Sulcatas are for experts?

[andrea0226]

Hi!! I recently posted about my sick Sulcata baby, which I’m currently attempting to nurse back to health. Emotionally exhausted, to say the least.

While, browsing the “sick tortoise” threads, I noticed that a whole lot of them seem to be Sulcata hatchlings. Mine included.

I’m just curious if there’s a reason for this? Is it coincidental? Or are Sulcatas just genuinely not a good “starter tortoise” ??

I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do if my baby does not pull through this, and I’m pretty sure I’d wanna try again with another one. But now I’m indecisive about Sulcatas.

Sucks because I’ve always wanted to raise one to be big and strong, but it’s hard not to feel like a total failure, considering my current situation.

Maybe I’d just need to find a more reputable breeder?

Any input on this subject would be appreciated!! ❤

 

[Srmcclure]

I would find a more reputable breeder. That tends to make a world of difference along with the caresheet we have here.

I have heard though that leopards and sulcatas typically need more specific care especially when young and therefore aren't always listed as good starter tortoises. I started with a SA leopard and there is definitely a large learning curve with getting everything right...

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. I really never started a hatchling before, but have had had great success with our Sully from @Lancecham

I followed @Tom ‘s Sully care info. Built & used a fully enclosed high humidity envlosure. No issues, no problems. Our Sully is now pushing 100 lbs and ready to come inside for Winter.

Soooo. Definitely not for “experts” but you do need to provide the best optimal conditions. Food, lighting, humidity, lighting.

good luck

 

[andrea0226]

I would find a more reputable breeder. That tends to make a world of difference along with the caresheet we have here.

I have heard though that leopards and sulcatas typically need more specific care especially when young and therefore aren't always listed as good starter tortoises. I started with a SA leopard and there is definitely a large learning curve with getting everything right...

Thanks for the advice!! I agree. I’ve been browsing breeders as well. I followed the care sheet, along with doing a ton of research. I just happened to receive a dehydrated tort that didn’t show symptoms until later. I know it’s not my fault, but it’s tough and kind of traumatic. I’m almost scared to even try again..?

 

[andrea0226]

Greetings. I really never started a hatchling before, but have had had great success with our Sully from @Lancecham

I followed @Tom ‘s Sully care info. Built & used a fully enclosed high humidity envlosure. No issues, no problems. Our Sully is now pushing 100 lbs and ready to come inside for Winter.

Soooo. Definitely not for “experts” but you do need to provide the best optimal conditions. Food, lighting, humidity, lighting.

good luck

Awesome!! My enclosure is a garden bed with plastic draped over for greenhouse effect. But if I decide to try again, I’ll definitely make some modifications to fully enclose it. I did everything to the best of my ability, but I unfortunately received a dehydrated hatchling. I knew something was off from the beginning, he didn’t have much of an appetite. And then it caught up to him and it just all went downhill. It’s been tough and he’s been fighting.

 

[Srmcclure]

Thanks for the advice!! I agree. I’ve been browsing breeders as well. I followed the care sheet, along with doing a ton of research. I just happened to receive a dehydrated tort that didn’t show symptoms until later. I know it’s not my fault, but it’s tough and kind of traumatic. I’m almost scared to even try again..?

I totally understand. I would be scared too, but tortoise are so wonderful. It would be hard to not have one now that I know what they are like.

My leopard was a teenie hatchling when I got him and I found out he was not started well either. Plus they lied about his age to me. Said he was 6 mo the and we was only like 6 weeks. Still had the egg tooth... he also was stuck at 53g for a good while... plus, hatchlings are just scary cuz they are so small! I was so paranoid about my little guy. Still am actually lol

Him then and now:

 

[andrea0226]

I totally understand. I would be scared too, but tortoise are so wonderful. It would be hard to not have one now that I know what they are like.

My leopard was a teenie hatchling when I got him and I found out he was not started well either. Plus they lied about his age to me. Said he was 6 mo the and we was only like 6 weeks. Still had the egg tooth... he also was stuck at 53g for a good while... plus, hatchlings are just scary cuz they are so small! I was so paranoid about my little guy. Still am actually lol

Him then and now:

View attachment 308504
View attachment 308505

So beautiful!! Apparently I was lied to as well. Because mine also has the egg tooth. But you’re right. I loved mine the second I met him and I’d definitely wanna try again if I lost him. Hopefully, he’ll pull through and I won’t have to even consider starting over. I’ve just been weighing out my options.

 

[Srmcclure]

So beautiful!! Apparently I was lied to as well. Because mine also has the egg tooth. But you’re right. I loved mine the second I met him and I’d definitely wanna try again if I lost him. Hopefully, he’ll pull through and I won’t have to even consider starting over. I’ve just been weighing out my options.

I totally get it. Both of mine just stole my heart. It can be scary when yours isn't well. Mine had an Upper Respiratory Infection because of the care I was told to provide. Thankfully I found this site and these amazing people and it was fixed.

I hope your baby pulls through and you can have your backyard Dino ♥

 

[Tom]

Hi!! I recently posted about my sick Sulcata baby, which I’m currently attempting to nurse back to health. Emotionally exhausted, to say the least.

While, browsing the “sick tortoise” threads, I noticed that a whole lot of them seem to be Sulcata hatchlings. Mine included.

I’m just curious if there’s a reason for this? Is it coincidental? Or are Sulcatas just genuinely not a good “starter tortoise” ??

I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do if my baby does not pull through this, and I’m pretty sure I’d wanna try again with another one. But now I’m indecisive about Sulcatas.

Sucks because I’ve always wanted to raise one to be big and strong, but it’s hard not to feel like a total failure, considering my current situation.

Maybe I’d just need to find a more reputable breeder?

Any input on this subject would be appreciated!! ❤

In regad to your thread title: No. They are very easy to house and raise successfully, IF they are started and housed correctly. That "IF" is the problem. The VAST majority of breeders and sellers are NOT starting them or housing them correctly, and then they give out the same old wrong advice for them that has been given out for decades. You can find that wrong advice almost everywhere you look even today. This included FB, YT, major tortoise selling sites, vets, and sadly, even most breeders. Its sad. Some of them are catching on that there is a better way and some of them couldn't care less about learning new and better methods. They carry on with the same old wrong info that has been mistakenly passed down from generation to generation for decades.

Also right now, at least one of the mass producers is selling babies all over the country, and possibly the world that are infected with a horrible highly contagious disease that we are currently trying to definitively diagnose. That info will be made public when a diagnosis has been correctly made.

There are only a few breeders who start them well. Buy from anyone else and the babies chances of survival are slim.

None of this is your fault, but you and your family get to suffer the heartbreak of loss because of the actions of breeders and sellers who should know better by now.

@Markw84 still has a few well started babies now. Austin @Arizona Sulcata usually has babies. @NorCal tortoise guy will have babies in a few months, and so will I. Other than that, it is hard to find one started indoors in a humid closed chamber, with daily soaks, and a breeder that uses a brooder box until the umbilical scar closes up and heals over.

 

[wellington]

To put it in simple terms. Buy only from a reputable breeder, probably only found on this forum, that starts their babies out the right way and gives that same right advice to you.

 

[wellington]

Also it would appear to be a big problem with sulcatas and leopards but I believe that's because there seems to be more of them available then most any other species. If started and done right they are quite easy.

 

[Srmcclure]

I agree.
Ever since I have followed Tom's care guide it has been a breeze and Ghido has been thriving. I just got very lucky that even though he had a bad start his little organs were strong enough to keep going.

 

[andrea0226]

In regad to your thread title: No. They are very easy to house and raise successfully, IF they are started and housed correctly. That "IF" is the problem. The VAST majority of breeders and sellers are NOT starting them or housing them correctly, and then they give out the same old wrong advice for them that has been given out for decades. You can find that wrong advice almost everywhere you look even today. This included FB, YT, major tortoise selling sites, vets, and sadly, even most breeders. Its sad. Some of them are catching on that there is a better way and some of them couldn't care less about learning new and better methods. They carry on with the same old wrong info that has been mistakenly passed down from generation to generation for decades.

Also right now, at least one of the mass producers is selling babies all over the country, and possibly the world that are infected with a horrible highly contagious disease that we are currently trying to definitively diagnose. That info will be made public when a diagnosis has been correctly made.

There are only a few breeders who start them well. Buy from anyone else and the babies chances of survival are slim.

None of this is your fault, but you and your family get to suffer the heartbreak of loss because of the actions of breeders and sellers who should know better by now.

@Markw84 still has a few well started babies now. Austin @Arizona Sulcata usually has babies. @NorCal tortoise guy will have babies in a few months, and so will I. Other than that, it is hard to find one started indoors in a humid closed chamber, with daily soaks, and a breeder that uses a brooder box until the umbilical scar closes up and heals over.

Thank you, Tom, for reassuring me that this isn’t my fault. It’s a very helpless feeling, but I’m doing the best I can until this baby decides he’s tired of fighting..?

And thank you so much for pointing me in the direction of reputable breeders. I’ll definitely choose one of them when/if the time comes. And I’ll be sure to refer back to this forum, and your care guides.

 

[Yvonne G]

The reason for the large number of sulcata babies failing isn't because they are a difficult species, it's because a female sulcata deposits a great many eggs in the nest and most of them hatch. Other species don't lay so many eggs per clutch. That means there are many more sulcata babies for sale than other species.

 

[Sue Ann]

Hi!! I recently posted about my sick Sulcata baby, which I’m currently attempting to nurse back to health. Emotionally exhausted, to say the least.

While, browsing the “sick tortoise” threads, I noticed that a whole lot of them seem to be Sulcata hatchlings. Mine included.

I’m just curious if there’s a reason for this? Is it coincidental? Or are Sulcatas just genuinely not a good “starter tortoise” ??

I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do if my baby does not pull through this, and I’m pretty sure I’d wanna try again with another one. But now I’m indecisive about Sulcatas.

Sucks because I’ve always wanted to raise one to be big and strong, but it’s hard not to feel like a total failure, considering my current situation.

Maybe I’d just need to find a more reputable breeder?

Any input on this subject would be appreciated!! ❤

Get a reputable breeder. We have several here on TFO. If they are started right and you listen to the rules to raise them you can’t go wrong.

 

[Tom]

The reason for the large number of sulcata babies failing isn't because they are a difficult species, it's because a female sulcata deposits a great many eggs in the nest and most of them hatch. Other species don't lay so many eggs per clutch. That means there are many more sulcata babies for sale than other species.

I see what you are saying about large numbers of them, but that isn't why they are failing. They aren't failing because there are a lot of them. They are failing because they aren't cared for correctly. If they were cared for correctly, all of those numbers babies would survive and thrive. This problem seems worse with DTs, leopards, and sulcatas because so many people mistakenly believe these species need dry desiccating conditions, when most other species aren't kept so dry as babies.

I know you know this, but I thought the wording of your post might make some readers misunderstand.

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

How's your little guy doing? Has he gotten any better? ?

 

[andrea0226]

How's your little guy doing? Has he gotten any better? ?

He passed away last week. Poor little guy. He fought hard and I was seeing progress. I was doing several food and water soaks a day, he was pooping consistently, he was getting more active. But, Wednesday morning, he went to sleep and didn’t wake up..? Broke my heart. But I know he was tired. And I learned my lesson. My next baby will definitely be from a more reputable breeder. It really upsets me to think of all of the sick little torts out there and all of the new owners, like me, who are having to deal with these issues.
Thanks for checking up. ❤️

 

[Srmcclure]

I'm so sorry ?

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Any type of loss is hard. We are here for you and you did everything you could. ???