More lost after reading...

Geoffrey

New Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
TN
We were gifted a Sulcatta temporarily for a few years for a traveling family member. Never had a reptile, but willing to learn. Problem is what I've heard from relatively new owner that left it with me, what I've read thanks to Google, and now what in these threads conflict. Alot! Tortoise is about 10" across, no idea how old or if male or female. Lively, and by the standards set in this forum, very healthy, although shell was pyramided when said family member got it, and it's only been 3 months or so. New growth is apparent, but not sure if it's healthy growth. Just don't know anything. Thinking we were doing the right thing according to Google, the tortoise has a full-time outdoor enclosure 6'x6'. Cedar branches for a hideaway, pen is located in moderately wooded area of yard for partial shading, mobile to scoot around and keep weeds and grass as primary diet with fresh veggies and fruits from our grocery shopping trips and hay on occasion to keep things varied. Tennessee is generally very humid, and I was under the impression that too much moisture is bad, so only water has been a shallow soaking pan made available free choice if it doesn't rain for a week. Please don't be ugly when offering constructive criticism - this tortoise eats great, has great quality output, appears happy and healthy and interacts with us well from what I'm reading. Now that it's getting down into upper 60s/low 70s sometimes at night, I began checking into best housing for winter, assuming it would burrow in for winter, but perhaps need a heat lamp over burrow opening and an enclosure. After finding this forum, I feel like possibly a terrible tortoise-keeper. It's all very confusing.
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
We were gifted a Sulcatta temporarily for a few years for a traveling family member. Never had a reptile, but willing to learn. Problem is what I've heard from relatively new owner that left it with me, what I've read thanks to Google, and now what in these threads conflict. Alot! Tortoise is about 10" across, no idea how old or if male or female. Lively, and by the standards set in this forum, very healthy, although shell was pyramided when said family member got it, and it's only been 3 months or so. New growth is apparent, but not sure if it's healthy growth. Just don't know anything. Thinking we were doing the right thing according to Google, the tortoise has a full-time outdoor enclosure 6'x6'. Cedar branches for a hideaway, pen is located in moderately wooded area of yard for partial shading, mobile to scoot around and keep weeds and grass as primary diet with fresh veggies and fruits from our grocery shopping trips and hay on occasion to keep things varied. Tennessee is generally very humid, and I was under the impression that too much moisture is bad, so only water has been a shallow soaking pan made available free choice if it doesn't rain for a week. Please don't be ugly when offering constructive criticism - this tortoise eats great, has great quality output, appears happy and healthy and interacts with us well from what I'm reading. Now that it's getting down into upper 60s/low 70s sometimes at night, I began checking into best housing for winter, assuming it would burrow in for winter, but perhaps need a heat lamp over burrow opening and an enclosure. After finding this forum, I feel like possibly a terrible tortoise-keeper. It's all very confusing.
Keep trying with info But I don't feel comfortable with leaving my Russian outside at night or in the winter. Since you just have 1, why not make (he she) a family heirloom. A part of your family. Keep the darling inside until you are comfortable with an outside enclosure because it is fall. I don't know anything about the type of tortoise you have but you are at the right place. A 10 inch tortoise isn't that hard to hand carry outside on a warm day. The tortoise forum will help you more then me. Keep trying...
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi Geoffrey. The reason you're seeing so much confusing and contradictory info is because we've been keeping this species all wrong for the last 3 decades since it was introduced to the pet trade in the late 80s and early 90s. Care sheets and books were written back then based on incorrect assumptions about where they come from, how they live, and what they need. These are NOT desert animals and that old wrong info just won't die. It keeps getting repeated by vets, "experts", breeders and some people with decades of experience doing it all wrong.

Babies hatch at the start of the hot, rainy, wet, humid, monsoon season. During the dry season they are all dug in underground where its warm and humid, not hot and dry.

A 10"+ sulcata is ready to live outside full time, but it needs an enclosure that is at least 30x30, or larger. The heated night house can be 4x4 or 4x8, but they need a lot of room to roam.

This is a tropical species and they need warm temps day and night. The heated night box needs to be kept around 80 day and night, and they should not be allowed to drop into the low 70s or 60s. Those temps are fine for temperate species, but not sulcatas. Burrowing is great for them in the hot summer months, but not in fall or winter. Speaking of winter: You will need some sort of large heated area during your cold TN winters. A 4x8' night box is great for cool nights, but they can't live in it.

No fruit. Its not good for them. Messes up the gut flora and fauna. Most grocery store food should be avoided unless you just can't find anything else. Grass, weeds, leaves, spineless opuntia and flowers are the way to go. Here is a list of what to feed them: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Here is some general care info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Here are some night box examples:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/

I expect no one to just take my word for it cause I said so. Feel free to ask lots of questions. Ask me to explain why 10 care sheets from "experts" all say the same thing, opposite of what I'm saying, and why they are wrong.
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
I had that problem too. All kinds of conflicting info and pet foods etc...I feel for you Geoffrey. And Tom, I don't believe one word those decades old care sheets say cause that means "they haven't done their research".
 

Geoffrey

New Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
TN
Hi Geoffrey. The reason you're seeing so much confusing and contradictory info is because we've been keeping this species all wrong for the last 3 decades since it was introduced to the pet trade in the late 80s and early 90s. Care sheets and books were written back then based on incorrect assumptions about where they come from, how they live, and what they need. These are NOT desert animals and that old wrong info just won't die. It keeps getting repeated by vets, "experts", breeders and some people with decades of experience doing it all wrong.

Babies hatch at the start of the hot, rainy, wet, humid, monsoon season. During the dry season they are all dug in underground where its warm and humid, not hot and dry.

A 10"+ sulcata is ready to live outside full time, but it needs an enclosure that is at least 30x30, or larger. The heated night house can be 4x4 or 4x8, but they need a lot of room to roam.

This is a tropical species and they need warm temps day and night. The heated night box needs to be kept around 80 day and night, and they should not be allowed to drop into the low 70s or 60s. Those temps are fine for temperate species, but not sulcatas. Burrowing is great for them in the hot summer months, but not in fall or winter. Speaking of winter: You will need some sort of large heated area during your cold TN winters. A 4x8' night box is great for cool nights, but they can't live in it.

No fruit. Its not good for them. Messes up the gut flora and fauna. Most grocery store food should be avoided unless you just can't find anything else. Grass, weeds, leaves, spineless opuntia and flowers are the way to go. Here is a list of what to feed them: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Here is some general care info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Here are some night box examples:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/

I expect no one to just take my word for it cause I said so. Feel free to ask lots of questions. Ask me to explain why 10 care sheets from "experts" all say the same thing, opposite of what I'm saying, and why they are wrong.

Thank you!! This is exactly what I needed to know!
 

Geoffrey

New Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
TN
Disclaimer: This is NOT the habitat we keep the tortoise in, but it does make a good background for pics. Also, this tortoise has only been with us about 3 months, if that. Otherwise, does the new shell growth appear healthy if you can even tell yet? Can anyone sex this tortoise for me? Constructive criticism welcome.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180930_215836.jpg
    IMG_20180930_215836.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 29
  • IMG_20180930_215922.jpg
    IMG_20180930_215922.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 24
  • IMG_20180930_220441.jpg
    IMG_20180930_220441.jpg
    2.4 MB · Views: 28

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Disclaimer: This is NOT the habitat we keep the tortoise in, but it does make a good background for pics. Also, this tortoise has only been with us about 3 months, if that. Otherwise, does the new shell growth appear healthy if you can even tell yet? Can anyone sex this tortoise for me? Constructive criticism welcome.
Your tortoise is too young to sex, but when the time comes, we will need a pic of the tail and nail scutes.

You've got a little pyramiding there, but that can be corrected with the right set up and some monsoon conditions. All that info is in the care sheet, but ask questions if anything is not clear. You'll need a large closed chamber with warm conditions and high humidity. Daily soaks, damp substrate, and regular shell misting will help too. Your outdoor environment will be great as long as its warm weather, but indoors is where this tortoise could use some help.
 

New Posts

Top