Sulcata questions ~ random order

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REXANNismyprettygirl

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Soon I will have this tortoise business in the hat and not have so many questions. :) Thanks for all of the great advice and patience while Rexann and I adjust!!

Okay, so I have several questions in no particular order...

1. Are Sulcata's generally social animals? Rexann claws at the back door to get into the house. I let her in and she roams around the house checking things out and seems pretty happy. Should I have her inside more?

2. Is sleeping outside okay in an Arizona winter? Rexann has dug herself a burrow in our backyard and sleeps in it. The temperature has dropped to 46 the last 2 nights but when I bring her inside to sleep she claws at the sides of the box like a maniac until I take her back to her burrow. Would she be okay just sleeping in the house not in a box?

3. How often do Sulcata's poop? It seems like she has pooped a LOT when she does but it has only happened twice in a week.

Thanks in advance!!

Trinity
 

Laura

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you should provide her some sort of heated sleeping area. Outside is best if you can safely do so.
Yes they can be somewhat social and curious.. Looking for food... always. In the house she may find things on the floor she shouldn't be eating..
pooping... Daily or every other.. depending on diet.. Not something I'd want in my house!
 

RV's mom

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some answeres, in no particular order...

RV has dug her own burrow and has wintered outside since she was big enough to stay outside. forever. We don't let her in the house, altho she'd sneak in if we let her. She does come to the back door and bang on it, but after we give her some food/treats, she is content to stomp the yard / soak up the sun. Then she goes below again. The most we do is have a curved piece of plywood over the entrance to the burrow that we slide forward or back, depending if we want to protect from rain or let sunlight down (it faces south). In the dead of winter, we have a ceramic pumpkin that holds a light for some semblence of heat (I doubt it really warms anything up, just staves off the stark cold). We cover both ends of the plywood with heavy towels to keep out drafts. I'm hoping for something different this year. I do not like letting her do her tortoise thing when it gets so cold.

RV continues to poop during her early morning sunning sessions. The pile is less in size, I guess because she is eating less. I don't let her in the house because she is too big to carry out.. and I won't put a diaper on her, nor trust her to not poo/pee in the house.

RV is social in that she appreciates food, and her head/leg rubs. When my back/legs give out and I have to stop, she is content to either sun, or move about sampling bits and pieces of the yard.

hope this helps. I still recommend cactus as a good staple for your baby.

teri
 

REXANNismyprettygirl

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sharkstar said:
some answeres, in no particular order...

RV has dug her own burrow and has wintered outside since she was big enough to stay outside. forever. We don't let her in the house, altho she'd sneak in if we let her. She does come to the back door and bang on it, but after we give her some food/treats, she is content to stomp the yard / soak up the sun. Then she goes below again. The most we do is have a curved piece of plywood over the entrance to the burrow that we slide forward or back, depending if we want to protect from rain or let sunlight down (it faces south). In the dead of winter, we have a ceramic pumpkin that holds a light for some semblence of heat (I doubt it really warms anything up, just staves off the stark cold). We cover both ends of the plywood with heavy towels to keep out drafts. I'm hoping for something different this year. I do not like letting her do her tortoise thing when it gets so cold.

RV continues to poop during her early morning sunning sessions. The pile is less in size, I guess because she is eating less. I don't let her in the house because she is too big to carry out.. and I won't put a diaper on her, nor trust her to not poo/pee in the house.

RV is social in that she appreciates food, and her head/leg rubs. When my back/legs give out and I have to stop, she is content to either sun, or move about sampling bits and pieces of the yard.

hope this helps. I still recommend cactus as a good staple for your baby.

teri

Thank you Teri!! :) I am hoping to get our your way next week or the following for some cactus. I think Rexann will really love it!!

She seems to really prefer that silly hole she dug to anything I have tried!! We were planning to build her a burrow but are now trying to plan around the area she chose for herself. If I can figure an outdoor heat lamp I will run an extension cord over to it to turn on in the evenings at least. She loves to be out and about in the sun and comes out to bake her face when the sun hits her spot and then comes out into the yard as she gets warmer and warmer :)
 

Torty Mom

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Not that I even know what I am talking about.....but what about those pig blankets I keep hearing about, maybe one of those could work? Hmmm just a thought! Maybe someone who has one could say yay, or nay? I have heard the temps can be controlled, but not sure if it would work down in a burrow? I know many use it in a shed. Just a thought I am throwing out there!!!
 

RV's mom

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does Rexann's burrow face south? just wondering. also, did I give you my phone number? PM me with you know when you'll be coming phoenix way. Or I can take some pads to work and you can meet me there. OH! the reptile show will be in Mesa in 2 weeks time. you thinking of going?
 

dmmj

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They tend to like people whether or not if that is because we bring them food or not I can't say, but most of them seem to have a genuine fondness for people.
 

moswen

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yes, sulcatas are famed for their personalities, some owners say their sulcata comes when called, but tortoises are solitary by nature, so don't go thinking you need to get a playmate for her or anything lol! my guess is though that she's just looking for a new place to find food and just checking things out. i don't know anything about the memory capabilities of tortoises, but i bet she remembers that she's been fed in your house before and she's just looking for more. if you want to let her keep her burrow, i would say dig up the top of the burrow and build a box to fit in there, then put in a pig blanket or heat lamp, put a hinged lid on and cover the top back up with dirt, so it's still her hide but you have a way to check on her and provide her some heat. tom uses some little thermometers that he sticks on the inside of hides and they show you what the temp is inside, you could put one of those in there to monitor her temps if you wanted. 46 is kind of cold, even for an adult. it is warmer under ground, but probably not warm enough. and if it ever rains you'll be potentially facing a URI.

this is my opinion on the subject; i have no experience with adult sulcatas, i only have babies, but this is what i would do!

p.s. congrats on getting your name changed over haha!
 

DeanS

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Sulcatas not only like people...they're like people in a lot of ways. They like who they like and can't be bothered with anyone (or anything) they dislike. They wanna do what they wanna do when they wanna do it! They wanna go where they wanna go when they wanna go there! They are poop and pee machines...and they will go when they have to...whether you like it or not...and you don't want this to happen in your house. They need to be warm (at a minimum)! What they really need is to be HOT! Do NOT leave her out at night...unless it's at least 70 (or if you have warm night shelter for her). EVERYTHING changes during the cold months. They will eat (but a lot less...in most cases). They will pee and poop...just not as often. They will become lethargic...because of the elements. But this can all be controlled with HEAT...they LOVE heat! Not the Miami Heat, either (Sorry! Had to throw that in there...I hate LeBron!). Like my signature says...keep 'em hot, humid and hydrated! That will make for a happy sulcata...and a happy sulcata owner!
 

REXANNismyprettygirl

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Rexann peed (& pooped!!!) on my kitchen floor... i still am in SHOCK that she had THAT much pee in her!!! :O So I think she just had her last inside visit for awhile. LOL I should have listened!! :) The funniest part was my 7 yr old saying "well i guess you dont have to worry anymore. that tells you she is definately hydrated!!"
 

DeanS

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That is one smart 7 year old;)
 

RV's mom

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REXANNismyprettygirl said:
Rexann peed (& pooped!!!) on my kitchen floor... i still am in SHOCK that she had THAT much pee in her!!! :O So I think she just had her last inside visit for awhile. LOL I should have listened!! :) The funniest part was my 7 yr old saying "well i guess you dont have to worry anymore. that tells you she is definately hydrated!!"
+


trying not to laugh. We hustle RV out of the house when she sneaks in. It doesn't happen often as the doggie door is closed and the cats are indoor cats, so the door to the back yard is closed. She doesn't have a chance.

teri
 

REXANNismyprettygirl

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DeanS said:
That is one smart 7 year old;)

Too Smart!!! :) We just hope he puts it to good use. LOL It's still up in the air at this point... And he was laughing sooo hard too because his daddy had just told me that if it ever happened it was me who was cleaning it up. all I have to say is bleach and ewwwwwwwwwww!!

sharkstar said:
REXANNismyprettygirl said:
Rexann peed (& pooped!!!) on my kitchen floor... i still am in SHOCK that she had THAT much pee in her!!! :O So I think she just had her last inside visit for awhile. LOL I should have listened!! :) The funniest part was my 7 yr old saying "well i guess you dont have to worry anymore. that tells you she is definately hydrated!!"
+


trying not to laugh. We hustle RV out of the house when she sneaks in. It doesn't happen often as the doggie door is closed and the cats are indoor cats, so the door to the back yard is closed. She doesn't have a chance.

teri

You can laugh... :D I definately was Christened a new Sulcata mother today, wasnt I?!?!?

sharkstar said:
does Rexann's burrow face south? just wondering. also, did I give you my phone number? PM me with you know when you'll be coming phoenix way. Or I can take some pads to work and you can meet me there. OH! the reptile show will be in Mesa in 2 weeks time. you thinking of going?

Her faces North (I believe.) The sun hits it about 1030ish nowadays and she comes out to sun her face and them heads over to the porch for brunch around noonish.



moswen said:
yes, sulcatas are famed for their personalities, some owners say their sulcata comes when called, but tortoises are solitary by nature, so don't go thinking you need to get a playmate for her or anything lol! my guess is though that she's just looking for a new place to find food and just checking things out. i don't know anything about the memory capabilities of tortoises, but i bet she remembers that she's been fed in your house before and she's just looking for more. if you want to let her keep her burrow, i would say dig up the top of the burrow and build a box to fit in there, then put in a pig blanket or heat lamp, put a hinged lid on and cover the top back up with dirt, so it's still her hide but you have a way to check on her and provide her some heat. tom uses some little thermometers that he sticks on the inside of hides and they show you what the temp is inside, you could put one of those in there to monitor her temps if you wanted. 46 is kind of cold, even for an adult. it is warmer under ground, but probably not warm enough. and if it ever rains you'll be potentially facing a URI.

this is my opinion on the subject; i have no experience with adult sulcatas, i only have babies, but this is what i would do!

p.s. congrats on getting your name changed over haha!

We are going to try and make a new burrow for her this weekend closer to the house so we can run power to it and mount a heat lamp. We are most likely going to do the hinged style box like you mentioned. Now that we are getting to know her better I am glad we didnt go with the 1st one we researched!! i dont think she would have approved.

and Thanks!! I was sooooo excited for my name change!!! :D
 
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