Karen from Lincolnshire, new owner of African Sulcata

[teresaf]

Hi. I,m worried about Tank,he does not want to soak at all. I am worried hat he may get dehydrated. He eats lots of fresh weeds etc,he is active, the other thing is that someone on line states that there is no such breed a an African Spur thigh. I'm infuses I have been told thats what he is. Any idea !! Cheers. Karen

a lot of tortoises don't like to soak. it is good for them so we make them once Or twice a week. Everyday when they're babies. make sure the container that you put him in for his soak has tall sides where he can't get out and only fill up a little past his neck hole(couple inches total depth) with warm water. Not cold. can you post a couple pictures of his water dish and enclosure? sometimes we'll be able to see tipping hazards and other dangers that you don't see yourself...

 

[teresaf]

No coil light bulbs too...lol

 

[Karen Grafton]

Thanks for reply. He does not have own pool yet but has access to water. His area is still being finished off and he will have own pool then. At the moment he is in a big paddling pool, high sided and does not tip. He,s pretty big so I find that gives him room to walk about in it.

 

[Karen Grafton]

In England Centrochelys sulcata, the sulcata tortoise like yours are often known as African spur-thighed, or African spurred tortoises. This is a species, not a breed.
Confusingly, the Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca, is also referred to as spur thighed, but is a different species and not all come from Africa.
He is a sulcata and some will call him African spur thigh or similar.

 

[Karen Grafton]

Ah I see. I don't mind what he is though. Hes just lovely. Thanks for the information. I find it worrying when I read different things. I need to use this forum only !

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Ah I see. I don't mind what he is though. Hes just lovely. Thanks for the information. I find it worrying when I read different things. I need to use this forum only !

Yep.

 

[teresaf]

Yes. I would be going crazy following advise of different forums. Especially when everything I need is right here. and its current information from people who have had towards For 30-40 years. expert tortoise owners. we have a lot of people who have made their own pools with concrete mix. I think they basically dug out a large shallow hole in the ground then mixed up some concrete mix and spread it in the hole... and up the sides of the hole too. some have managed to make sloped Edges so the tortoises can just walk in and walk out without any tipping hazards. then all you have to do is clean it out every other day or so with your hoSe. mine are too small for this so I'm using a concrete birdbath sunk into the ground for my larger Leopard and large terracotta Saucers for my Smaller tortoises. you get a lot of really good ideas from looking at other peoples threads.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome from the desert !

 

[Karen Grafton]

Yes. I would be going crazy following advise of different forums. Especially when everything I need is right here. and its current information from people who have had towards For 30-40 years. expert tortoise owners. we have a lot of people who have made their own pools with concrete mix. I think they basically dug out a large shallow hole in the ground then mixed up some concrete mix and spread it in the hole... and up the sides of the hole too. some have managed to make sloped Edges so the tortoises can just walk in and walk out without any tipping hazards. then all you have to do is clean it out every other day or so with your hoSe. mine are too small for this so I'm using a concrete birdbath sunk into the ground for my larger Leopard and large terracotta Saucers for my Smaller tortoises. you get a lot of really good ideas from looking at other peoples threads.

thanks for reply, my very kind and patient husband is going to dig the shallow pool and line with concrete, cheers, karen

 

[Karen Grafton]

Tank is large and 5years old, do I still need to worry about the right humidity for him, he has a really well insulated house to sleep in with Timothy hay in, obviously he has his basking light but I dont do anything about humidity. he does live outside all the time

 

[teresaf]

He lives outside ALL the time? Doesn't it get cold there?

 

[Karen Grafton]

He lives outside ALL the time? Doesn't it get cold there?

yes it does get cold which is why he has the correct heating. He goes out when he wants to, then goes into his house to warm up I have seen pictures of Sulcatas on this forum out in the snow !!