another newbie

[trishidishi]

hello all tortoise loving people! I have 4 africian sulcatas. 2 youngsters and a breeding pair .I adopted my 2 little ones from family members bout a year ago.my breeding pair came to me in january 2015. they each weigh around 70 pounds.all 4 live in my backyard.I think I'm on the right track in the feeding department.boy,do they like to eat!! Agnes is my breeding mama,she recently laid around 20 eggs!! what on earth do i do if all 20 hatch?they seem to have watery eyes and they cough sometimes. is this symptoms of upper respiratory infection? I live in scottsdale,Arizona and this weekend I will be digging a burrow for my "biggies",my little ones have dug their own burrows and love them but, the big ones have no desire to do so.I think they will need to get under ground to make it thru our brutal summers. any thoughts and ideas on the burrow?thats all for now. got lots of thoughts and questions. please send all advise and thoughts my way.I want to make sure I'm doing the best for them. I sure do love these silly creatures!!

 

[teresaf]

Holy cow! 20 huh? I'm sure you'll find good homes. Yes, the symptoms sounds like a respiratory infection. there's a list of Vets on this forum. there probably would be some in your area of course since a lot of the people here are from your area. Idon't have socado so I don't know about the bUrrows. if you surf around the forum you'll see all kinds of interesting information and lots of pictures of other people's Sulcatas and setups. Wrlcome

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Trish welcome to the TFO from Phx. AZ . Torts rule ! A lot of people out here have torts and we have great vets one in Cave Creak and a nother in Mesa . Have a great tort day !

 

[Blakem]

Welcome from the central valley! If all 20 hatch, then you'll have 20 babies! Start getting ready now. Have you ever bred before? What made you decide to get breeders? Watery eyes usually means they're getting too hot. Since I've been a member, I've never heard of them coughing....but that doesn't mean they can't. I've only heard a snease and something like a duck sound, which I used to think it was a fart. I hope someone can give you a more certain answer! Glad you found us!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum.

If you have trouble placing all those babies, you may have to consider either separating the yard into male/female, or finding a new home for one of the pair.

As to the burrow - it sounds like this pair came from a home that provided them with some sort of shed. They are not used to going underground.

 

[tortadise]

Welcome. Get use to some more eggs on the way. They lay clutches every 30 days ounce they lay the first clutch. Sometimes up to 6 clutches or more.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum. And, congratulations!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello Trish, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you, Agnes and the rest of the gang.
I have heard that sulcatas are sometimes referred to as 'the crying tortoise', because they do this quite naturally, especially when it's hot, it's their form of sweating, I suppose.
But coughing ? That makes it sound more like an RI, somebody who knows more about sulcatas should be able to help.
Good luck with all those eggs!
Crikey!

 

[Alaskamike]

You asked for thoughts o a burrow for you large sullys. @Tom has a great thread with photos on one idea for this. Overall I think it is the best one I've seen.

 

[Tom]

You asked for thoughts o a burrow for you large sullys. @Tom has a great thread with photos on one idea for this. Overall I think it is the best one I've seen.

Is this the one?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome! ! ! ! !

 

[Alaskamike]

Is this the one?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/

ya Tom, that's the one. I'll replace my more humble underground box with that one day when my "Tiny" gets big eough to warrent it.