[split] My "sulcata" is a Chaco!!

[tortadise]

I could send you my male. But given her size they are very easy to sustain being egg bound unless their ventral openings are large enough to pass their eggs. And there eggs are pretty big. Shes still a few away from breeding. Im working on your care sheet text now. They are super easy, just like a sulcata.

 

[poison]

I could send you my male. But given her size they are very easy to sustain being egg bound unless their ventral openings are large enough to pass their eggs. And there eggs are pretty big. Shes still a few away from breeding. Im working on your care sheet text now. They are super easy, just like a sulcata.

the only way i would consider giving her to somebody to breed is if they lived with in walking distance of me. and as for you giving me your male go right on ahead but you probably wont get him back lol. and i have no experience breeding torts in fact this is my first one

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an ok im still waiting

 

[tortadise]

I could send you my male. But given her size they are very easy to sustain being egg bound unless their ventral openings are large enough to pass their eggs. And there eggs are pretty big. Shes still a few away from breeding. Im working on your care sheet text now. They are super easy, just like a sulcata.

the only way i would consider giving her to somebody to breed is if they lived with in walking distance of me. and as for you giving me your male go right on ahead but you probably wont get him back lol. and i have no experience breeding torts in fact this is my first one

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an ok im still waiting

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HAHA, Well then he stays with me

 

[poison]

I could send you my male. But given her size they are very easy to sustain being egg bound unless their ventral openings are large enough to pass their eggs. And there eggs are pretty big. Shes still a few away from breeding. Im working on your care sheet text now. They are super easy, just like a sulcata.

the only way i would consider giving her to somebody to breed is if they lived with in walking distance of me. and as for you giving me your male go right on ahead but you probably wont get him back lol. and i have no experience breeding torts in fact this is my first one

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an ok im still waiting

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HAHA, Well then he stays with me

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good choice lol

 

[tortadise]

OK on the care for these guys.


They come from Chaco regions in argentia, sometimes they are found in surrounding country paraguay. They live in very arid areas in the chaco deserts. They will burrow just like a gopher or sulcata will. So make sure to have a minimum of 10-12" of soil in the outside pen or inside pen. I typically use a decomposed granite 20%, 15% sand, 60% top soil, and 5% mulch for the enclosure. An easy way to get them to feel safe is to make a burrow and place a piece of flagstone over the top to give them the sense they have a burrow, but doesnt have the capabilities to collapse. And you can check on them just by pulling the stone up. They will eat carrion in small doses, so some wiggley worms or canned snails mixed with greens, cactus, clover, endive, kale, and lots of different grasses once a month will feed their protein needs. They are a hibernating species in the wild, But its very difficult to keep the simulated temperatures that they are use to being hibernated under. Usually very cold at night and moderately cold during the day, Unlike testudo hibernation methods, cool constant until it warms up. DO NOT try to hibernate her. Usually it ends up in death. They will become less active during winter months, but as long as you keep her at least 80-85 at night and during the day she wont hibernate. They do like water, mainly to soak in an use as a toilet. Soak them 2-3 times a week for a good 15-20 minutes. They are a very active species so if you decide to place ornaments in their enclosure make sure you dont like it. They walk around alot looking for food and will trample these items. You can put hostas, or hibiscus plants in a planter with stones built up around them so they can have an ornament in their as well as feed them from it. They dont really climb much but make sure the walls arent too low for her to get out. Chacos are use to getting MBD metabolic bone disease. You need to make sure and give LOTS of UVB to them, there summer sun patterns give off a large amount of UV rays, so they are use to being active and in the sun for at least 14 hours a day. Make sure to keep a mercury vapor bulb on the non burrow side of her enclosure on for at least 14 hours. They wont bask much, but sometimes will. Calcium powder with D3 put on her food 2 times a week is also a great way to make sure her calcium levels are good. Also natural sunlight is the best remedy for a tortoise. Just make sure they do not get below 80, Maintaining a constant warm-hot environment is crucial for these guys, they can get upper respiratory infections very easy. Typical URI from other species is usually a change in temperatures by 20 degrees or more over a period of time. With chacos it can be a threshold of 10 degrees. Its very important to keep them minimumly hot 85 is a good warm degree to maintain as a minimum, but can be 80. I would not go below 80 though.

Should sum it up for yah in the 3000 words. LOL let me know if you need anything else.

 

[poison]

ok thanks for all the info i need to get started on her cage in a little in her enclosure right now she only has about 3" of sand/soil mix. i might just go out and get her a taller rubber maid so i can put more substrate. and she is out side so she does get all natural uv rays but i also need to start thinking about the winter months. and should she have a humid hide?

 

[tortadise]

They are a pretty dry species. But during their wet season(about 3 months) I use a humidier during winter down here. You can also spray her down a few times a week too.

 

[EricIvins]

I really hope you consider putting that animal in the hands of someone that already has Chacos.........There is so much more that can be done with that animal than letting it sit without trying to let it reproduce..........

no i will not give it some body so they can breed her not all pets need to be bred

That is exactly my point - This animal should not be a "Pet"......It should be in a Taxon Management Program to help further this species in captivity, seeing that there are very few Adult Chacos in captivity........

 

[poison]

They are a pretty dry species. But during their wet season(about 3 months) I use a humidier during winter down here. You can also spray her down a few times a week too.

also would it be a good idea to plant grass?

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I really hope you consider putting that animal in the hands of someone that already has Chacos.........There is so much more that can be done with that animal than letting it sit without trying to let it reproduce..........

no i will not give it some body so they can breed her not all pets need to be bred

That is exactly my point - This animal should not be a "Pet"......It should be in a Taxon Management Program to help further this species in captivity, seeing that there are very few Adult Chacos in captivity........

well she is a pet and i plan on keeping it that way. i will not just give her to somebody

 

[tortadise]

Grass would be great too. They will graze and graze.

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Bermuda, Buffalo, st. augistine. You can get grass mix seeds online. Just google tortoise grass seed mix, you should find some.

 

[poison]

Grass would be great too. They will graze and graze.

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Bermuda, Buffalo, st. augistine. You can get grass mix seeds online. Just google tortoise grass seed mix, you should find some.

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i was thinking of just getting some seeds from home depot would that be safe?

 

[tortadise]

Yeah works fine as long as its no additive

 

[poison]

whats additive?

 

[tortadise]

Like pesticides or anything unatural.

 

[poison]

oh ok gochya

 

[bigred]

I would love to hear the story about how exactly you got this tort

 

[poison]

I would love to hear the story about how exactly you got this tort

i got her from a local pet store that ive gotten several other reptiles from when he dosnt have room for them or time but i usually give them back once he finds a home for them. but i asked if i could keep this one tort because i fell in love with her lol. but i have no idea where she came from (other then the people that turned her in) or who hatched her out.

ps: i get the feeling you dont believe me lol

 

[bigred]

I would love to hear the story about how exactly you got this tort

i got her from a local pet store that ive gotten several other reptiles from when he dosnt have room for them or time but i usually give them back once he finds a home for them. but i asked if i could keep this one tort because i fell in love with her lol. but i have no idea where she came from (other then the people that turned her in) or who hatched her out.

ps: i get the feeling you dont believe me lol

I believe you 100%, Just find it interesting thats all. Take good care of your new tort. Glad you were able to find TORTADISE to give you some good care instuction. Keep us posted on how you tort is doing

 

[poison]

of course i will take care of her. and yeah thank god TORTADISE was here to help. and i will sure be keeping you guys posted and ill be making her cage soon so i cant wait for that.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Neat circumstances! Congrats!