Why do people breed Sulcata's

[Candy]

I'm sorry... but I interjected some info and was ignored. I saw the chat going between you and whats her name and thought it was personal



Now who's acting like he's in Kindergarten EJ? What do you mean "What's her name"? Are you not following the posts? lol

 

[dmmj]

I think some people are disturbed by selling lots of sulc, like 10 or 20 to one person for pets, it makes it seem like they are expendable to the person buying them. I personally do not have a problem with people selling sulc, but I would like some of you to start mass breeding aldab so the price can drop on them so I could get 1 or 2.

 

[Yvonne G]

What, do you want the customer's names? Addresses? Out of fear of you and Yvonne and Meg burning my house down, I'm not going to admit to how many sulcatas I sell. Maybe in a different forum, but not the anti sulcata one LOL.

I'm hurt that you've included my name in this argument. I've never said I was against sulcatas...I have one for Pete's sake. I adopt them out to people all the time. If you'll look back at my posts, what I've always said is that I feel new sulcata buyers need to be given more information about the tortoise so they aren't making an impulse buy, but buying with the knowledge of what they are really getting.

 

[Meg90]

I'm not anti sulcata either. I attempted to rescue one this summer, and would gladly take in another if I found one in need in my area.

A bad breeder is someone who is selling these animals without educating the buyer. Sullys are often hawked as "slow growers" and people are told it will take years for them to get to an unmanageable size. Which is why so many people seem "shocked" when they continue to grow.

I love torts, and when I have the space, I will be getting a sully or two. I'd love to have DTs someday as well.

But honestly, if you had to have a permit to have them, proving that the land you owned or rented was sufficient to house a large tortoise I think things would go alot nicer for sulcata. That, or the price on them I WISH would go back up. Something to deter the uneducated masses from picking up this cheap little baby tortoise for their kids. They are second cheapest only to Hingebacks, that I've seen.

 

[TylerStewart]

Yvonne - it was sarcastic, I thought you'd get a kick out of that. I just used your name in there because in these debates, you are often on the opposite side of me about much of it.

A bad breeder is someone who is selling these animals without educating the buyer. Sullys are often hawked as "slow growers" and people are told it will take years for them to get to an unmanageable size. Which is why so many people seem "shocked" when they continue to grow.

But honestly, if you had to have a permit to have them, proving that the land you owned or rented was sufficient to house a large tortoise I think things would go alot nicer for sulcata. That, or the price on them I WISH would go back up. Something to deter the uneducated masses from picking up this cheap little baby tortoise for their kids. They are second cheapest only to Hingebacks, that I've seen.

So then, I would be classified as a bad breeder since I have, in the past, sold them wholesale, without knowing where they might eventually end up. Ok, just wanted some clarification, and Candy had never given me a definition of one. I'd love to know who you would call a "good breeder" then, because I can't think of anyone that has ever produced a sulcata that hasn't at one time sold some of them wholesale. Does buying them wholesale make you a bad "broker?" Does it make the guy you bought them from a "bad breeder?"

Again, I think your reference about them being sold as a slow grower is much more rare than you make it seem. Not everyone that sells them is out to lie to everyone about their size. When possible, I bring a large sulcata or two to the shows with me so people know what they're getting themselves into. I'm not sure whether it helps or hurts sales. The animal rights crowds think it needs to be shown (so they know how big they can get), but then the customers are probably more likely to buy them on impulse since they think it's the coolest thing they've ever seen. Which approach would you like me to take Meg?

Permits for sulcatas? It's a little different than a permit for a 20 foot python that can potentially kill a kid. The last thing this hobby or this country needs is more government intervention in anything. You give an inch and they take a foot. I'm all for eliminating 75% of the govt jobs and programs, save the police and military. My apology to anyone working at the DMV.

I think some people are disturbed by selling lots of sulc, like 10 or 20 to one person for pets, it makes it seem like they are expendable to the person buying them. I personally do not have a problem with people selling sulc, but I would like some of you to start mass breeding aldab so the price can drop on them so I could get 1 or 2.

I'd like more Aldabras too, and I think many people would. It would take the pressure off of the sulcatas for being of the devil, since they would be able to spread the complaints about a heavy tortoise over a few more species in captivity. I think for the sake of the species and many people's sanity, it's a species better left in lower numbers in the US.

 

[Yvonne G]

Oh...ok...Sorry! Sometimes I'm not the brightest bulb in the package.

 

[Candy]

Well Tyler then I guess you do sell quite a few Sulcata's. I didn't realize you sold Wholesale. Why would you do this if this is not your primary business? Isn't that what I read in one of your earlier posts back to Yvonne or am I wrong? I thought this was more of a hobby thing for you.

 

[TylerStewart]

Well Tyler then I guess you do sell quite a few Sulcata's. I didn't realize you sold Wholesale. Why would you do this if this is not your primary business? Isn't that what I read in one of your earlier posts back to Yvonne or am I wrong? I thought this was more of a hobby thing for you.

Well, lately, I don't sell wholesale, but I have before. I have friends that are tortoise guys (many more that are chameleon people), some sell them retail against me. Occasionally they'll be low on sulcatas when I have plenty, and sometimes I'm running low and get a few from them. We sell them wholesale to eachother in those situations. Different areas and climates have different hatching seasons... My sulcatas start laying eggs in March and are usually done in June, then they hatch 3-4 months later. This means that almost all my sulcatas hatch from about June to November, give or take, so I have a bunch available during that time of year. Most of So Cal has breeders that their tortoises will lay through the summer into the fall, so they have hatching at a different time than I do. It's smartest for me to keep and sell as many of my own at my normal price, and this year, I mostly did. I still have a few hatching right now, and had them hatching at the show here in Vegas last weekend on display.

I'm in commercial concrete construction, and times are slow, but I am good at what I do so I've maintained a job. Tortoises aren't my main job and is completely a hobby, and creates a good excuse to get out of town several times a year for the expos. If anything, it's my wife's job since I make her answer the phone to deal with constant questions we get (more often than not, people that have never and will never buy from us). She is a good full time mom, and that's how we want it. All the profit from it goes into tortoises. Any losses affect the reptile account. I still get steak for dinner either way LOL. Not really sure what that has to do with wholesaling, though.

 

[-EJ]

I'm tellin' ya Tyler... she's hot for ya.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

"Good"? She's "good" at being a full-time mom?

Come on! You can think of a more flattering adjective than "good"! If she reads these posts, she'll want to see "conscientious", "competent", "fabulous", "top-notch", "invaluable", "renowned", "widely acclaimed", etc, or a combination of these. She makes you steak for dinner, and you say she's "good" at her job? Clearly, you sir are still living in the 20th century!!

I'll bet she calls you better than "good" at commercial construction!

 

[TylerStewart]

"Good"? She's "good" at being a full-time mom? Come on! You can think of a more flattering adjective than that! If she reads these posts, she'll want to see "conscientious", "competent", "fabulous", "top-notch", "invaluable", "renowned", "widely acclaimed", etc, or a combination of these. She makes you steak for dinner, and you say she's "good" at her job? Clearly, you sir are still living in the 20th century!!

I'll bet she calls you better than "good" at commercial construction!

Sorry, I meant to say she's good "with" being a full time mom. She married into me, a 5 year old boy I had (now 7), and at the time, 200+ chameleons and several dozen tortoises, among other various things. Now we have a little baby, and with animals and the 2 kids, she's got a full day every day. She's a rock, and she can dish it back as well as I can dish it to her. She is the only girl that I have met that really has my same mindset on so many issues, and actually has her head on 100% straight (in my opinion, but many people question both of us).

Ed - I know she does.... I'll be sure to take my wife to the Pomona show next month, in case Candy tries to make a move.

 

[Candy]

I didn't know there was a Pomona show next month. I'm sure my husband will be thrilled when I tell him about it. He's not as supportive of my tortoise love as your wife is with yours. Although he does help out a lot with building the different enclosures for Dale (He just finished building Dales 3rd enclosure and we've only had him a year on Christmas Eve). Spoiled tortoise! Oh well Tyler and EJ I think we've about finished this debate. It was nice and all. Maybe we educated people maybe we didn't, but for me it was fun. Tyler, when I go to the Pomona show I'm going to have to count up the Sulcatas that are being sold there so maybe after that we can start up a new thread? So please take note because I don't know if Pomona is a great place for anyone to raise a Sulcata. I've got to admit that the other day when I told my 23 year old that we might be getting a female Cherryhead for Dale he said "Why would you do that, why don't you get a Sulcata it would be so much better". I said something to my husband and he gave me that don't even think about it look. It's not like I don't have the backyard for one. Mine is pretty good sized. And EJ if your going to post please post something worth posting. She's got the hots for you doesn't end the thread. Plus I've always been the kind of woman that if I had the hots for someone I could tell them myself I didn't have to rely on someone else to do it for me, but thanks anyway.

 

[mctlong]

When is this Pomona show you guys are talking about? Is there a website?

 

[-EJ]

23 year old... you're an old lady... I'm sorry... that was rude.

...but the dynamics so school girl.

I didn't know there was a Pomona show next month. I'm sure my husband will be thrilled when I tell him about it. He's not as supportive of my tortoise love as your wife is with yours. Although he does help out a lot with building the different enclosures for Dale (He just finished building Dales 3rd enclosure and we've only had him a year on Christmas Eve). Spoiled tortoise! Oh well Tyler and EJ I think we've about finished this debate. It was nice and all. Maybe we educated people maybe we didn't, but for me it was fun. Tyler, when I go to the Pomona show I'm going to have to count up the Sulcatas that are being sold there so maybe after that we can start up a new thread? So please take note because I don't know if Pomona is a great place for anyone to raise a Sulcata. I've got to admit that the other day when I told my 23 year old that we might be getting a female Cherryhead for Dale he said "Why would you do that, why don't you get a Sulcata it would be so much better". I said something to my husband and he gave me that don't even think about it look. It's not like I don't have the backyard for one. Mine is pretty good sized. And EJ if your going to post please post something worth posting. She's got the hots for you doesn't end the thread. Plus I've always been the kind of woman that if I had the hots for someone I could tell them myself I didn't have to rely on someone else to do it for me, but thanks anyway.

 

[dmmj]

it is on the 9th and 10th of jan If I remember correctly it is at the LA county fair grounds.
and the website should be fairplex.com

 

[TylerStewart]

Sulcatas should be a little more out of season by then, so hopefully your count isn't as high as it would have been a few months ago. It will be an over-vendored show, so I'm sure there's still going to be plenty of opportunities for you to bust people there. Keep in mind when walking around - just because a big sulcata is in a small bin (and there will be), it's a weekend show - not a breeding arrangement. I probably won't be taking any big guys like I did in Anaheim. I'm hauling the booths for FLChams.com (in from FL) as well as Julie of ChamoWear (in from IL) for them, so I won't have room in my trailer for a big sulcata.

The show's site is www.ReptileSuperShow.com.

 

[Tom]

Where are all these rescues that are full of sulcatas? I've got lots of room and I've been trying to find "surplus" sulcatas for years.


I didn't read all 12 pages of this thread, but did anyone address the the opinion that sulcatas shouldn't be bred because they get so big?

Ever stood next to a horse? How about a pig or a goat? Its much easier to house and care for a giant sulcatta, than most of the animals, I care for on a daily basis. In fact around the corner from my ranch is a big 100 pound boy who lives in a horse stall when he's not out roaming his 6 acre ranch.

I agree that they are big, personable, hardy, wonderful animals and I'd love to see more people owning them. I assume that most people will and do care for them properly. Everyone that I personally know takes great care of theirs. Its really not that hard.

If your premise for more government intrusion in to our lives is that SOME people MIGHT not take proper care of them, then, perhaps your efforts would be better spent trying to save the millions upon millions of mistreated dogs and cats... or children.

 

[Candy]

Sorry you have to read all 12 pages no shortcuts to education or research. If we had to read them then so do you.

 

[Tom]

Sorry you have to read all 12 pages no shortcuts to education or research. If we had to read them then so do you.

Okay. In that case I'll get back to you in a couple of weeks....

 

[cyclura28]

People breed Sulcatas for me. I bought a sulcata 10 years ago, still have it, don't plan to ever get rid of it, dont plan to breed it, I'm not against it, just don't plan on it. I think they are overbreed a little, but nowhere near as much as dogs,cats,burmese pythons,red tails, ball python,red eared slider and the mother of all (IGUANAS). Still doesn't make it right. But if there were no breeders than I would have my little girl and that would suck. It does help poaching of wild one though, and BTW I would love to adopt one, but believe it or not, down here in South Florida, it is nearly impossible to adopt a tortoise. Your slogan should be BUY MORE REDFOOTS.