Sulcata or Desert tortoise?

[a2z]

A found tortoise was given to us with no back ground information.

Took it to the vet due to a slight wheeze and a little bit of mucas.

The vet said it could be a desert tortoise or a Sulcata.
Thinks it might be male. It weighs 11.2 pounds. His shell is 13" in length.

If a desert tortoise it could be 10 years old. If a sulcata could be 5 years old.

I have attached pictures to see if someone here can tell me what kind. On my reading I am leaning towards a sulcata but if the vet can not tell me......

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[a2z]

A found tortoise was given to us with no back ground information.

Took it to the vet due to a slight wheeze and a little bit of mucas.

The vet said it could be a desert tortoise or a Sulcata.
Thinks it might be male. It weighs 11.2 pounds. His shell is 13" in length.

If a desert tortoise it could be 10 years old. If a sulcata could be 5 years old.

I have attached pictures to see if someone here can tell me what kind. On my reading I am leaning towards a sulcata but if the vet can not tell me......

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi A2z and welcome to the Forum!

You have a sulcata. We have a good care sheet pinned at the top of our Sulcata section here. They get up to 150lbs in just about 20 years, and you have to keep them warm in the winter.

 

[McChris]

he is a sulcata. Good to see someone rescuing one, mine was "rescued" (stolen) from my back yard and let go a couple of weeks ago, never seen again. Posts like these are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

 

[Tom]

Its a sulcata and its probably sick because they need heat. They must be kept warm day and night. If the vet cannot tell the difference between these two species, they are also not qualified to be giving you advice on caring for them or treating them.

Here is the care info for sulcatas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

They come from sub-Saharan Africa. There are just two seasons over there. There is the "Hot" season and that is followed by the "Hotter" season, so says my friend from Senegal. This means in captivity in temperate America, we need to provide them with supplemental heat sources whenever the temps drop too low for them. Especially at night.

 

[McChris]

Wishful, desperate, thinking but was he found anywhere near Kc or Raytown Mo?

 

[a2z]

Wishful, desperate, thinking but was he found anywhere near Kc or Raytown Mo?

No, found in Colorado

 

[a2z]

Hi A2z and welcome to the Forum!

You have a sulcata. We have a good care sheet pinned at the top of our Sulcata section here. They get up to 150lbs in just about 20 years, and you have to keep them warm in the winter.

Yeah, we already built him a room off the laundry room the basement with lights, ceramic heat lamp and corners to hide in. On the warmest days we take him outside for hours until it starts getting cooler in the day.

 

[a2z]

Its a sulcata and its probably sick because they need heat. They must be kept warm day and night. If the vet cannot tell the difference between these two species, they are also not qualified to be giving you advice on caring for them or treating them.

Here is the care info for sulcatas:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

They come from sub-Saharan Africa. There are just two seasons over there. There is the "Hot" season and that is followed by the "Hotter" season, so says my friend from Senegal. This means in captivity in temperate America, we need to provide them with supplemental heat sources whenever the temps drop too low for them. Especially at night.

He has his own room in the basem

Hi A2z and welcome to the Forum!

You have a sulcata. We have a good care sheet pinned at the top of our Sulcata section here. They get up to 150lbs in just about 20 years, and you have to keep them warm in the winter.

Do you have a guess on the age based on 13" shell and 11.2 pounds?

 

[Tom]

Do you have a guess on the age based on 13" shell and 11.2 pounds?

There is no way to know. They can grow at tremendously different rates for a wide variety of reasons. Probably more than 3 years old, probably less than 10 years old.

This really doesn't matter anyway. No one knows how long they can live, but its probably more than 100 years. Sulcatas have only been widely available in this country since the late 80's or early 90's and all of those are alive and well. It will be many decades before we start to grasp what the average lifespan potential of this species is.

 

[a2z]

There is no way to know. They can grow at tremendously different rates for a wide variety of reasons. Probably more than 3 years old, probably less than 10 years old.

This really doesn't matter anyway. No one knows how long they can live, but its probably more than 100 years. Sulcatas have only been widely available in this country since the late 80's or early 90's and all of those are alive and well. It will be many decades before we start to grasp what the average lifespan potential of this species is.

Ok, that is fine I was just curious. Do you have any advice on substrate? We live in Colorado and they are anticipating a VERY cold winter. We already have a room off the laundry room cleaned out with uv and heat lamps prepared and a couple of different hide spots but are unsure as to the best substrate. We have a few bags of play sand ready to go but from what I am reading that may not be the best.

 

[Tom]

Sand should not be used for substrate for any tortoise of any age.

I prefer orchid bark. You can get it in bulk in garden centers.

Sometimes in some cases you can use grass hay, but that will be very dusty and you will have to clean and remove it often.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

If your floor is not cement, I'd not use any substrate. My big Sulcata had his own shed with a plywood floor. Much easier to clean then something with substrate...
I did have hay for him to free feed from, and I used it to sop up urine. That worked fairly well. I live in the PNW and we'll get your snow first then send it to ya. I got a new heater for the shed. I'm ready for the winter. It's already cold here

 

[leigti]

If your floor is not cement, I'd not use any substrate. My big Sulcata had his own shed with a plywood floor. Much easier to clean then something with substrate...
I did have hay for him to free feed from, and I used it to sop up urine. That worked fairly well. I live in the PNW and we'll get your snow first then send it to ya. I got a new heater for the shed. I'm ready for the winter. It's already cold here

Are you getting a new tortoise Maggie?

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't use substrate in my heated outdoor sheds either. There is a half inch thick rubber horse stall mat over concrete. Easy to clean.

 

[Big Charlie]

he is a sulcata. Good to see someone rescuing one, mine was "rescued" (stolen) from my back yard and let go a couple of weeks ago, never seen again. Posts like these are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. It is one of my biggest fears, to the extent that I don't like to tell people I have one.