sulcata temperature in the wild?

armandoarturo

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Messages
281
Location (City and/or State)
Mexico
Hello everyone...
So.... I have a little question here..
I would like to know where exactly can sulcatas be found in the wild?
This is why...
I also have a veiled chameleon, which I like to keep outside for natural sunlight, fresh air, etc... So, I loaded on my weather app on my iphone a couple of cities where veiled chameleons would be found in the wild. That way, I can record what kind of weather... (temperature, humidity, rain, etc) they get in the wild.
I live in a really warm place, so my sulcata is always outside, I just take it inside during this month nights, because temperatures drop a little, and I dont want her to be cold.
So.... does anyone knows around what cities can they be found in the wild?
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
The African spurred tortoise is native to the Sahara Desert and the Sahel, a transitional ecoregion of semiarid grasslands, savannas, and thorn shrub lands found in the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan.

In these arid regions, the tortoise excavates burrows in the ground to get to areas with higher moisture levels, and spends the hottest part of the day in these burrows. This is known as aestivation. Burrows may average 30 inches in depth; some dig tunnel systems extending 10 feet or more underground.

:)
 

mushmouth26

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Messages
170
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
This is what Wikipedia shows
"The African spurred tortoise is native to the Sahara Desert and the Sahel, a transitional ecoregion of semiarid grasslands, savannas, and thorn shrublands found in the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan[2] In these arid regions, the tortoise excavates burrows in the ground to get to areas with higher moisture levels, and spends the hottest part of the day in these burrows.[3] This is known as aestivation. Burrows may average 30 inches in depth; some dig tunnel systems extending 10 feet or more underground.[3]"
 

armandoarturo

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Messages
281
Location (City and/or State)
Mexico
Thanks for your quick answers..
I did see that on wikipedia, but I was looking for something more specific... Sahel is a huge area formed by some countries...
And all of those countries have different areas with different and wide variety of weather.
I was looking for something more specific like... around which cities or town could someone be able to find them in the wild, or at least, where they used to live, since as far as I know they cant be found much in their natural environment.
 

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,560
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
Go with toms hatchling care threads as a guide. My hatchling, Little Ricky was raised in accordance to his care and he has developed wonderfully. Do a search for my posts or his name and you will find pictures.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
armandoarturo said:
Hello everyone...
So.... I have a little question here..
I would like to know where exactly can sulcatas be found in the wild?
This is why...
I also have a veiled chameleon, which I like to keep outside for natural sunlight, fresh air, etc... So, I loaded on my weather app on my iphone a couple of cities where veiled chameleons would be found in the wild. That way, I can record what kind of weather... (temperature, humidity, rain, etc) they get in the wild.
I live in a really warm place, so my sulcata is always outside, I just take it inside during this month nights, because temperatures drop a little, and I dont want her to be cold.
So.... does anyone knows around what cities can they be found in the wild?


In November of 2011 I came home from the TTPG conference and did exactly what you are talking about. The best reference that I could find for where sulcatas still occur in the wild was in my "Crying Tortoise" book. I looked at that info and then went to Africa in the maps on my iPad and looked for the cities nearest to those areas. I kept typing in the cities to the weather feature on my Mac's dashboard until I found some cities all across the range that I could follow. These cities were chosen somewhat randomly, and the micro climate where the sulcatas actually live in these places might be vastly different, but I have still found it novel and interesting. I've been following the weather in theses places ever since. The random cities that I've been watching are: Tombouctou, Matam, Bamako, Segou, Nyala, Kedougou, and also Naye. I was watching some other ones too, but some of them quit working. The little weather things didn't seem to want to recognize them any more.

To make this all much simpler you can simply go by the words of Tomas Diagne of Senegal: "There are two seasons in sulcata territory. Hot and hotter.

In reality the above ground temps don't matter all that much because wild sulcatas spend something like 95-98% of their lives underground. Its a little different than your Yemenese friend there.
 

armandoarturo

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Messages
281
Location (City and/or State)
Mexico
Thanks Tom!
I do follow step by step your caresheet, and my sulcata has been doing great. Actually theres not even a slighty bump showing in the carapace, it is really smooth and nice.
And I also know temperatures of microclimates and underground would be different, but just like you say, its something interesting I like to compare and keep track.
My little guy is always farm, I live in a farily hot place, in the sonoran desert, so weather overall is very warm and nice.
I keep track of 3 cities for my chameleon....
What cities would you recommend me to follow?
thanks a lot once more everyone =)
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
You can follow any or all of the above. There usually isn't much difference in any of them. Its basically hot everyday over there.
 

New Posts

Top