My Visiting Sulcata - a true story

TigsMom

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DSC_0431.JPG A family friend (our kids childhood friend) stopped by last night to our surprise. He came in and said "I need your help", of course I said sure buddy what's up? He said I almost hit a tortoise on the road and he's in my truck. I gently but firmly told him "if this is a desert tortoise, it is totally illegal to keep". I fully expected that he'd found a native tortoise that had been stirred out of it's burrow from our storms. Much to my shock and surprise it was a large Sulcata. A very personable Male, extremely social. We put him in my yard and I offered him hibiscus leaves, dandelion greens, bermuda hay and a large fresh bowl of water. He ate like he was inhaling it! What a guy! Thankfully, we've learned alot here in the forum as my Daughter has 2 that are only a year old. Never had we experienced an Adult Sulcata before. I could tell he was in great shape, probably hadn't been out for too terribly long, but he definitely needed us as a big storm approached. My yard is escape proof, but not exactly giant tortoise proofed, all I could do was hope for the best through the night and deal with it today. Along with an all out search for his owners and real home. So I got up with the Sun, not knowing when he just might wake up from his lean to shelter I set up to protect him from the storm. Yep, you guessed it. He slept til around 9 or 10am when the temps warmed up. He chowed a healthy amount of breakfast and followed me like a puppy dog all around the yard. He burps and farts quite a bit probably from foods his owners give him or browsing yards while he was out or eating the right foods too quickly (just guessing). I google earthed the area he was found zooming in on backyards that looked to have good potential to house such an awesome guy. Found a few potentials and set out to go door to door and hopefully find his owners. Long story short, we found them! And the best part is we have visitation and tortoise sitting rights!! LOL Turns out we know the owners, well no wonder this tortoise is so fabulous!

As much as I would have loved to keep him, I just knew I'd be absolutely devastated if he were mine and I'd lost him. I just had to do everything I could to find the real owner. So glad he's home, though I do already miss him. He did teach us alot more about Sulcatas and what we need to do to Daughter's yard for her little ones once they are bigger. Alot to do to make it perfect. I also learned that while I always wanted a ranch, I really, really want a ranch!!! These big torts need and deserve as much space as possible. I'm exhausted walking in circles with him today!!! LOL

He'd gotten out because some construction workers came and left a gate open. So very glad our friend didn't hit him with his truck and he knew to bring him here. Together, we got the big guy taken good care of and home to his rightful owner. (insert warm and fuzzy feeling here)

Really looking forward to seeing him again! Can't wait til they call and ask us to Tortoise sit for them! LOL
 
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Tom

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They are a handful!!! Imagine having a whole bunch of them to tend to. Imagine having one in the frozen north.

I commend you for working so hard to find the owner and congratulate you on your success!
 

TigsMom

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LOL, I never could even imagine a herd (let alone more than 1) or having them in Snow Country. After reading and researching Sulcata's for over a year, I now fully understand in just 24 hours how much damage they can do and how important a great habitat/ enclosure is for them. You know I was reluctantly ready to build a good house/shed for him here if we didn't find the owner by the weekend. Heck, I was worried about him getting a chill here and the lowest was 80 degrees last night. hahaha Over protective....mmmm maybe, but definitely have a love for torts. Don't get me wrong, he did absolutely no damage here, but I could see where he easily could. His plastron measured 15" and he weighed 28 pounds so still alot of growing to do. I forgot to ask them how old he was. I was guessing somewhere around 10 years old. Does that sound about right for his size?
 

Tom

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LOL, I never could even imagine a herd (let alone more than 1) or having them in Snow Country. After reading and researching Sulcata's for over a year, I now fully understand in just 24 hours how much damage they can do and how important a great habitat/ enclosure is for them. You know I was reluctantly ready to build a good house/shed for him here if we didn't find the owner by the weekend. Heck, I was worried about him getting a chill here and the lowest was 80 degrees last night. hahaha Over protective....mmmm maybe, but definitely have a love for torts. Don't get me wrong, he did absolutely no damage here, but I could see where he easily could. His plastron measured 15" and he weighed 28 pounds so still alot of growing to do. I forgot to ask them how old he was. I was guessing somewhere around 10 years old. Does that sound about right for his size?

My small-for-their-age 7 year old females are 20" and nearly 50 pounds each. My 4 year old female, who was started and raised the "right" way is about 18-19" and almost 40 pounds now.

If this one was started dry (which the pyramiding indicates it was, and is), then it could certainly be 10 years old or more. They grow much slower when deprived of enough water and humidity, which is what most people still do unfortunately.
 

TigsMom

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Actually his pyramiding while present isn't as bad as that one picture shows, angle of the camera I suppose. But I agree it's diet and dry environment as well. Daughter filled them in on proper diet and he has a koi pond and waterfall near his enclosure to help with humidity as well as a mud hole in his enclosure. LOL Daughter inspected his habitat. I will be sure to ask how old he is when I call to check on him tomorrow! LOL I won't pester them too much, but I sure do love that big guy. What a personality! We definitely bonded a bit.
 

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TeguBuzz

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Amazing story, truly remarkable. Individuals like yourself are the ones that make a lasting impression in this industry. I commend you for the quick and persistent effort you put into finding his owners. Glad your daughter filled them in on some care tips - he sure is a nice looking boy.
 

TigsMom

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Thank you for all the wonderful comments. It's a pure joy and passion that we have for our shelled friends. Hard to say who loves torts more amongst myself and my adult kids, but the kids are the reason I have all that I have here and we did it right by joining the Turtle and Tortoise society and learning as much as we could when the kids were little.

My Daughter works at an Elementary School, she'd already made plans to have him visit the students. LOL Even the Principal was excited and said he could stay in his office. So she pleaded with ownders to let her borrow him on occassion. The students want to read to the tortoise. Awesome idea I think, and I doubt the students have ever have seen a tortoise that big other than at a zoo. I'll be sure to let you all know how that goes when he makes his first visit to school. If they give me permission, I'll share a picture or two of his visit.

Some of you who care for Torts might want to consider talking to your local Elementary School and doing a little show and tell for a class or two. You can spread your knowledge of proper care and teach the kids something they may have never learned without you and your tort's help.
 

Tank'sMom

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Olmito, Tx
You are an angel! I would hope that if one of my torts were to escape me, they would find someone like you! I think most people would try to keep them, do them harm (unintentionally through diet and what-not) and soon realize they cant handle them and/or keep them in way too small a space. I'm sure the owners were so grateful to you for bringing him back! Lucky guy!!!
 
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