Hi Y'all!

[CrazyCatLady]

Hello!

I'm brand new to tortoises, but not to reptiles.
I've had an aquatic turtle (Eastern Painted) for 5 years and a common snapping turtle for 3 years (CraigsList rescue).

I've come here because tomorrow (technically today) I will be adopting two sulcatas from CraigsList.
They are babies, only about 3-4 months according to the owner (supposedly they are moving and can't take them; seems like a fast turnaround to me).

I live in Houston, Texas and own a house, so when the time comes, they will be able to live comfortably outside year-round.

I've been stalking the site for a couple of hours, but any advise would be appreciated!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome, Crazy Cat Lady.
Two Sulcatas, or TWO any tortoise shouldn't be housed together. They are solitary animals and never seem to get over the urge to compete for food and space, etc. Generally one tortoise will grow and prosper and one will stay small and weak. Eventually so weak that it will get very ill.
You have babies, so maybe you'll have a few months to sort out your housing. But even an entire acre yard wont be large enough for a pair.
They will need to be separated.
@Yvonne G
@Tom
Are fantastic Sulcata care members.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome! Congrats on the new tortoises. Zeropilot is right about the pair thing. You ought to house them separately, or perhaps get one or two more to make a little group, if you are inclined to add more.

Here are all the standard sulcata tips:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

I hope you have lots of questions to fuel the tortoise conversation.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum! (I have a bundle of cats too!!)

 

[Jodie]

Hello and welcome to the forum from Spokane's crazy tortoise lady.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

So, there are two because the current owner doesn't want to separate them: "they are sisters and have been together since birth".

I doubt I would have the space to go even bigger (i.e. get 1 or 2 MORE sulcatas!)
And I'm thinking ahead to the adult situation; I could certainly set up two hatchling enclosures with no problems.

So what would y'all suggest?
Try to rehome one of them? If so, what avenues are likely to find responsible owners? I'm willing to wait until I find the right one.
Or just go with it and see what happens? I know the pairs situation is a debated topic.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/bad-day-for-baby.114328/

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Could you have one enclosure on top of or above the other ?

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I could definitely house them separately at this point/time. But I'm thinking about the future; once they need to be moved outside.
The dimensions of my current backyard would be okay for two sub-adults/juveniles. But splitting it down the middle, for two enclosures, would change the dimensions and (I think) make it too small for both.
I will eventually move out of this starter home to a place that will be on a larger plot, but that's in the future and consequently is not guaranteed.

Worst case scenario: my dad has a HUGE yard that could support a full grown adult, but also has a pool...

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Look forward to seeing pics of your torts.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !

 

[KaitlinKeefe_]

Welcome!

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.