Adopted a Sulcata

[Maggie Cummings]

Please understand what I am about to say. Turtles and tortoises are not dogs or cats. Not as smart as either species. Sulcata will eat paper clips, cat hair, clods of hair from a brush, dust bunnies, thumb tacks and on and on. From experience we have learned what you are doing is a bad thing. Just recently a member had their baby Sulcata running around the floor, evidently forgot about him and ended up accidentally closing the door on his head and neck. Now I know you'd never forget your little guy, just like that member would never forget their baby is out....
Take off your clothes and lay naked on the kitchen floor. Cold huh?! too cold for Sulcata. It's hard to get their inner temp up to 85, then someone puts it on a cold floor. Reptiles need a certain type of care. You cannot treat chelonia like you would a dog or cat and end up with a healthy animal. They MUST have a certain type of habitat, different habitats for different species. Bet you think Sulcata is a desert species huh. Nope, the babies are born on a savannah during the monsoon. My 125 lb Sulcata spent most of his day in his swimming pool.. The tort you're holding is pyramided because it's been kept too dry. There is just so much to learn about them, and I think so many people are worried about pyramiding that they miss smaller but important details. So I try and talk about the smaller but just as important facts. If your tort was raised too dry what condition are his liver and kidneys in??? Just an example.
I am not trying to hurt you disrespect you or trying to chase you away. I am trying to help you keep your tortoise alive.
I believe that those torts who live in the North are confined for a lot longer than the cold (ha) South. Like LA, does get cold, but not for long periods of times. Torts like Bob were confined for weeks at a time when it would really drop temps and ice and all that. Some time I'll show you what a 125 pound tortoise does when he's tired of being inside. And his shed was 20'x12'. Enough room, but not for a length of time.
So I'll post a couple of pictures for comparison. Bob swimming. 2. 1 yr old rescue, Knobby. 3. 1 yr old Sam. Compare Knobby and Sam. Sam was raised correctly and Knobby was not. I don't know how his organs are after being so dry, so how can I adopt him to some one. But I have to say, he's a sweet tortoise, likes to cuddle and is quite social.
Well, I hope you understand what I am trying to say. Use our experience and you'll grow a nice tortoise. Hang around a while and keep asking questions.....

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

As I mentioned before, a heat bulb isn't good for a larger sulcata. A dog house is not a good idea, either. They aren't shaped right for a tortoise - too tall and the door is too narrow. Since you are in Oregon, where it is cold for a long time, a heated storage shed is a better idea.

Allowing your tortoise to roam in your house is also a terrible idea. The floor isn't warm enough. There are all kinds of things a tortoise can eat that they shouldn't, like paper clips and fuzzies. There was a horrible story on tfo: someone didn't realize their tortoise had their neck in the way when they closed a door and it got smashed.

That is too bad about roaming around the house, I pick up the floors and put up all of the plants and only was letting her roam when I was home alone with her. She seemed to like it. I have wood floors and a clean house. I also have a basement below the floor, so the floors are not cold.

I understand why a shed is a good idea, but I thought I could use something smaller for now, since she is only 15" long (that is why I thought a dog house might work).. My father in law is a builder, maybe I can have him build me something with an appropriate door, etc. Is there any other ideas people have that is perhaps shorter and wider than a shed that might work? I have a large covered deck that I wanted to put a shed/house for her under. It is 20' wide but only 4' off the ground. I can post a picture if needed.

Since there are a lot of people from the PNW, I saw they like to eat sword ferns. Are the ferns that grow in the wild here sword ferns? If not, are they okay to eat? There are also strawberries nearby, are they okay? Or should I avoid them?

 

[Yvonne G]

Let's see if I can put what's already been said into simpler terms.

Your sulcata will be just fine the way you're keeping him now, but eventually he's going to need a bigger winter time space, and a dog house isn't it. When winter sets in, he's going to be confined for days at a time. That's why we encourage you to build him an insulated, heated shed (or finish off the garage with insulation and heat). If he's got a dog house for a shelter, what's he going to do when there are days in a row of too cold weather for him to go out? He's going to be one mad and stressed animal being stuck in a small dog house for days on end.

Being stuck in the shed, Bob was fine for a day or two, but when he started getting restless, Maggie said she could hear him all the way in her house banging on the walls trying to break out. And he had a pretty big shed. So she would open his door and he'd go out into the bad weather - snow, ice, rain, whatever - and once he saw what the weather was like he was happy to go back into his shed and cause mayhem in there.

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

Let's see if I can put what's already been said into simpler terms.

Your sulcata will be just fine the way you're keeping him now, but eventually he's going to need a bigger winter time space, and a dog house isn't it. When winter sets in, he's going to be confined for days at a time. That's why we encourage you to build him an insulated, heated shed (or finish off the garage with insulation and heat). If he's got a dog house for a shelter, what's he going to do when there are days in a row of too cold weather for him to go out? He's going to be one mad and stressed animal being stuck in a small dog house for days on end.

Being stuck in the shed, Bob was fine for a day or two, but when he started getting restless, Maggie said she could hear him all the way in her house banging on the walls trying to break out. And he had a pretty big shed. So she would open his door and he'd go out into the bad weather - snow, ice, rain, whatever - and once he saw what the weather was like he was happy to go back into his shed and cause mayhem in there.

Okay I get what you are saying now. I guess I was just thinking about the next couple of years and thinking she would come in the house at night (she has her own room). but eventually she wont be able to come inside anymore.

 

[Big Charlie]

That is too bad about roaming around the house, I pick up the floors and put up all of the plants and only was letting her roam when I was home alone with her. She seemed to like it. I have wood floors and a clean house. I also have a basement below the floor, so the floors are not cold.

I understand why a shed is a good idea, but I thought I could use something smaller for now, since she is only 15" long (that is why I thought a dog house might work).. My father in law is a builder, maybe I can have him build me something with an appropriate door, etc. Is there any other ideas people have that is perhaps shorter and wider than a shed that might work? I have a large covered deck that I wanted to put a shed/house for her under. It is 20' wide but only 4' off the ground. I can post a picture if needed.

Since there are a lot of people from the PNW, I saw they like to eat sword ferns. Are the ferns that grow in the wild here sword ferns? If not, are they okay to eat? There are also strawberries nearby, are they okay? Or should I avoid them?

I think you might be able to build a good enclosure underneath your deck, provided you have power.

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

I think you might be able to build a good enclosure underneath your deck, provided you have power.

Yes, I will have power for sure. My father in law is always helpful in my ventures, so I'm sure he will help me. I think it will be nice to have a big dry area for her. What is the best way to heat?

 

[Yvonne G]

Be sure to think about access. Will you be able to get in there to get the tortoise if the need ever arises?

A lot of us use these:

and these:

(Radiant heat panel)

And some of us even still use these:

(Pig blanket)

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

Be sure to think about access. Will you be able to get in there to get the tortoise if the need ever arises?

A lot of us use these:

and these:

(Radiant heat panel)

And some of us even still use these:

(Pig blanket)

Thank you Yvonne. I really appreciate it. I found a thread from 7 years ago on here with some great ideas as well. The more I think about it, I can see why a shed is a good idea. This is a silly question, but do they get lonely if they are alone? Or is human interaction enough? Do they potty in their shed? Or do they usually potty outside of it?

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

Hey...I live outside of Corvallis.....(play the it's a small world music" it's a small small world.) Now I hope all of you have that song stuck in your head all day....lol

Maggie3Fan or Cowboy Ken, do either of you ever come up North? I would LOVE an experiences Sulcata owner to come to my house and help me figure out some things like what is the best place to build an enclosure, and possible help identifying plants. If either of you (even this summer) come up north let me know, maybe you can come by for lunch and give me some suggestions! I am off hwy 30 towards btw. Portland and Astoria.

 

[Yvonne G]

Do they potty in their shed, she asks:



This is just from Monday. I normally clean it up daily, but didn't do it yesterday or the day before. And besides in the shed, it comes out just whenever and wherever the spirit moves them!!!!!

No, they don't get lonely. Certain humanized 'pet' tortoises look to their human for companionship, like Maggie's Bob, but most are loners, preferring their own company to that of any other. Tortoises are territorial and fight to chase other tortoises out of their territory.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Maggie3Fan or Cowboy Ken, do either of you ever come up North? I would LOVE an experiences Sulcata owner to come to my house and help me figure out some things like what is the best place to build an enclosure, and possible help identifying plants. If either of you (even this summer) come up north let me know, maybe you can come by for lunch and give me some suggestions! I am off hwy 30 towards btw. Portland and Astoria.

Guess I'm not understanding, I do live "up North", I'm about 60 miles from Portland, and that's pretty North for a native Californian, Ken is in Silverton, just East of Salem.....

 

[Yvonne G]

Guess I'm not understanding, I do live "up North", I'm about 60 miles from Portland, and that's pretty North for a native Californian, Ken is in Silverton, just East of Salem.....

She said she lives a bit north of Portland.

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

Guess I'm not understanding, I do live "up North", I'm about 60 miles from Portland, and that's pretty North for a native Californian, Ken is in Silverton, just East of Salem.....

We must be practically neighbors!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Do they potty in their shed, she asks:

View attachment 201102 View attachment 201103 View attachment 201104

This is just from Monday. I normally clean it up daily, but didn't do it yesterday or the day before. And besides in the shed, it comes out just whenever and wherever the spirit moves them!!!!!

No, they don't get lonely. Certain humanized 'pet' tortoises look to their human for companionship, like Maggie's Bob, but most are loners, preferring their own company to that of any other. Tortoises are territorial and fight to chase other tortoises out of their territory.

A perfect time for that pile. Ya ought to pile it outside then put a small Sulcata on top of it. It is just so hard to imagine how much waste a big tort can put out.......

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

She said she lives a bit north of Portland.

I guess that was a joke. It took my a while. Anything N of California is up north, I guess!

 

[Big Charlie]

Thank you Yvonne. I really appreciate it. I found a thread from 7 years ago on here with some great ideas as well. The more I think about it, I can see why a shed is a good idea. This is a silly question, but do they get lonely if they are alone? Or is human interaction enough? Do they potty in their shed? Or do they usually potty outside of it?

During the winter, they poop in their shed more than out of it. The warmth of the shed helps them digest their food and nearly every morning I'm overwhelmed by the smell when I open Charlie's door.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

First thing you should learn is that they "potty" in the most embarrassing situation possible. But Bob was real social so he had appts most week ends in the nice weather. I'm thinkin most people don't haul their big torts around like I did.

 

[Russian/SulcadaMommy]

The only reason I still have her in my house (besides the fact I only have had her a few days) is because she has pottied at exactly 8:30am in the same spot and easy to clean up. I now have a temporary outdoor spot with fenced in area and covered heated house for her to roam around during the day. I don't want to leave her out at night because I don't know exactly what temp the house it yet. What is the ideal temp to keep the house at? for her comfort?

Maggie or Ken- Is there any weeds around here that are growing wild this time of year that are yummy tort food? I have tons of vegetation, but it seems most things growing this time of year are no-no for torts). Are the ferns that grow everywhere in Oregon okay to eat? What about blackberry leaves? There is a lot of green ground cover type weeds that grow alongside the grass that I hope are okay, since it will be hard to avoid.

 

[Yvonne G]

I guess that was a joke. It took my a while. Anything N of California is up north, I guess!

No, I was trying to interpret Maggie's response to your invite. Maggie is originally from California, but I don't think she realized you're just north of Portland.

 

[Yvonne G]

Blackberry leaves are edible, but I don't know about Oregon's weeds.