I was running Sulcatatortoiseman's post through my mind as I was working outside, and it occurred to me that we always tell people how destructive sulcata tortoises are. It makes it sound like we're not wanting people to get a sulcata.
The reason I tell people about the destructive traits is not to talk them out of one, but to make them be aware that there are things they need to do to take the proper care of a sulcata.
EJ, Maggie and I are only three people of the many, many sulcata-keepers whose sulcatas don't dig to China. The reason for this is because we have all provided the right resting spot for our sulcatas. We have a shed that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, so the tortoises don't need to dig to China in order to get comfortable.
When I first got Dudley and realized I had to separate him from the female that he came to me with, I didn't have another large area for a sulcata, so I put him in the back yard. In no time at all he had knocked chunks off my stucco, plowed right through and knocked over full grown and established rose bushes. But this wasn't the fault of the tortoise. This was MY fault for putting him in an area that wasn't sulcata-proof.
So, go ahead and get your sulcata (or Aldabran, or Galapagos) tortoise, but make the appropriate pen or habitat for him. If you don't he'll destroy everything!!
The reason I tell people about the destructive traits is not to talk them out of one, but to make them be aware that there are things they need to do to take the proper care of a sulcata.
EJ, Maggie and I are only three people of the many, many sulcata-keepers whose sulcatas don't dig to China. The reason for this is because we have all provided the right resting spot for our sulcatas. We have a shed that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, so the tortoises don't need to dig to China in order to get comfortable.
When I first got Dudley and realized I had to separate him from the female that he came to me with, I didn't have another large area for a sulcata, so I put him in the back yard. In no time at all he had knocked chunks off my stucco, plowed right through and knocked over full grown and established rose bushes. But this wasn't the fault of the tortoise. This was MY fault for putting him in an area that wasn't sulcata-proof.
So, go ahead and get your sulcata (or Aldabran, or Galapagos) tortoise, but make the appropriate pen or habitat for him. If you don't he'll destroy everything!!