Debating whether to get yearling or hatchling

[cielbom]

I'm from the Rio Grande Valley, it's december but the temperature is still typically in the 80s-90s. Currently I've talked to two different people who are trying to rehome their sulcata tortoises and I'm debating on whether to get the hatchling (that's currently 4 months old) or the yearling (a little over a year old), what would be better and safer for the tortoise, I'm planning on keeping it outside because it's so hot and taking it inside whenever it goes below the 70s.

 

[Yvonne G]

I like to keep babies in the house for the first couple years. Mine don't move outside until they're big enough not to be carried off by birds. Also, keeping them inside it's easier to provide the humidity they need.

Ask them how the tortoises were kept. If they were kept in desert-like conditions, you may have a problem with them. Baby sulcatas do much better when raised in the warm humid conditions that simulate the conditions of Africa when baby sulcatas hatch out - monsoon conditions.

If it were me and I had no experience with tortoises, I would get the older one, but be sure to read all the threads we have pinned at the top of the Sulcata section.

 

[Blackdog1714]

As a Newb, my first was a russian that was well started-almost 6 months! I watch the Tortstork folks and just stare in amazement! Way too many life endangering variables. Now it may be for you just depends on the amount of work you are willing to put in! Good luck

 

[Millerlite]

really your call. sulcatas grow fast, so either way before you know it you will be having to house outdoors pretty much all the time. A hatchling can be delicate and difficult to someone new to tortoise keeping. A yearling if from a good breeder can be well started and hardier than a hatchling. with a good setup and research before hand you should be able to handle either age.

kyle

 

[Tom]

4 months or 14 months doesn't really matter. What matters is HOW they were started as hatchling and how they've been housed.

Outside all day will not be good for them. As Yvonne explained, they need warm humid conditions to remain healthy and grow properly. I've done many side by side experiments with clutch mates, with half of them outside and half inside. The outside ones pyramided and grew at 1/3 the rate on the same food. I like to have an outdoor enclosure AND and indoor enclosure. I use the outdoor one when the weather is nice and mostly keep them indoors in stable correct conditions. My general rule of thumb is an hour in the outdoor enclosure pre day, per inch of tortoise. As they gain size, they get more time outside. I finally move them outside with a heated and humidified night box when they reach around 8-10 inches.

Most of what you find during "research" on how to care for these guys will be old and wrong. Here is all the correct care info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Read these to better understand what we are talking about with the two you are considering. If the 4 month old is around 50 grams, there is a problem.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/

Read all these and then come back with questions. Caring for this species is easy if you set them up right. Its very difficult and you'll get bad results if you don't.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Yep on what Tom says. I set up my enclosure first and dialed it in the only danger posed was to a few plants! NO torts until I knew it operated perfectly!