just joined this forum thanks for the great info this group shares

[surfergirl]

Just joined and my 20 year old sulcata "Debit" weighs 100 lbs. He is housed outside yr round in atlanta. I have a 30'x15' area for summer eats mostly bermuda hay with other supplements as needed. He gets lots of fresh greens primarily dandelions, purslane and various safe weeds and succulants until he turns the pen into a desert. Lol. I have honeysucle growing on the fence that he feeds on when it grows into the pen. He loves honeysuckle. I have numerous areas where i grow weeds specifically to give him all summer/winter but he primarily eats grass and bermuda hay which if i read an accurate source bermuda originated in Africa. I have a winter area on the most southside of the house 10x20' with a 6x8' 3" foam insulated house with two ceramic emitter, uva/uvb, basking all on a temp control system. He can exit the temp controlled enclosure on warmer days, going and coming as he pleases. He seems to be growing about 5 to 7 lbs a year since he has been over 2x2.5'.

excited to read about everyone and their love for and experience with torts. I know so much more than i did when i bought debit 20 yrs ago as a cute hatchling.

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Tom]

Your diet and routine sound great to me.

The only caution I would add is that CHEs tend to "slow-burn" the carapaces of large tortoises and not warm the ground or air enough at the same time.

Here is what I use instead:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/

You could adopt either or both of these strategies on a larger scale in your big tortoise shed.

 

[Yvonne G]

Because I'm old and it's hard for me to bend over to clean out a night house, I've built my tortoise warm houses as sheds. They are tall enough for me to walk inside to clean. So on these sheds, I use the 250 watt brooder lights sold to keep baby chicks warm. I have them hanging high enough that they heat the whole shed and don't concentrate a heat beam down onto the tortoise's back. One light plus a pig blanket keeps the shed plenty warm enough, even on those nights where it dips down past 30F.

Some folks have problems with the red light. Since my red lights only come on at night, it doesn't cause problems because the tortoises are sleeping.

 

[surfergirl]

My shed is 4' tall but the top flips up so i can stand in it and clean it out. I tried pig blanket heaters and debit ripped the cord out. Thank goodness i caught it quick enough before it hit the wires or it started a fire. I do not put anything electrical within his reach anymore. The shed is on the natural ground like a horse stall so the ground is very warm in the shed even at 24 degrees it is 60-70 at the coolest area. Under the emitters it is 80 plus . The door swings so he can make the temps where he wants it to be. The door is also insulated so not much draft concerns. I have had him escape twice once in tge summer and once on a warm winter day. Once when i had a broken leg and my husband let him out of his pen to graze in the chain link fence area, which he push right under. Neighbor found he. The last time he just worked his way through hog wire when the board dropped and he could see there was more weeds to be had outside his pen. another neighbor found him. Big booger is strong, moves the deck furmiture and grill around like rocks.lol i have him in fort knox now and know what will keep him inside the fence.

 

[popeye tortoise]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Tom I just checked out both threads you displayed and the workmen ship of your boxes is amazing. Very well laid out and built. I will be building a new enclosure this summer. When I start to build this may I hit you up for some input.

Thanks, Roy

 

[Tom]

I do think he would benefit from a larger enclosures, but as you've already seen, they need visual barriers.

Here is my adult enclosure for your perusal: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/enclosure-expansion.38788/

 

[Tom]

We are a friendly forum of people who like talking about tortoises, care techniques and things we've learned. All of it is friendly, intended to be helpful, and intended to make tortoise conversation. I say all this because sometimes a new member will feel a bit "brow-beaten" even though we all just wanna talk tortoises. I don't want you to feel criticized, or attacked or anything like that. Just making tortoise conversation with a smile and engaging a new member here:

I found an old thread that shows the potential damage from over head heat lamps with a large tortoise:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/open-topped-pyramided-scute.19691/#post-174030

I've seen this many times, and once the damage is done, it is not fixable. Because of this, I always try to warn any new person I meet of this potential danger to try and prevent this commonly seen damage.

Anyhow, welcome again!

 

[surfergirl]

We are going to give him the whole backyard next summer. He can keep the grass mowed. We just have to get the site line boards up and we are golden. We have a 18x25'deck in the yard thinking about making an enclosure eith heat in it and then he will have more shed space plus the whole yard when he wants it. We have over an acre and a qtr so if he ever gets bored we just move him to food. Lol thats what he is always in search of. I love it when he is basking and has all his legs spread out chilling in the hotlanta sun during the dog days. Wishing i lived in arizona or south fla where i am from makes tort keeping much easier.

 

[surfergirl]

I want the best for him so i will always be accepting of suggestions and what to avoid. I want zero harm to ever come of him. I worry about having the right person in my will to take care of him as i plan for him to out live me. He is my kid as i do not have any human kids. i have dogs, cats, a tort, koi/goldfish.

 

[surfergirl]

Pretty interesting on the burnt scute. Debit so far as no signs of this but i will check the temps at his height level tonight. I have recued over 100 damaged box turtles on the road. We have repaired their shells and let them go. I used to use plaster and soak and change the cast every other day to avoid infection but we established a fiberglass method that has proven to be the best in our experience. My husband build surf boards. I spoke with a person at auburn university and we shared info. It was hard to care for so many injured box turtles and many of them were fine except the small areas of broken shell they had after being hit by cars, so once we permanently covered the wound they could be released. We tested the heal times on the five or so but now unless it is a very large wound we just repair and release. I had probably 20 box turtles loose in my yard making babies each year from once wounded and definitely destined to be eaten by a crow or vulture on the side of the road.

 

[Yvonne G]

My shed is 4' tall but the top flips up so i can stand in it and clean it out. I tried pig blanket heaters and debit ripped the cord out. Thank goodness i caught it quick enough before it hit the wires or it started a fire. I do not put anything electrical within his reach anymore. The shed is on the natural ground like a horse stall so the ground is very warm in the shed even at 24 degrees it is 60-70 at the coolest area. Under the emitters it is 80 plus . The door swings so he can make the temps where he wants it to be. The door is also insulated so not much draft concerns. I have had him escape twice once in tge summer and once on a warm winter day. Once when i had a broken leg and my husband let him out of his pen to graze in the chain link fence area, which he push right under. Neighbor found he. The last time he just worked his way through hog wire when the board dropped and he could see there was more weeds to be had outside his pen. another neighbor found him. Big booger is strong, moves the deck furmiture and grill around like rocks.lol i have him in fort knox now and know what will keep him inside the fence.

You have to attach the cord to the wall. I also have those clamps down at the floor level. And the lights are no longer hanging that low.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !

 

[surfergirl]

I cannot find my last summers pics on my phone but this was debit 3 summers ago. He was probably around 85 pounds and 2x2 maybe a bit longer.

 

[surfergirl]

Here is him today in his winter enclosure/pen. We had 28degree temps last night and he was toasty warm

 

[sibi]

Hi and welcome. Just as you can learn something new here, I'm sure we can learn something from you since you've successfully raised a sulcata for 20 years w/o this forum. We glad to have you as a member. Tell me, why now did you seek out this forum? Also, If you don't mind, please share exactly how you built the indoor enclosure i.e., what materials did you use, dimensions, insulation.

 

[surfergirl]

Well i shut down my salt water aquarium yesterday and was taking my crabs back to the pet store, they are awesome to help me find new homes for them. Long story about me raising some pea crabs i found in a oyster bar. Ill save the rest for a saltwater forum. Anyway, while i was there i noticed they had setup a huge new reptile section and i saw some little sulcatas, found some new food samples and the owner suggested this new gel food by repashy.I tried some of it last night and then went web searching to see all the reviews; op ui nions and found this site. I have been a lurker of many sites over the years and i think i may have joined one before many yrs ago but i liked what i was reading last night. Plus when i saw those two little sulcatas i thought"i hope those new owners will understand how challeging ownership of sulatas are especially in our climate. I was also thinking about looking into a russian which is more compatable with our climate and i have some really good spots in my yard for a mini tort resort. I see alot of people putting them up for adoption and i could make a great home for one indoor and out. Anyway thats what got me looking and i want to learn from and help others any way i can. My sulcata follows me around like a dog. He drinks out of his dog bowl of water through his nose. Crackes me up! Its great to read all this sharing!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[surfergirl]

Yvonne, how old are your "girls" they are girls right? Looks like the one out front has less armor and no flip up on the shell. wasn't sure if sulcata males behave themselves with the girls except during breeding season. Debit has flashed once when he was just over 13" and i thought he was hurt or sick, his insides prolapsing and my husband said you dummy "he is a male " hahaha!