Why Are Sulcatas Inexpensive?

[OliveW]

I was just reading on another thread that baby Sulcatas are more fragile than other tortoises, or harder to start. I was intrigued by this comment, but since that thread is about their specific babies, I thought I would start a new one for this question. I had always assumed that they were easier to start and more hardy.

It was also noted that a Sulcata is a horrible impulse buy, which I couldn't agree with more! Then why are they so much cheaper than others? They should be MORE, not only because they are more difficult to start, but to discourage impulse buyers. I don't understand this situation at all. The only thing I can think of is the fact that adult Sulcatas can easily be had free due to those same people impulse buying them, or not doing research before making a decision. But lots of folks still want the cute little babies.

Locally, a hatchling can be had for $50, while others are $200 and up. Meanwhile, they turn up on the country lanes here in Florida in droves. Of course I don't blame the breeders, or at least not the good ones. They have to cooperate with what the market will bear. I just can't begin to imagine how it got to this place to begin with.

Sulcatas also have AMAZING personalities, which I would think would appeal to most humans. Personally, I love all animals for what and where they are, but so many people need that personality to really bond with an animal. That makes Sulcatas an extremely attractive option in the tortoise world.

I'm not posting to offend or insult anyone. In fact, the regulars on this board have my utmost respect! If I hadn't found this forum, my found boy would not be getting the appropriate care. Not because I wouldn't want to, but because there is so much conflicting information on the internet. I personally have researched tortoise care (with no particular species in mind) at least half dozen times in my life prior to finding my sweet little man. I found the information to be daunting and was always afraid of taking on the responsibility for a life that I couldn't give my best. It was only when faced with being a tortoise mom and it was do or die, that I spent four days relentlessly searching the internet and eventually landed here.

Does anyone have any insight into the price discrepancy?

 

[zovick]

I was just reading on another thread that baby Sulcatas are more fragile than other tortoises, or harder to start. I was intrigued by this comment, but since that thread is about their specific babies, I thought I would start a new one for this question. I had always assumed that they were easier to start and more hardy.

It was also noted that a Sulcata is a horrible impulse buy, which I couldn't agree with more! Then why are they so much cheaper than others? They should be MORE, not only because they are more difficult to start, but to discourage impulse buyers. I don't understand this situation at all. The only thing I can think of is the fact that adult Sulcatas can easily be had free due to those same people impulse buying them, or not doing research before making a decision. But lots of folks still want the cute little babies.

Locally, a hatchling can be had for $50, while others are $200 and up. Meanwhile, they turn up on the country lanes here in Florida in droves. Of course I don't blame the breeders, or at least not the good ones. They have to cooperate with what the market will bear. I just can't begin to imagine how it got to this place to begin with.

Sulcatas also have AMAZING personalities, which I would think would appeal to most humans. Personally, I love all animals for what and where they are, but so many people need that personality to really bond with an animal. That makes Sulcatas an extremely attractive option in the tortoise world.

I'm not posting to offend or insult anyone. In fact, the regulars on this board have my utmost respect! If I hadn't found this forum, my found boy would not be getting the appropriate care. Not because I wouldn't want to, but because there is no much conflicting information on the internet. I personally have researched tortoise care (with no particular species in mind) at least half dozen times in my life prior to finding my sweet little man. I found the information to be daunting and was always afraid of taking on the responsibility for a life that I couldn't give my best. It was only when faced with being a tortoise mom and it was do or die, that I spent four days relentlessly searching the internet and eventually landed here.

Does anyone have any insight into the price discrepancy?

The sulcatas are less costly than most other tortoises because they reproduce like rabbits. IE, the marketplace is flooded with them. When there is a huge supply of any item, the price must be lowered in order to sell the item. It is the old rule of supply and demand.

It wasn't always this way, though. Back in the 1970's when sulcatas were almost unheard of in the US, I traded a couple of Radiated Tortoise females to get an adult pair of sulcatas (note that no ivory or albino sulcatas had ever been produced at that time). Today, no one in their right mind would trade a Radiated Tortoise for a normal colored sulcata.

 

[OliveW]

The sulcatas are less costly than most other tortoises because they reproduce like rabbits. IE, the marketplace is flooded with them. When there is a huge supply of any item, the price must be lowered in order to sell the item. It is the old rule of supply and demand.

It wasn't always this way, though. Back in the 1970's when sulcatas were almost unheard of in the US, I traded a couple of Radiated Tortoise females to get an adult pair of sulcatas (note that no ivory or albino sulcatas had ever been produced at that time). Today, no one in their right mind would trade a Radiated Tortoise for a normal colored sulcata.

Thank you, that makes sense. I didn't realize that they reproduced easier.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you, that makes sense. I didn't realize that they reproduced easier.

One female sulcata lays several clutches a year of about 15-30 eggs in each clutch.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They sure look cute and easy to care for at the pet shop in that 10 gallon aquarium. Sitting on rabbit pellets and nibbling on Iceberg lettuce. Don't they?

 

[Maddoggy]

Yes they do,very deceiving to an impulse buyer . When I started the forum I had ten now I have two. Each one has four thousand square feet of outdoor enclosure and a heated nightbox. It took me a year of corresponding with the forum but my tortoise situation is very manageable.The Sad thing is. I saw them advertised today. For thirty. Five dollars a piece. How many of them will have a proper size enclosure when they are adult torts? I even se. Up a plan for after i die. Since they will outlive me

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes they do,very deceiving to an impulse buyer . When I started the forum I had ten now I have two. Each one has four thousand square feet of outdoor enclosure and a heated nightbox. It took me a year of corresponding with the forum but my tortoise situation is very manageable.The Sad thing is. I saw them advertised today. For thirty. Five dollars a piece. How many of them will have a proper size enclosure when they are adult torts? I even se. Up a plan for after i die. Since they will outlive me

Yeah. That's another biggie.

 

[OliveW]

They sure look cute and easy to care for at the pet shop in that 10 gallon aquarium. Sitting on rabbit pellets and nibbling on Iceberg lettuce. Don't they?

Even worse than that. Here they sell them at the flea markets. Every single weekend, year round. People not even interested in ANY pet impulse buy them. God only knows how many have been purchased for little kids who take them in their room and pop them in a cereal bowl or something to live - for the short time that they will live.

Many other reptiles, birds, bunnies, chicks, etc also at the flea markets.

The area where we live is quite bizarre, as in general, people put a very high value on dogs. You can sell a mutt here for a few hundred dollars and the entire litter will sell in a day. Every other animal, including cats, are seen as somewhat disposable. Of course it's not every person, but it's much more the rule than the exception.

 

[ArmadilloPup]

Haha, the dogs. The new thing here is a "teddy bear," sold at $1200US+ with papers from some random registry. It's a bichon mix.

Oklahoma is hell for animals. Every roadside "zoo" here has sulcatas. They're all severely pyramided. I've had three people text me sulcata pics from a new petting zoo here, and it's so hard for me to just say "Oh cool! Yup, I love tortoises!" 😬😬😬

Tangent: I recently went to a poultry swap, which is a rural outdoor flea market. You'll see varying degrees of care for the animals, but mostly they're left in small wire cages with no water. It's the same battle as a pet store - do I buy something and support this, or should I save this animal from its misery? I brought home a guinea pig that was still giving milk and severely overheated and depressed. She was starting to go into GI stasis when I managed to find a couple of babies for her, it was a very tense 3 hour drive not being sure if she'd still be alive when I got back. It worked, she perked up at the babies, started eating and drinking, and quickly recovered. I am adoring my new family, but I still can't look at them without thinking about the reason I now have all of them, and how awful my species treats other living things.

 

[Tom]

Does anyone have any insight into the price discrepancy?

As Zovick and Yvonne explained, this is simply due to the laws of supply and demand. A single female sulcata can produce over 100 babies per year. Compare that to a Russian a 2-6 babies a year, or a pancake at 1-2 baby per year.

I was just reading on another thread that baby Sulcatas are more fragile than other tortoises, or harder to start. I was intrigued by this comment, but since that thread is about their specific babies, I thought I would start a new one for this question. I had always assumed that they were easier to start and more hardy.

I saw that too. Its not true in any way shape or form. Sulcatas are one of the hardiest and easiest tortoise babies to raise. They are highly adaptable and will survive a long list of less-than-optimal mistakes. The problem is that most breeders mistakenly think they are a desert species and keep them too dry. Many perish because of this breeder error. Any species can be killed with enough dehydration. Sulcatas are no more susceptible to it than any other, and probably less so due to their mass.

...not only because they are more difficult to start,..

No they're not.

I'm not posting to offend or insult anyone. In fact, the regulars on this board have my utmost respect! If I hadn't found this forum, my found boy would not be getting the appropriate care. Not because I wouldn't want to, but because there is so much conflicting information on the internet. I personally have researched tortoise care (with no particular species in mind) at least half dozen times in my life prior to finding my sweet little man. I found the information to be daunting and was always afraid of taking on the responsibility for a life that I couldn't give my best. It was only when faced with being a tortoise mom and it was do or die, that I spent four days relentlessly searching the internet and eventually landed here.

I'm certainly not offended or insulted in any way.

People still neglect and mistreat animals that they paid a lot of money for. SOME people anyway...Its a sad fact of human nature. Many times it is not that they don't care, it is that they have gotten the typical wrong advice that has been parroted from generation to generation for decades. YOU found the right info, but not everyone else has.

 

[KevtK]

Garden State Tortoise YT channel just had a vid on Sulcatas because animal control stopped by with a nearly full grown one that was just wandering the stress in NJ! Being a rescue place he took it in, but described the lies told to sell them by unscrupulous vendors at shows, markets etc…

 

[Yvonne G]

Garden State Tortoise YT channel just had a vid on Sulcatas because animal control stopped by with a nearly full grown one that was just wandering the stress in NJ! Being a rescue place he took it in, but described the lies told to sell them by unscrupulous vendors at shows, markets etc…

Oh man - that video was so scary!!

I don't have sound, so didn't hear the words, but my lord in heaven!!! Chris has aldabras, radiata and now this stray sulcata all in the same enclosure. This is so scary. I'll be sending a DM to Chris to make sure he knows about austwikia disease.

 

[G-stars]

Oh man - that video was so scary!!

I don't have sound, so didn't hear the words, but my lord in heaven!!! Chris has aldabras, radiata and now this stray sulcata all in the same enclosure. This is so scary. I'll be sending a DM to Chris to make sure he knows about austwikia disease.

Actually he has Burmese stars, Aldabras, radiated, and sulcata in the same enclosure. Saw a picture of it on Instagram not to long ago. Species should never be mixed in my opinion. No benefit to it at all.