Sulcata Hatchlings in Central Fl - breeder recommendations?

Led3089

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lakeland, Fl
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.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
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:

Here is what happens when its done incorrectly:

Here is more important info. Don't buy anything until you've read all of this:
 

Led3089

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lakeland, Fl
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:

Here is what happens when its done incorrectly:

Here is more important info. Don't buy anything until you've read all of this:
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:

Here is what happens when its done incorrectly:

Here is more important info. Don't buy anything until you've read all of this:
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?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
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?
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.

There are a lot of people breeding them in FL. If you happen to find someone who is starting them correctly, please share that info here on the forum. It would be great to have more places where people could get a healthy animal.
 

Led3089

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lakeland, Fl
I'd reccomend at least speaking to Ryan at SOUTHERN REPTILES.
He's pretty close to central Florida and a member of this forum.
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!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
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 survive.
 

Led3089

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lakeland, Fl
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 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.

I’m sure I’ll continue stalking your posts for some time!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
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!
Aaron is a great guy and you will get a healthy tortoise.

We are all here to talk tortoises, so feel free to reach out to any of us and ask all your questions.
 
Top