New Sulcata owner intro

wyldwitch

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2021
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Kansas
Hello I adopted a Sulcata about a month ago and am anxious to learn all I can from this forum. I appreciate all the information and hard work people seem to have contributed and look forward to learning.

Here are a couple pics of my girl Gaia. We live in Kansas and cold weather is already here so she will be staying inside this year until I can convert my shed this spring for her. If anyone would like to guide me to especially helpful threads id be happy to read them. Thank you
 

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Yvonne G

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Welcome! Since your new tortoise isn't a baby, and most of our care sheets for sulcata lean towards baby care, I'll just give you what I do for my full grown sulcata:

He lives in an insulated, heated shed outside. In the morning I open his door and at night I make sure he's inside and I close his door. He comes out if he wants to. If it's cold or the sun isn't shining, he goes back in the shed. There's enough room in the shed that he can get off his pig blanket if he wants to. When he's outside he grazes on grasses and weeds. Even in the winter, when the grass is dead, he still eats it. I offer branches off the mulberry tree and grape vine occasionally. And the opuntia cactus is readily accepted by him. When food is scarce I have orchard grass hay as a back up.

Tortoises need to have enough room to wander around. The walking aids digestion. And he has a large garbage toter lid filled with fresh water daily.

These tortoises come from an area of the world that doesn't get cold, so they don't know how to deal with cold. They have evolved to dig down into the earth to find comfort. You'll need to provide 80F degree plus days and not allow the night temperature to drop below 75F and warmer is better.
 

wyldwitch

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2021
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Kansas
Yes! I am really struggling with enclosure ideas for large sulcatas, especially being in Kansas. Currently she is in my sunroom with heat lamps a space heater and large water dish. a good section of the tile floor is covered in top soil and cocofiber. I'm thinking of using 2x4s and cinder blocks to protect the walls. Completely open to ideas.

She does go outside to roam a couple hrs when the Temps get up. She grazes on the grasses and weeds and mulberry leaves that fall from my tree.

I'm feeling overwhelmed because I want to do good for her, but at the same time not waste a ton of money on experimenting. Don't mind spending the money for her I just need solid direction.
 

Lyn W

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Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Hi and welcome,
This caresheet will help you
My leopard lives indoors in his own room all year around because of our climate with access to the garden during summer months. I use an insulated dog kennel for his hide which is heated with a Reptile Radiator (like a flat CHE) on a thermostat. It has a sloped roof so I fitted brackets on the front and back walls to fit an extendable oven shelf on and the RR sits on that. Tom has some good threads about how to make a heated night box, but I'm not that handy. He then has his other lamps in his room and a central heating radiator. The floor is covered with rubber mats to protect it and to soften the surface for his legs. He loves his hide and it has saved me money on my bills because at night I don't need to heat the whole room.
PA250005.JPG
He has a ramp and I cover the door with a thick towel each night but you could fit a hinged door/ramp.
 

wyldwitch

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2021
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Kansas
I have read the care sheet thank you. I love the idea of the rubber mat and perhaps I can get a large dog house in the room for a hide? right now she uses 2 large rubber made tubs and an old large plastic planter that she mostly likes to sleep in. I have considered converting my shed, but it seems too expensive and too tall not very economical to heat and such for her.
 

Ray--Opo

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Oct 14, 2017
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Palm Bay Fl
Welcome, use the search option here and you will find enclosure samples and how to build. @Tom has perfected how to build a enclosure. I don't know how to forward the thread but again use the search icon.
Good luck, your new friend will bring you lots of joy.
 

Lyn W

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Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
I have read the care sheet thank you. I love the idea of the rubber mat and perhaps I can get a large dog house in the room for a hide? right now she uses 2 large rubber made tubs and an old large plastic planter that she mostly likes to sleep in. I have considered converting my shed, but it seems too expensive and too tall not very economical to heat and such for her.
You would certainly need to insulate your shed well to make it economical heating wise and maybe add a night box for winter use.
I bought my dog kennel from Amazon. It is insulated and I also lined the inside with a layer of foil covered bubble wrap for extra insulation. I don't think my kennel alone would be warm enough for use outside in the UK but It works great indoors so it would work in yours and provide a cosy retreat for your tort.
Check the door width sizes of any you look at and make sure your tort has room to turn in it.
It may be worth looking at Toms night boxes - they'll give you good ideas for heating even if you use a kennel.
 

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Hello I adopted a Sulcata about a month ago and am anxious to learn all I can from this forum. I appreciate all the information and hard work people seem to have contributed and look forward to learning.

Here are a couple pics of my girl Gaia. We live in Kansas and cold weather is already here so she will be staying inside this year until I can convert my shed this spring for her. If anyone would like to guide me to especially helpful threads id be happy to read them. Thank you
Post more pics! Beautiful sulcata.
the more space the better for this species. Always keep warm. Warmer the better.. make sure you give them soaks a few times a week.. warm water and make sure you check for any discharge or lethargy when it comes to temperature changes. Monitor the sun room he is in to make sure temps are good at all hours of day. Provide plenty of hides and substrate.
 

Chefdenoel10

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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
3,165
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Hello I adopted a Sulcata about a month ago and am anxious to learn all I can from this forum. I appreciate all the information and hard work people seem to have contributed and look forward to learning.

Here are a couple pics of my girl Gaia. We live in Kansas and cold weather is already here so she will be staying inside this year until I can convert my shed this spring for her. If anyone would like to guide me to especially helpful threads id be happy to read them. Thank you
Gaia is GORGEOUS!!!
Welcome my new friend!!
And YOU ARE AWSOME FOR ADOPTING HER!!!! ???????????
 

jeff kushner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
2,688
Location (City and/or State)
North of Annapolis
anxious to learn all I can from this forum

Got a case of Snickers bars? You're going to be here a while.....LOL




What a beautiful girl! Without trying to sound like a slaver with merchandise on the block, she looks to be in pretty good shape too!

You have found the treasure chest of talent as far as our little friends go. There are serious pros here and several responded above so I'd suggest taking a week or two and reading all the Care sheets before you build. If you communicate well, the guys here won't let you screw up....LOL....but keep in mind, they only want to help your girl and sometimes it might seem that your feelings are being trampled, don't let it faze you, it's just the nature of dedicated folks and no one means to sound mean.


If her namesake applies, then she will have a very relaxed place to live.....yeah, I Startpage names I'm not familiar with.

Good luck and WTTC!

jeff
 

wyldwitch

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2021
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Kansas
Thanks everyone. So far people have been nice. I seem to find tons of info on hatchlings and not so much on adults, but still have learned quite a bit. She seems to be thriving so far. Lots of personality. She loves to climb into my lap and then just stare at me for several minutes when I talk to her. So sweet.
 

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Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Thanks everyone. So far people have been nice. I seem to find tons of info on hatchlings and not so much on adults, but still have learned quite a bit. She seems to be thriving so far. Lots of personality. She loves to climb into my lap and then just stare at me for several minutes when I talk to her. So sweet.
Make the most of it - you won't want her doing that when she's fully grown!!!:)
This is also a useful link which applies to older sullies too
- and if you look at the African tort threads in the Species section you'll find more about Sulcata,, but there's always someone around to help if you can't find the information you need.
 

Chefdenoel10

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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
3,165
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Thanks everyone. So far people have been nice. I seem to find tons of info on hatchlings and not so much on adults, but still have learned quite a bit. She seems to be thriving so far. Lots of personality. She loves to climb into my lap and then just stare at me for several minutes when I talk to her. So sweet.
Late for work right now but here….
Just so you know…
I’m on your side!
I have a biggie myself and can try to relate ?
Best wishes!!!
And ask away any questions you might have…. (So I can ask Yvonne G, Maggie3fan, or Tom.) ???
Mine is laying eggs right now ?‍♀️
sooooo…..
That’s the stage I’m up too?? (She is 23)..
Be back later !! ❤️❤️
and here….
These are old pictures…
No waaaayyyyy she’d fit on my lap now.!
?
 

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wyldwitch

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2021
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Kansas
I will definitely go read that. I have used the search function and found the sulcata specific forum. just can be a lot to get through especially when finding adults. I would guess my girl is around 5 ish. She thinks she is a lap dog. I have explained in fact she is a Boulder with feet and cannot sit in my lap forever. she totally listens ?
 
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