Deciding to get a baby Sulcata!

Obbie

Active Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
162
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
Not our first tortoise. Just not done a sully before and wanted to get it set up right BEFORE we get it! We are wanting a hatchling mostly due to the indoor space we have for an enclosure. I can only do a 2x4 indoors this year. But I’m also a Vet Tech student and my passion is reptiles.

I don’t want to be a “Debi-downer”, but after all the babies I’ve seen die on here. I lost a baby at 1 year, failure to thrive....but they are very fragile. Since seeing too many die, I know I was heart broken !! Perhaps you could contact a rescue, that you could get a lot older tortoise. I was lucky, a friends daughter found one in gas fields in North Dakota. She is my good girl, my friend, my 45 pound baby ?
 

Tridbkr

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Aurora, Colorado
So I’ve already read Tom’s care sheet and I still have about a billion questions. I luckily have a month to do research and prepare as this was a special birthday request for my oldest. I’ve got all the enclosure stuff down except type of hydrometer and night heating element to use for the indoor hatchling enclosure? Also what are their personalities/activities like during the day? Are the diggers or climbers? Will 1/4in plywood suffice for the temporary winter enclosure? Curious to know more specifics on how fast they grow. How much is too much to feed them, as I know with our old Russian it was feed them as much as they want but I’ve seen that over feeding is common in hatchlings. Can I get any recommendations on breeders or places to buy from? I’m in Fort Worth Texas if anyone knows someone local.
For reference we will be wanting a young baby or hatchling by November. We will winter it indoors while my husband builds a fancy enclosure outdoors. But we just bought this house in May and the yard was completely neglected before we moved in, so we are completely tearing up and redoing all of it. So we need to know just how fast these big guys grow so we can get a corner of the yard ready for it while we finish up the rest of the yard and then build it an even bigger enclosure.
 

Tridbkr

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Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Aurora, Colorado
I don't have much experience but...I have noticed that as they grow, the weight, 5 years 40 to 50 lbs. 6 years, 50 to 60 lbs. That's loosely, just to give you an idea. Why get a hatchling? Those are fragile, hard to keep, and die easily. Adopt a bigger Sulcata, the rescues are full of them. And if you've never kept a tortoise before, get a Russian first. Not Sulcata
 

Tridbkr

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Aurora, Colorado
So I hope people out there had better luck getting a tortoise from a rescue than I did. I live in the Denver Co. area, tried to adopt and was such a hassle that I purchased a baby from a breeder in Arizona. Having said that, in 2 years he's gone from a golf ball to a large softball. This year during the summer we've left him to roam the backyard and he has a ball out there. We bring him in at night to keep him safe from predators. He has a great personality and every night he's in the same place when we bring him in. We hand feed him a lot when he's outside, he loves morning glory leaves and the flowers. I take him in to the vet every fall for his check up. I can tell you from my experience that my tortoise is a roamer, not much of a digger....When he see's me outside he will come to me for snacks, which is the coolest thing...to see a tortoise run...so to speak...I'll have to post a video. This is not my 1st reptile, but getting this sulcata has been totally worth it....good luck with whatever decision you make.
 

Melissacoop

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Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
237
Location (City and/or State)
Pembroke Pines, FL
Your baby won’t be ready to live outdoors for at least 2 years. They need the monitored heat and humidity. Your outdoor enclosure can be for outdoor sun and grazing though. Mine is 1 year and 3 months and he’s almost a pound.
 

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Maggie3fan

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So I hope people out there had better luck getting a tortoise from a rescue than I did. I live in the Denver Co. area, tried to adopt and was such a hassle that I purchased a baby from a breeder in Arizona. Having said that, in 2 years he's gone from a golf ball to a large softball. This year during the summer we've left him to roam the backyard and he has a ball out there. We bring him in at night to keep him safe from predators. He has a great personality and every night he's in the same place when we bring him in. We hand feed him a lot when he's outside, he loves morning glory leaves and the flowers. I take him in to the vet every fall for his check up. I can tell you from my experience that my tortoise is a roamer, not much of a digger....When he see's me outside he will come to me for snacks, which is the coolest thing...to see a tortoise run...so to speak...I'll have to post a video. This is not my 1st reptile, but getting this sulcata has been totally worth it....good luck with whatever decision you make.
I enjoyed your post. BUT, is there a way you can make a night house with heat? My bigger Sulcata always put themselves to bed in a tort shed. Your guy needs a safe heated house to sleep in and it's not your house. It is my personal experience a heated night house is important for them.
And I am gonna comment on one thing. Since about 2005 I have kept Sulcata. My Bob was over 100 lbs when he died, Big Sam was, well, big, Mary Knobbins is pushing 50 lbs. I have head started over 100 Sulcata hatchlings. My personal experience with Sulcata is a little extensive. Please do not hand feed Sulcata. They end up thinking that your hand is edible. They bite your hand thinking your hand is food. I have had 16 stitches in my hand, 4 stitches again, big wound no stitches. I am saying Sulcata grow to think your hand IS food. It is possible a big Sulcata 'could' bite off pieces of a small child's hand. I learned thru personal experience that hand feeding Sulcata is a bad thing. DON'T DO IT!!! here are pictures of a Sulcata bite about 2 months ago....
Small wound...
100_4973.JPG
Bled like hell
100_4968.JPG
What if I had the small hand of a child?????????
100_4969.JPG
DON'T HAND FEED SULCATA!!!
 

BrookeB

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10 Year Member!
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424
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Bodfish
I do have a few baby sulcatas left from my last clutch. They are about 2 mos old now. IF you're interested PM me.

I keep having people ask me who I recommend and who still has babies I’ll definitely send them your way. I’ve been recommended @Tom but he’s out of them now as far as I know. I know you are another good breeder and I want to get people to buy and recommend the few that do it right.

I mean I had 6 out of 7 babies die on me (literally nothing I could do to help them) and (veterinarians in my opinion really are not good with reptiles and birds (exotics in general) from my personal experiences) (I will only go to the vet in extreme circumstances) The one that survived from the original 7 was bred in Florida, during summer ((humid and hot)) and kept fairly well for a few months in Florida and then moved here to California and given to me at 4 months old..

But then when I finally get more from breeders here they have been absolutely wonderful from day one. Noticeably healthier/hardier, noticeably more active, noticeably used to a variety of healthy food and noticeably more used to human interaction, I even had one that got a respiratory infection (that was completely my fault due to a temperature drop) but he was even able to be saved by Toms knowledge. If they are well started they are actually pretty hardy and can survive beginner mistakes Or unforeseen circumstances. It’s incredible the difference between well started hatchlings and ones that where not started correctly. I really am a true believer at this point.
 

Maggie3fan

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Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
So I hope people out there had better luck getting a tortoise from a rescue than I did. I live in the Denver Co. area, tried to adopt and was such a hassle that I purchased a baby from a breeder in Arizona. Having said that, in 2 years he's gone from a golf ball to a large softball. This year during the summer we've left him to roam the backyard and he has a ball out there. We bring him in at night to keep him safe from predators. He has a great personality and every night he's in the same place when we bring him in. We hand feed him a lot when he's outside, he loves morning glory leaves and the flowers. I take him in to the vet every fall for his check up. I can tell you from my experience that my tortoise is a roamer, not much of a digger....When he see's me outside he will come to me for snacks, which is the coolest thing...to see a tortoise run...so to speak...I'll have to post a video. This is not my 1st reptile, but getting this sulcata has been totally worth it....good luck with whatever decision you make.
You didn't post here that you wanted a tortoise. I just adopted out a 40 lb tort. and I still have one. Think I will keep Mary Knobbins
 

Violanna

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Joined
Sep 26, 2018
Messages
168
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
(veterinarians in my opinion really are not good with reptiles and birds (exotics in general) from my personal experiences) (I will only go to the vet in extreme circumstances)
This right here is exactly why I want to specialize in exotics! I want to break the stigma against taking exotics to the vet and vets only treating common domestics and large farm animals. I also am well versed on birds but can’t currently own them as I own a German Shorthaired Pointer who has that bird instinct but not the discipline to leave it (my fault I got lax on her training as a pup and even though I train her daily that damage is done)
 

Violanna

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Sep 26, 2018
Messages
168
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Want to say a quick but HUGE thank you to everyone who helped out and gave advice! Especially @Tom @maggie3fan and @Markw84 it has been incredibly helpful and definitely solidified my decision to take on this journey. Definitely making a few adjustments to our enclosure plans, and glad to know I won’t need our big fancy outdoor enclosure for much longer than was expected which just means it gets to be even bigger and fancier than originally planned! This is absolutely the best group ever! We now have our baby reserved and will be getting it in a few weeks meanwhile we build the enclosure and make sure it’s perfect!
 

Tridbkr

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Aurora, Colorado
I enjoyed your post. BUT, is there a way you can make a night house with heat? My bigger Sulcata always put themselves to bed in a tort shed. Your guy needs a safe heated house to sleep in and it's not your house. It is my personal experience a heated night house is important for them.
And I am gonna comment on one thing. Since about 2005 I have kept Sulcata. My Bob was over 100 lbs when he died, Big Sam was, well, big, Mary Knobbins is pushing 50 lbs. I have head started over 100 Sulcata hatchlings. My personal experience with Sulcata is a little extensive. Please do not hand feed Sulcata. They end up thinking that your hand is edible. They bite your hand thinking your hand is food. I have had 16 stitches in my hand, 4 stitches again, big wound no stitches. I am saying Sulcata grow to think your hand IS food. It is possible a big Sulcata 'could' bite off pieces of a small child's hand. I learned thru personal experience that hand feeding Sulcata is a bad thing. DON'T DO IT!!! here are pictures of a Sulcata bite about 2 months ago....
Small wound...
View attachment 308385
Bled like hell
View attachment 308387
What if I had the small hand of a child?????????
View attachment 308390
DON'T HAND FEED SULCATA!!!
Ok, so I should clarify hand fed...by this I meant when he's outside, spots me, he'll come up to me and I give him treats like the morning glory flowers he can't reach. I put them on the ground in front of him not actually out of my hand...sorry about that. So as far as a night shed, raccoons are in our area and very destructive, I just won't chance it, if they want it, they'll get it, he's fine indoors at night, wakes up with me in the morning, I feed him and head to work. The vets I use work out of Alameda East and these people have a group well versed with more than just the average pet... and I actually joined this sight not that long ago....there's a lot to enjoy here.
 
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