Sulcata not being correctly cared for...

[wellington]

Until recently I WAS a northerner(Dayton Ohio)for 40 years and I know the difficulties of getting a tortoise out into the sun every day or once or twice a week throughout the year and getting the proper light setup.
I'm one of the many people that you hear of on this forum that have trouble figuring out which lights are needed, at what height, how long, how to hook up to timers, ect.... I consider myself far from stupid (college educated)and I feel a little disappointed that you would think that I would state to the world that I believe Northerners are stupid. I've always appreciated all your input and help with raising my tortoises and I hope you believe me when I say that I meant that people in the South can take their tortoises outside for 5 or 10 minutes everyday or every couple days(and often do) throughout the year and they get the sunlight that they need for the week so they really don't need the lights inside the house hooked up. People in the north cannot do that in the winter and therefore the lights are NEEDED. If it wasn't for this forum alot of us turtle/tortoise owners wouldn't even know that they need special lighting. That includes people in the South AND in the North.
The simple fact that I was correct that the tortoise was raised in the North wasn't just pure luck. Yes there are tortoises with MBD and pyramiding in the south as well as the north but I believe that the majority of them have been raised in the North. Especially some of the most extreme cases.
I'm sorry if you disagree but all you have to do is ask around to the people who have tortoises with deformed shells and ask where they were raised and you'll see that I'm right. I noticed this correlation because I was from the north and having problems getting my leopard the sun he needed. I'm sorry if I wasn't articulate enough to express this View in a way that didn't insult us Northerners.
By the way, I would be insulted also if somebody said to watch out for southerners who breed dogs too since I breed bulldogs. I breed them here and I bred them in the north and my methods have not changed. That would be an insult to Southerners. I don't think it's quite the same thing though. I wasn't insulting Southerners because they're incapable of understanding how lights work. I wasn't insulting anyone. I merely meant that since more people in the north need lighting then it stands to reason that more people in the north (than the south)would have problems getting that lighting to their tortoises causing more MBD.

I do disagree. That aside, I in no way thought you meant it to be offensive in any way.

 

[counting]

I'm northern (probably more northern than most on this forum)and:

I think the issue is not good keepers in northern climates. Healthy torts can be grown in sunnier climates primarily outdoors(in proper conditions), or in northern climates primarily indoors with correct lighting(and other conditions). As long as someone puts in the research and time- tortoises can be kept well in many climates. Nobody is a better or more informed keeper due to their location. Nice, healthy, smooth torts happen all over.

But....
If someone does not put in the time or effort into research and give correct care up north, it is inarguably always going to be an extremely detrimental situation in every case. An animal kept year round indoors with inproper care and improper lighting is going to be severly damaged. It is going to have mbd.
Down south, neglect can be tempered. If someone neglects their animal by throwing it into the back yard and never paying any attention...it is probably getting lots of sunlight. Even in cases of benign neglect (the kid who's parents got them a tort and did not research into proper care and keeps it in a 20g in their bedroom ), a kid might take the tort out to play in the backyard and they are getting at least some uvb. So in those cases the damage of neglect is less than it would be without the sunlight. Though obviously not good. If a tort is raised entirely indoors with poor lighting and conditions down south, it will be the same as up north.

I think it's fair to say looking at a really misshapen tort, that you guess that they have been raised primarily indoors, with inadequate lighting. And yes, chances of the tort being from up north are higher but not guaranteed.

I don't think it's anything to get offended about. Northern tort keepers DO have to put in more work when it comes to knowing lighting. They DO have to be more vigilant. Though the same goes for southern keepers who raise torts 100% indoors for much of the year.

Many, Many, many torts around here are painfully disfigured. It hurts to look at them. And it is largely a result of indoor keeping with incorrect lighting and no sunshine to offset that.

Let's all just get along????

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Here's a fun one for you regarding Northerners not being able to properly raise a sulcata. I picked up this beautiful female sulcata, "Makita" from a middle-age couple who had raised her in, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho of all places. she's beautiful, right? Those ignorant northerners just don't now how to raise an African savanna type tortoise properly! When I asked why they were wanting to part ways with this obviously well cared for tortoise, they replied that they were moving to Santa Barbara, California and they just didn't want to deal with her for the move. Seemed to me they would be moving her from a harsh environment to a gravy train environment, but it just shows how ignorant them thar northerners can be. This is a true story. insert sarcasm as needed.
Sadly for me and my Makita, as well as most of my other tortoises, they were all parceled out by my ex-wife while I was in a coma following an auto accident and she has never been willing to provide me with the proper information for locating them.

 

[teresaf]

Here's a fun one for you regarding Northerners not being able to properly raise a sulcata. I picked up this beautiful female sulcata, "Makita" from a middle-age couple who had raised her in, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho of all places. View attachment 218732View attachment 218733 she's beautiful, right? Those ignorant northerners just don't now how to raise an African savanna type tortoise properly! When I asked why they were wanting to part ways with this obviously well cared for tortoise, they replied that they were moving to Santa Barbara, California and they just didn't want to deal with her for the move. Seemed to me they would be moving her from a harsh environment to a gravy train environment, but it just shows how ignorant them thar northerners can be. This is a true story. insert sarcasm as needed.
Sadly for me and my Makita, as well as most of my other tortoises, they were all parceled out by my ex-wife while I was in a coma following an auto accident and she has never been willing to provide me with the proper information for locating them.

SHE GAVE AWAY YOUR PETS WHEN YOU WERE TOO SICK TO STOP HER?! SUE HER!!!

 

[counting]

It becomes pretty obvious why she is an ex. How awful for you

 

[Bee62]

Someone I know sent me this photo of their friend's tortoise.
She wrote:
Chompers is a giant African tortoise. He looks like he's made of wood. Very healthy... Has outdoor and indoor accommodations
View attachment 218610

Ouch, that picture really hurts me deep inside. Poor, poor tortoise.
It is astonishing how much false treatment they are able to overlive, to grow and to get older.

 

[Bee62]

Vern is a mess:

I saw pics of tortoises that were more pyramided.
Your tort looks healthy although the pyramided shell.
You have surely done a good, great job to keep her like she is, a beautiful, lovely tortoise !
A friend of mine in Germany took 4 redfoot tortoises, as their previous owner wants to put them to sleep because of pyramided shells.
They are healthy torts ! So don`t be ashamed to show your torts.