Led3089
New Member
Any recommendations on where to purchase a sulcata hatchling in Central Florida? Want to make sure I purchase from a reputable source that isn’t starting their hatchlings too dry.
I know of no one in FL starting them correctly. Contact @NorCal tortoise guy
It is really difficult to find someone doing it right. Here is your check list:
1. Incubation media should be vermiculite, NEVER perlite.
2. Baby should go into a brooder box set up for 7-10 days after hatching.
3. In the brooder box and after, dozens of new and novel foods should have been introduced. Grass, weeds, leaves, flowers, succulents... NOT lettuce and spring mix.
4. Baby should be soaked EVERY day.
5. Baby should be housed mostly indoors in a warm stable closed chamber, not outside in a tub all day. Outside for an hour a few times a week is acceptable, but not necessary.
Each of the above is a deal breaker, and finding someone doing all of these right is rare.
Do you also know that most of the care info you find online, on YT and FB, and from breeders and vets is all wrong? Here is the correct info:
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...tortoiseforum.org
Here is what happens when its done incorrectly:
"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"
I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...tortoiseforum.org
Here is more important info. Don't buy anything until you've read all of this:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...tortoiseforum.org
You are exactly who I was hoping would reply! Your wealth of knowledge is so helpful and vast.I know of no one in FL starting them correctly. Contact @NorCal tortoise guy
It is really difficult to find someone doing it right. Here is your check list:
1. Incubation media should be vermiculite, NEVER perlite.
2. Baby should go into a brooder box set up for 7-10 days after hatching.
3. In the brooder box and after, dozens of new and novel foods should have been introduced. Grass, weeds, leaves, flowers, succulents... NOT lettuce and spring mix.
4. Baby should be soaked EVERY day.
5. Baby should be housed mostly indoors in a warm stable closed chamber, not outside in a tub all day. Outside for an hour a few times a week is acceptable, but not necessary.
Each of the above is a deal breaker, and finding someone doing all of these right is rare.
Do you also know that most of the care info you find online, on YT and FB, and from breeders and vets is all wrong? Here is the correct info:
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...tortoiseforum.org
Here is what happens when its done incorrectly:
"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"
I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...tortoiseforum.org
Here is more important info. Don't buy anything until you've read all of this:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...tortoiseforum.org
You are correct about the damage done by a poor start. I have no way to measure the amount of stress from shipping, but I can tell you that it is inconsequential. There is no consequence. They usually start eating within minutes of getting out of the shipping box. A stressed animal does not eat. They are closed in a dark box, much like a falcon with a hood on it, and it as far as I can tell, it doesn't bother them much.You are exactly who I was hoping would reply! Your wealth of knowledge is so helpful and vast.
I guess my next question would then be how much stress does shipping put on the animal? I was hoping to go local to avoid (what I assume) would be the stress of shipping. But sounding like maybe the stress of shipping would be less, and less long lasting, than the stress of being started poorly?
Looked his page up and it does not appear that he breeds sulcatas at this time. I’ll keep an eye on his Facebook and webpages though!I'd reccomend at least speaking to Ryan at SOUTHERN REPTILES.
He's pretty close to central Florida and a member of this forum.
That's another thing... Be sure that the person you are buying from was the actual breeder and knows the history. This is not usually an issue with other species, but with sulcatas, there are many people mass producing unhealthy poorly started babies and selling them in quantity at huge discounts to whoever wants to buy and re-sell them them. I have no way to measure the exact amount, but a large percentage of these animals do not survive.Looked his page up and it does not appear that he breeds sulcatas at this time. I’ll keep an eye on his Facebook and webpages though!
That's another thing... Be sure that the person you are buying from was the actual breeder and knows the history. This is not usually an issue with other species, but with sulcatas, there are many people mass producing unhealthy poorly started babies and selling them in quantity at huge discounts to whoever wants to buy and re-sell them them. I have no way to measure the exact amount, but a large percentage of these animals do not surviv
That's another thing... Be sure that the person you are buying from was the actual breeder and knows the history. This is not usually an issue with other species, but with sulcatas, there are many people mass producing unhealthy poorly started babies and selling them in quantity at huge discounts to whoever wants to buy and re-sell them them. I have no way to measure the exact amount, but a large percentage of these animals do not survive.
That’s a great point. Again appreciate the advice and insight. I reached out to NorCal tortoise guy and he does have some hatchlings available. Appreciate the recommendation! Since it sounds like a well started tortoise is worth the “risk” of shipping, that is likely the direction I will go.That's another thing... Be sure that the person you are buying from was the actual breeder and knows the history. This is not usually an issue with other species, but with sulcatas, there are many people mass producing unhealthy poorly started babies and selling them in quantity at huge discounts to whoever wants to buy and re-sell them them. I have no way to measure the exact amount, but a large percentage of these animals do not survive.
Aaron is a great guy and you will get a healthy tortoise.That’s a great point. Again appreciate the advice and insight. I reached out to NorCal tortoise guy and he does have some hatchlings available. Appreciate the recommendation! Since it sounds like a well started tortoise is worth the “risk” of shipping, that is likely the direction I will go.
I’m sure I’ll continue stalking your posts for some time!