Craigslist rescue

[Chsen]

I rescued a sulcata tortoise today that someone posted on graigslist.

Owner said Bob (owners given name) was 1.5 years old and when I saw the images posted I knew I had to step in and save Bob.

Bob was kept at room temperature in a 20-gal tank. No beneficial lights or heat source. Body temperature was 73.6º when I picked Bob up. Owner soaked once a week with room temperature water. Substrate was dry. Bob had water and dried carrots. Owner feed Bob carrots and romaine lettuce.

Overall – Bob looks to be in good health just real small for 1.5 years.

Bob's status

Age: 1.5 yrs

Weight: 167.3g

Length: 8.5 cm (3.34646 in)

Pyramiding: 1.2065 mm (0.0475 in)

Bob now has a temporary home (Tortoise table), not the best but it will do till I can build an enclosed enclosure this weekend.

 

[Ink]

Cute tortoise. Please start giving him calcium a pinch twice a week. Is his shell soft? I only ask because in the first picture his back end looks like it slopes. @Tom

 

[Chsen]

Cute tortoise. Please start giving him calcium a pinch twice a week. Is his shell soft? I only ask because in the first picture his back end looks like it slopes. @Tom

His shell is a little soft and he does have a little slope. I'm hoping in future you will not notice the slope.

 

[Ink]

Does Bob have proper lights and heat now?

 

[wellington]

Not bad looking for such poor care. He does seem to possibly have the start of MBD with that slop. It could also just be that way.
Be sure he has an incandescent flood bulb for basking of temps 95-100, no mercury or halogen bulbs. A tube flourescent for uvb. Temps never lower than 80 and 80% humidity.
Do you have the room to house him as an adult? He will be to big too be inside in about a year or two when he's around 10 inches long and will need a 3x8 or larger enclosed enclosure until then.

 

[Chsen]

Does Bob have proper lights and heat now?

Yes, Bob as all the proper lights, heat, food, calcium, and hides. Bob will be in a tortoise table for a couple of days till I can build a enclosure.

 

[Ink]

Thank you for helping him!

 

[Chsen]

Not bad looking for such poor care. He does seem to possibly have the start of MBD with that slop. It could also just be that way.
Be sure he has an incandescent flood bulb for basking of temps 95-100, no mercury or halogen bulbs. A tube flourescent for uvb. Temps never lower than 80 and 80% humidity.
Do you have the room to house him as an adult? He will be to big too be inside in about a year or two when he's around 10 inches long and will need a 3x8 or larger enclosed enclosure until then.

Thank you, I have all the correct stuff based on this great community. I have plenty of room as I live on a mini farm. I have two other sulcatas and an aldabra... I'm ready.

Thank you again for all your advice.

 

[SinLA]

Thank you, I have all the correct stuff based on this great community. I have plenty of room as I live on a mini farm. I have two other sulcatas and an aldabra... I'm ready.

Thank you again for all your advice.

Thank you so much for taking him. CL in CA is full of tortoises like this in need

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not sure if you're familiar with this thread. But it's worth a read if not:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Chsen]

I'm not sure if you're familiar with this thread. But it's worth a read if not:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

I'm familiar with it, read it a few times. Thank you.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Bless you for taking this guy in!!

Perhaps you’ll find this indoor housing thread I made useful, it covers correct equipment(lighting, heating, uv), levels, sizing, appropriately maintaining humidity, substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with the greenhouse idea the lower the ceiling height whilst allowing for recommended bulb distance the better!

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for a leopard/sulcata until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give people some ideas!” I know it looks like a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered...

tortoiseforum.org

This one includes some more closed chamber options, just bear in mind the scale to go for with him being a growing sulcata

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope you like them! Look forward to seeing what you come up with for him

 

[Tim Carlisle]

My Ghost was a CL rescue as well! Got him from a retired elderly couple. They kept him in a small Tupperware container with some cypress mulch and not much else. Got him at 8 months old. He's my pride and joy

 

[Chsen]

@Tim Carlisle Good looking sulcata.

 

[Chsen]

Bless you for taking this guy in!!

Perhaps you’ll find this indoor housing thread I made useful, it covers correct equipment(lighting, heating, uv), levels, sizing, appropriately maintaining humidity, substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with the greenhouse idea the lower the ceiling height whilst allowing for recommended bulb distance the better!

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for a leopard/sulcata until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give people some ideas!” I know it looks like a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered...

tortoiseforum.org

This one includes some more closed chamber options, just bear in mind the scale to go for with him being a growing sulcata

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope you like them! Look forward to seeing what you come up with for him

Thank you, I read these threads a few time when I first joined.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

@Tim Carlisle Good looking sulcata.

Thanks. I worked very hard on him thanks to the advice of TFO members.

 

[COmtnLady]

You get the gold star for saving Bob!

Keep sharing pics. He's got pretty coloring, but does look like he's been dealing with DRY for a while.

 

[Chsen]

You get the gold star for saving Bob!

Keep sharing pics. He's got pretty coloring, but does look like he's been dealing with DRY for a while.

Thank you, Bob has been dry for a very long time as his previous owner kept him in a dry tank at room temperature and soaked him once a week. I was expecting Bob to be in bad shape but it looks like Bob is a fighter.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I hope we will see many updates of Bob in the future!