Best City/Climate to raise a Sulcata

clarardavis

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Hi you guys! So this is my first post on this site, after stalking it for years (; I have a 3 year old Sulcata named Raspberry (nickname is Razie) and I love her to the moon and back. I am thinking about moving because the climate where we live now is not at all the best for a Sulcata.

So I was wondering what kind of outdoor conditions would be the absolute most favorable for a Sulcata? Are there certain cities where you guys seem to congregate? I am thinking about a town with a guaranteed 300 days of sunshine, the majority of the year being in the mid/upper 70's-80's with it getting well over 100 a couple weeks in the summer. It gets around 7 inches of rainfall a year and 1 inch of snow(maybe). Do you think these are appropriate outdoor conditions or should I pick another place?

Thanks for all your help!
Clara
 

Tom

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Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
South Florida, New Orleans and South East Texas area are all very good.

The Phoenix area also seems to suit them very well, but they must be able to burrow in summer.

So Cal would be a distant third.

Any area you move to will have good and bad points, and require you to make adjustments to the heating and housing throughout the year.
 

Yvonne G

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Clovis, CA
Hi Clara, and welcome to the Forum!

My 110lb sulcata, Dudley, lives outside 24/7/365, however, he has an insulated, heated shed to retreat to on cold days. It's not unusual to see tortoise tracks in the frost on the grass in early mornings. He comes out and grazes, then when he gets cold, he goes back inside his shed.
 

DeanS

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Southern California wouldn't be so distant if you were talking Pomona, San Fernando or San Gabriel Valleys. Riverside, Corona and most of the Inland Empire have distinct advantages over the rest of the state! Some of the eastern most regions of Orange County aren't bad, either.
 

DeanS

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Hi Clara, and welcome to the Forum!

My 110lb sulcata, Dudley, lives outside 24/7/365, however, he has an insulated, heated shed to retreat to on cold days. It's not unusual to see tortoise tracks in the frost on the grass in early mornings. He comes out and grazes, then when he gets cold, he goes back inside his shed.

But hardly ideal.
 

Markw84

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Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I'm with Tom on his first choices. The big frustration for me is growing many of the more tropical plants to provide great food year-round, and having the one's I can grow go dormant, or needing protection 4- 5 months out of the year. With large sulcatas, food source becomes a major part of a good plan.
 

jojay327

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Elgin, South Carolina
South Carolina. Are winters are very mild and are summers are hot and humid. Also cheap to live here compared to other parts of the country.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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But Az is tortoise Heaven! And Phx is the heart land for torts ! If you don't believe me ask the tort !
 

clarardavis

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Thanks so much for all your wonderful replies everyone!! I didn't expect to get so many responses and I'm so grateful for that (-: I expected it to be one of the more southern states!
 

clarardavis

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I'm with Tom on his first choices. The big frustration for me is growing many of the more tropical plants to provide great food year-round, and having the one's I can grow go dormant, or needing protection 4- 5 months out of the year. With large sulcatas, food source becomes a major part of a good plan.

How do you plan out how many plants you should need for your tortoises? Is there a number that could be deemed as too little or maybe overkill?
 

Big Charlie

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How do you plan out how many plants you should need for your tortoises? Is there a number that could be deemed as too little or maybe overkill?
I'm in central California, probably in a little warmer area than Markw84. As long as we have water, most things grow year round. I don't think there is such a thing as overkill. If you only have the one sulcata, it is fairly easy to grow enough to feed them in a typical sized yard. I think the people who run out of food are those that have several torts and/or don't have live plants growing all year. The main food is grass and weeds. I haven't planted anything special for Charlie up to now. Our yard already had hibiscus and roses, and plenty of grasses. He has lived on it fine for the last 13 years or so. We still have to mow the lawn.
 

Moxifloxi

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I'm in central California, probably in a little warmer area than Markw84. As long as we have water, most things grow year round. I don't think there is such a thing as overkill. If you only have the one sulcata, it is fairly easy to grow enough to feed them in a typical sized yard. I think the people who run out of food are those that have several torts and/or don't have live plants growing all year. The main food is grass and weeds. I haven't planted anything special for Charlie up to now. Our yard already had hibiscus and roses, and plenty of grasses. He has lived on it fine for the last 13 years or so. We still have to mow the lawn.
How big is big charley
 

Speedy-1

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We have mulberry trees all over . So I have an abundance of free food ! Speedy eats lots of Mulberry leaves and hay ! Anything I buy is usually treats , and Mazuri pellets of course !

100_8679 3.jpg
 

wellington

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Any place you want to live, you can raise any tortoise you want!
The idea places are those that the tortoise species is originally from!
All others need something added that it lacks! Some places cheaper then others to raise a tortoise, but can be done well anywhere, if you have the room and the means.
A sulcata in Florida living in an apartment or a very small yard is worse off then one living up in Michigan that has a very large heated barn to roam in winter and acreage in summer.
 

Speedy-1

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I think its a trade off wherever you are ! Unless we are moving to Africa , we are doing our best to give them as healthy an environment as possible .
 

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