could sell them but every time I ask about breeding people say there is already enough breeders and they tell me not to but I don't think that's fair because other people want to breed to

what is your current experience with torts? This seems like a huge step for someone without ever owning a sulcata in cold weather climate.

 

[wellington]

Maybe before you get into worrying about breeding them. Get one. House it properly, go through a winter with it. If it's a smaller Juvie, double of trip the food cost in winter time for an adult. Then even more then that if you get more then one. The room, do you have enough room to house a breeding group properly? Don't forget, breeding can be done two ways. The right way is being able to provide properly for the tortoise and any offspring you may not sell. The bad way, well is the same as a puppy mill. For the money only and little to no care of the animals well being. There's enough bad breeders. Can you do it the good breeder way?
Also, why a sulcata? There are quite a few other species that are much harder to find cuz there just isn't enough of them. Smaller, easier to find forever homes for. Have you thought about learning about them instead?
Otherwise, if you still stick with the sulcata, follow the advice Tom gave above about more then one female and what should be provided for the females to survive comfortably

 

[Tom]

I know I could sell them but every time I ask about breeding people say there is already enough breeders and they tell me not to but I don't think that's fair because other people want to breed to

They are telling you that because its true.

Would you consider working with a different species that is smaller and better suited to your climate? We need more people to breed russians as so many of those are still collected from the wild.

 

[Yvonne G]

BILBO-03 - please don't discount what's been said above:

1. one male will harass one female until she either hides all the time or stops eating and dies
2. in order to have breeding success, you have to have a large yard with many sight barriers, where the females can get away from the male
3. there is no winter in Africa, so sulcatas are not tuned in to winter time. The female will lay eggs year round. And if she's locked up in a shed for the winter, she may become egg bound because there's no place for her to dig a nest.
4. female tortoises need lots of exercise. They march around the enclosure daily. This gives them the strength to be able to lay the eggs. Without a large yard to march around in, the female might end up being egg bound.

 

[BILBO-03]

Ok thanks I may just get a dog instead of a tort they seem easier

 

[wellington]

Ok thanks I may just get a dog instead of a tort they seem easier

We aren't trying to talk you out of a tortoise or even a sulcata. Just want you to know up front what's in for you. Pet stores and even some breeders won't tell you the truth, they just want the money. However, dogs are easier.

 

[Tippiethetortoise]

Speaking of breeding, is there a way to have sullies fixed? @wellington @Tom

 

[Tom]

Speaking of breeding, is there a way to have sullies fixed? @wellington @Tom

I'm sure it is possible, but its not something that is commonly done. I've never heard of it happening. I've heard of a few penectomies due to injury, but thats it.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Yes, a dog would be easier. But owning a tort is great too.
Sulcatas are beautiful and i've thought about getting one too. But theyre just much more difficult for me to care for in Maryland.
I have a russian. Theyre a good/easy choice for those of us that do not live in a climate thats warm year round.
But as everyone's stated, a sulcata in ohio is do-able. It just might be costly and needs planning.

 

[Tom]

Ok thanks I may just get a dog instead of a tort they seem easier

I've had a lot of dogs and a lot of tortoises. Dogs are A LOT more work than a tortoise.

Once a tortoise is set up correctly with regards to heat, lights and space, they can largely be ignored if you are busy. Clean water every day is really the only maintenance if you leave a flake of grass hay out for adult sulcatas. Dogs need constant attention, training, potty breaks, supervision, interaction, etc...

 

[BILBO-03]

So can I not breed here in Ohio

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

So can I not breed here in Ohio

You could, if you have the financial resources and the know-how. Being a tortoise keeper in the north is a greater financial burden than in the south, and sulcata, given their size and behaviour, are not a cheap species to keep and breed up north.