Accidental new baby sulcata mom

[Trishk]

Hi there. I am an accidental new mom to a baby sulcata. My dog was barking like crazy at something in the backyard which turned out to be a tiny maybe one month old. Long story short, I believe a female sulcata laid a nest on my property! I found the eveidence of a huge pile of dirt and rocks which I couldn’t imagine what dug it. Luckily the dog was afraid of it lol!
Well I read all I could and have him or him in a 35 gallon terrarium with heat lamps, water etc.
He’s about 5 months old now. He weighed one and a half ounces when I found him. Now he is over four ounces and eats like a champ.
Attached are a couple of photos of him. In my hand the day I found him and today foraging in the backyard under my watchful eye.
I named him Tiny Tim as he showed up around the holidays.

 

[TeamZissou]

Dang, they really are becoming invasive.

Here's the care sheet. A 35 gallon tank is too small. Be sure to check the lighting section and compare it to what you are using.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the forum! What a cutie

 

[Trishk]

Dang, they really are becoming invasive.

Here's the care sheet. A 35 gallon tank is too small. Be sure to check the lighting section and compare it to what you are using.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum! What a cutie

 

[Trishk]

Thank you. I look forward learning from you all.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Very neat - finding your own baby Sulcata. Looks good, make sure you do your daily soaks.

 

[zolasmum]

Lucky you, finding such a cute little friend like that !!
Angie

 

[Trishk]

Very neat - finding your own baby Sulcata. Looks good, make sure you do your daily soaks.

Thanks. Yes I do the soaks and make sure the water temp is around 85 to 90 degrees fahrenheit.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thanks. Yes I do the soaks and make sure the water temp is around 85 to 90 degrees fahrenheit.

Great. You are off to a great start. 👍🌻

 

[Thomas tortoise]

That is unusual finding a baby sulcata in your back yard like that. I thought Arizona was the only place in the United states where they can hatch by them selves.

 

[Tom]

That is unusual finding a baby sulcata in your back yard like that. I thought Arizona was the only place in the United states where they can hatch by them selves.

Nah. FL, CA, LA, Southenr GA and Southern TX too. Baskincally anywhere along the southern border of the US.

Santa Barbara is very unexpected though. Its not hot enough there even in summer. Cold clammy beach weather.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Nah. FL, CA, LA, Southenr GA and Southern TX too. Baskincally anywhere along the southern border of the US.

Santa Barbara is very unexpected though. Its not hot enough there even in summer. Cold clammy beach weather.

Hmmm. I didn't know that! Thank you for correcting my mistake Tom! Quick question when do sulcatas even hatch?

 

[Tom]

Hmmm. I didn't know that! Thank you for correcting my mistake Tom! Quick question when do sulcatas even hatch?

When housed outdoors here in North America in a warm climate, they lay eggs from December until about May in our colder season. Eggs hatch after about 90 days of incubation at 88. When the eggs are left in the ground they can only hatch after a long hot summer, so usually in late October.

 

[Trishk]

When housed outdoors here in North America in a warm climate, they lay eggs from December until about May in our colder season. Eggs hatch after about 90 days of incubation at 88. When the eggs are left in the ground they can only hatch after a long hot summer, so usually in late October.

 

[Trishk]

Yes I was quite surprised, our summer was hardly hot at all in 2021. I estimate it hatched in early October. My little miracle tortoise.

 

[Gijoux]

Yes I was quite surprised, our summer was hardly hot at all in 2021. I estimate it hatched in early October. My little miracle tortoise.

I'm surprised you didn't find more. A large sulcata can lay 2 dozen or more eggs. Glad you are having fun. I hope your yard can handle the tortoise when full grown. They dig, burrow and become bulldozers. You will have a few years before to get prepared. Start growing lots of plants in your yard for food later.

 

[Trishk]

I'm surprised you didn't find more. A large sulcata can lay 2 dozen or more eggs. Glad you are having fun. I hope your yard can handle the tortoise when full grown. They dig, burrow and become bulldozers. You will have a few years before to get prepared. Start growing lots of plants in your yard for food later.

 

[Trishk]

Yes, I looked around. This little one had made it from the front to the backyard. Perhaps others made it into other yards but I haven’t heard of any. I do know sulcatas grow to be huge and I plan to create a secure, I hope enclosure. I’m not sure if the mother might be the same one I found several years back out in the middle of the street!
A rescue came and got her, he said she was about seventy five pounds. I have heard they return to the same spot to lay eggs. Thanks for writing.