Hi All. Newbie here!

[StephanieMolina]

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone! Secondly I would like to say thank you for welcoming me into such a great, resourceful, informative community. I used to own red eard sliders when I was a teen. But recently when I went to visit my father and he had a baby sulcata tortoise. My son was so excited and spent the whole day with PeeWee. I wanted to know if this type of tortoise would be a great pet to help a small child that needs speech therapy. All comments and concerns are welcome.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi and welcome! My question would more be, do you have the room to properly house such a large and sometimes destructive tortoise? If not, you may want to look at another type. Also define what you means as a "pet".

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Sulcatas are my favorite species, but they are not the best choice for everyone. They get huge. 150 pounds sometimes. They are a burrowing species, so they often dig holes all over the place. They eat A LOT. They will strip a normal back yard as they get bigger. Because they are tropical and so large, they must live outside and they need a heated shelter for most of the year in most places. If you think you could house a pig or horse, then the sulcata might be the right tortoise for you. If raised right they are very hardy and usually extremely personable.

Where in the country are you? If you are in Northern Minnesota, some other species might be easier. If you are in one of the Southern states and have some acreage, then they are much easier to maintain.

If sulcatas are not right for you, there are lots of other species that you might like. And these would likely help your son just as much.

 

[Dagashi]

Firstly.. WElcome!!

I also really really really want a sulcata.. but I doubt I have the space for a pig or horse.. + I didn't now sulcatas are destructive! I'll probably have to reconsider the sulcata. But they are so darn adorable!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Stephanie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know where in the world you are?

A sulcata may not be the right fit for you, depending upon where you live, however I do believe having a tortoise would be helpful with the speech therapy. There are many more, readily available species of tortoise that don't get as big and destructive as sulcatas, and if you find a Rescue near you, you may be able to get one for free!

 

[StephanieMolina]

Thank you for the reply and hospitable welcome. We have a good sized property. We have a half acre front yard and an acre back yard. We have the room and I'm a stay at home mom so I have the time. I just want to get him a pet that will literally grow up with him even last him into his adulthood.

 

[StephanieMolina]

Hi and welcome! My question would more be, do you have the room to properly house such a large and sometimes destructive tortoise? If not, you may want to look at another type. Also define what you means as a "pet".

By pet i mean companion. We have a sugar glider named Riddick and he's our other child. So we treat our pets as if they are a family member in our home. I'm sorry if I stated anything in a way that made anyone offended.

 

[StephanieMolina]

Hi Stephanie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know where in the world you are?

A sulcata may not be the right fit for you, depending upon where you live, however I do believe having a tortoise would be helpful with the speech therapy. There are many more, readily available species of tortoise that don't get as big and destructive as sulcatas, and if you find a Rescue near you, you may be able to get one for free!

We are in San Antonio, Texas. And again Thank Y'all for the kind welcome into your community. I was really hoping that a tortoise would help him with speech therapy. My son had so much fun with PeeWee that he didn't want to leave my fathers house. He wanted to take PeeWee home with him . Poor baby.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

Sounds like you have space to house a sulcata once it get 100+ pounds. They are a great species and have a wonderful personalities....

 

[cemmons12]

I dont think you offended anyone at all! And I know sometimes things that are said may come out sounding wrong, even by us who have been here for awhile. But, as far as forum members, we just love torts/turtles so much that when we give advice it may come off sounding harsh sometimes. But its really just we are trying our best to help educate new comers or even members that have been here for awhile. As far as kids, (this may be MY harsh sounding part) a tort could really be helpfull for speech therapy, but I never leave my youngest (10 year old) alone with my torts just because I was a curious kid once and remember doing things out of curiousity, and I have also read a few places where a child has hurt a tort by accident. So I hope that doesnt sound mean/harsh, I just personally dont want my daughter poking at his head or pulling at his legs. I hope all goes well for you when you decide to get your tort! Have a great day!!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[StephanieMolina]

I dont think you offended anyone at all! And I know sometimes things that are said may come out sounding wrong, even by us who have been here for awhile. But, as far as forum members, we just love torts/turtles so much that when we give advice it may come off sounding harsh sometimes. But its really just we are trying our best to help educate new comers or even members that have been here for awhile. As far as kids, (this may be MY harsh sounding part) a tort could really be helpfull for speech therapy, but I never leave my youngest (10 year old) alone with my torts just because I was a curious kid once and remember doing things out of curiousity, and I have also read a few places where a child has hurt a tort by accident. So I hope that doesnt sound mean/harsh, I just personally dont want my daughter poking at his head or pulling at his legs. I hope all goes well for you when you decide to get your tort! Have a great day!!

I understand your concern. We never leave our son unattended with any animal, not even our sugar glider. Every child is curious and thus need to be under adult supervision when handling cats, dogs, tortoises, etc.

Also, Are there any good breeders here in San Antonio?

 

[Tom]

Well your climate and space sounds like you would be a great home for a sulcata. I'm just thrilled that we get to talk to you BEFORE you buy one. Here is a bunch of threads I put together. There are a couple of care sheets and some enclosure threads, but I really want you to read the "Hatchling Failure Syndrome" thread before you buy one. It will help you to ask the right questions and get the right tortoise to start with. Knowledge has advanced rapidly in the last few years, but many people around the country are still doing things the "dry" way, and we now know that "dry" is not the way to go with babies. There are many good breeders here on the forum that can sell you a healthy well started baby that should grow and give you decades of enjoyment. Be careful with any local breeders or pet shops. If they house them on rabbit pellets with no water bowl, run the other way... Here are those threads:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Helpful-Threads#axzz1qsgmnZrN

How you house them and what you do with them is certainly important for success, but if you start with a dried up dehydrated baby, sometimes nothing you do can save it... There is a lovely lady in Louisiana who has beautiful healthy babies on the ground right now, and me and another member in AZ will have some in May. Don't know what every one else has got going...

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!

 

[Tom]

And there's the AZ man I spoke of...

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

And there's the AZ man I spoke of...

Thanks for the intro Tom, makes me feel important. Haha

 

[StephanieMolina]

Tom thank you for the very informative threads. I appreciate all.of the information and feedback everyone has given us. Thank you all!

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome!!

 

[cTraylo]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome