Buying a tortoise

[talal]

Hey i just visited a sulcata breeder and i have selected this sulcata to buy i want someone to have a look at it and possibly tell me whether its healthy or not its active and was eating infront of me

 

[Michael Bird]

Wait for a sulcata expert for a "final answer", but it looks pretty healthy to me, although it is showing signs of pyramiding on the shell already which could indicate that it isn't receiving proper care and might be an indicator of possible health problems that aren't visible right now.

Also, be aware that sulcata tortoises get BIG and they are very strong and very stubborn, so be sure that you have the room and the resources to take care of a 100 pound/500 kilogram walking tank. If not, maybe look at getting a smaller variety that is just as interesting (in my opinion) but much easier to take care of.

 

[wellington]

Hard to say if it's healthy without knowing how it's housed. However, with the pyramiding it has already at its size, he's been raised dry which is not good.

 

[wellington]

Find a breeder that raises them from before hatching with high humidity.

 

[talal]

Wait for a sulcata expert for a "final answer", but it looks pretty healthy to me, although it is showing signs of pyramiding on the shell already which could indicate that it isn't receiving proper care and might be an indicator of possible health problems that aren't visible right now.

Also, be aware that sulcata tortoises get BIG and they are very strong and very stubborn, so be sure that you have the room and the resources to take care of a 100 pound/500 kilogram walking tank. If not, maybe look at getting a smaller variety that is just as interesting (in my opinion) but much easier to take care of.

Well i do have the place and already have a russian tortoise and yes i have researched on sulcatas

 

[talal]

Another breeder has this one aswell i asked him he said he didn't actually incubate the eggs(i live in Pakistan so we have pretty favourable conditions)therefore he has no control over the humidity they just came up from the sand where the female laid the eggs now what i am worried about is the fact that this one is only 2 months old and 2.5 inches in length so i have heard at such an age its quite a risk to buy them please someone tell which one should i go for this one or the one that i first posted

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hard to say if it's healthy without knowing how it's housed. However, with the pyramiding it has already at its size, he's been raised dry which is not good.

Not only pyramided but the carapace itself is hunched up over his shoulders...not roundish, I would not pay any money for a tortoise from that breeder....it's deformed, meaning probably not very healthy

 

[talal]

Not only pyramided but the carapace itself is hunched up over his shoulders...not roundish, I would not pay any money for a tortoise from that breeder....it's deformed, meaning probably not very healthy

Thanks what about the other one that i posted the smaller one

 

[talal]

Also is it normal for sulcatas to have such minute difference in facial structure(the left eye looks a bit diff than the right eye)or is it something bad (i have highlighted it in the pic below) i didn't notice it when i visited the breeder i only noticed it now

 

[wellington]

Thanks what about the other one that i posted the smaller one

If it's from the same breeder I would pass on it. Too much pyramiding for such a young one. Now days, when the information is out there on raising them correctly, is too easy to find one from someone that does it right.

 

[talal]

If it's from the same breeder I would pass on it. Too much pyramiding for such a young one. Now days, when the information is out there on raising them correctly, is too easy to find one from someone that does it right.

Well its from a diff breeder

 

[ecachuh]

It makes me so sad that some breeders don't care about what they are doing. It's only for the money. They are creating a life and already holding the little guys back.

I don't know much about all of this but I did notice the pyramiding. I have one that is much much worse and those 2 are on the same track .

Maybe give those breeders a copy of Toms care sheet. 😊

By the way, you are doing the right thing by gaining information before adopting! Very smart.

 

[wellington]

Well its from a diff breeder

Well it's still a breeder that is not starting them correctly. I would pass. If it was pyramiding that was just barely started, I'd say try it and get it set up correctly ASAP. It's a risk buying them that have been started dry. So many do good for a short time and then it all falls apart and they don't make it. 50/50 chance here with both of these.

 

[talal]

Hypothetically if a person was to buy the second one that i sent will it survive or no
And what can i do to increase its chances

 

[talal]

Well it's still a breeder that is not starting them correctly. I would pass. If it was pyramiding that was just barely started, I'd say try it and get it set up correctly ASAP. It's a risk buying them that have been started dry. So many do good for a short time and then it all falls apart and they don't make it. 50/50 chance here with both of these.

Well i asked alot breeders like 4-5(sulcatas are already hard to find in Pakistan) about incubation humidity and all and they said that basically no one has incubated tortoises as such breeding setups with incubators are not available in Pakistan and all the baby sulcatas are naturally born in sand where the female is kept so no human intervention at all but the breeder of the second one that i sent the smaller one says he has kept it in high humidity ever since he found him in the female enclosure and soaks him twice a week

 

[talal]

I am quite interested in the second one as it was quite interactive when i saw him should i get him its hard to find sulcatas here

 

[wellington]

I am quite interested in the second one as it was quite interactive when i saw him should i get him its hard to find sulcatas here

It's your choice. If that's all the kind of care that's available where you are, then that smallest one might be your best choice, seeing they did know about humidity and soaking
You should let them all know about the forum and for them to read the caresheet for the species they have.
For you, get a closed chamber set up for your little one when you get it and soak it daily and when you get it home.
The members here will help you with any problems you may run into.
Keep us updated. Good luck and I hope the very best for you and your new shelled friend.

 

[talal]

Ok thanks i did inform him and he said he would surely check it out i am getting the tortoise on Saturday hoping for the best

 

[SinLA]

If you have not already, please be sure to read this: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954, its relevant no matter where in the world you are.

 

[TammyJ]

Don't keep your little tortoise on sand, please. And before you pay for him, check him over very carefully for any yellow bumps he may have on his face, neck and legs. If he has anything like that, don't buy him, because it could be a very serious disease that particularly affects these baby Sulcatas. Good luck!