swilli
New Member
My name is Sarah and I just recently adopted a hatchling. I'd been thinking about adopting a desert tortoise from my local rescue for some time now, when a close friend's sister's tortoises, whom she's had for more than 20 years, had 9 hatchlings! They were actually convinced that one of the parent tortoises must've been sterile, b/c the two have been gettin' it on for years...haha...but never had any offspring!
Anyways...I brought the little guy/girl home for a visit with my 8 year old lab mix to make sure Mousse could get along ok with a new addition. To my surprise...he could care less. So I decided to keep it - and I say "it" b/c I honestly have no idea whether it's a boy or girl. I WAS under the impression that I was adopting a DESERT tortoise, however as I research further into tortoises, I really think I have a Sucata, which is ok since their natural habitat and diet are very similar.
Indiana Jones, or "Indi" for short...my nephews named it...is living temporarily parttime in a 27 gallon tub filled with several inches of a mixture of sand and top soil and a log hideaway, until I can build a permanent enclosure in the backyard to transition Indi outside after the winter. In the afternoons when I'm off work and working in the yard, Indi is free to roam and forage the natural weeds that have been accumulating since all of our crazy rain. I have LOTS of ideas and am excited to get started.
There is so much more to raising captive tortoises than I think most people realize and I'm looking forward to getting lots of good ideas, suggestions and tips from fellow tortoise lovers!
Anyways...I brought the little guy/girl home for a visit with my 8 year old lab mix to make sure Mousse could get along ok with a new addition. To my surprise...he could care less. So I decided to keep it - and I say "it" b/c I honestly have no idea whether it's a boy or girl. I WAS under the impression that I was adopting a DESERT tortoise, however as I research further into tortoises, I really think I have a Sucata, which is ok since their natural habitat and diet are very similar.
Indiana Jones, or "Indi" for short...my nephews named it...is living temporarily parttime in a 27 gallon tub filled with several inches of a mixture of sand and top soil and a log hideaway, until I can build a permanent enclosure in the backyard to transition Indi outside after the winter. In the afternoons when I'm off work and working in the yard, Indi is free to roam and forage the natural weeds that have been accumulating since all of our crazy rain. I have LOTS of ideas and am excited to get started.
There is so much more to raising captive tortoises than I think most people realize and I'm looking forward to getting lots of good ideas, suggestions and tips from fellow tortoise lovers!
