Greetings from Colorado!

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
Hello all,

I’m a bit of a private person, so you can call me by my username. I reside in Colorado and am eagerly gathering supplies for a Sulcata. I’ve always wanted one for years and I’m finally in a position to own one! Rest assured, I’ve done my research on the requirements of such a majestic creature. My only concerns would be the climate here in CO and my lack of a green thumb. Alas, I’m sure I’ll find solutions on this site.

I’m excited to be a part of this community, thanks!
 

daniellenc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2017
Messages
2,084
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
You can build an outdoor heated shed for winter months but heating it is quite expensive for the number of months you'll need it each year. As for the green thumb I have a black thumb but thank goodness weds grow with little intervention..
 

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
Thank you guys! It’s several years down the road, but that’s what I had planned to do. I’m just unsure of the quality of life my tort would have being cooped up in a shed for so many months out the year..
 

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
Do you have any now or will the sulcata be your first?

Technically I had a sulcata hatchling for a brief time some years back, but I was very inexperienced and the pet store employee talked a friend and myself into buying two for a discount.. I gave mine to said friend when I moved overseas. But I’ve had aquatic turtles my whole childhood. They have such fun personalities. Box turtles as well :)
 

TechnoCheese

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5 Year Member
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Feb 20, 2016
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Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
Keep in mind that most of the info online is completely false and outdated. Assuming you’re getting a hatchling, please give these a read :)
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/How-To-Raise-A-Healthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

I’m actually basing my info from these posts, thank you TechnoCheese! I’ve been searching any and everything Sulcata on this site haha
 

daniellenc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2017
Messages
2,084
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Thank you guys! It’s several years down the road, but that’s what I had planned to do. I’m just unsure of the quality of life my tort would have being cooped up in a shed for so many months out the year..
I know some in the cooler climates build a dedicated room for their sully's indoors. Not sure if this is possible for you I just know in my situation I do not have the option and went with a smaller species. However, many on here live in cooler climates and have success. @Cowboy_Ken @Jay Bagley @Maro2Bear @Turtulas-Len are a few I can think of off hand. I know I have a friend that set-up heating and sealed his garage - no where to park but it makes a cool tort spot just pricey to insulate, heat, and maintain.
 

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
I know some in the cooler climates build a dedicated room for their sully's indoors. Not sure if this is possible for you I just know in my situation I do not have the option and went with a smaller species. However, many on here live in cooler climates and have success. @Cowboy_Ken @Jay Bagley @Maro2Bear @Turtulas-Len are a few I can think of off hand. I know I have a friend that set-up heating and sealed his garage - no where to park but it makes a cool tort spot just pricey to insulate, heat, and maintain.

Thanks! I've been bouncing ideas around with an indoor enclosure in my basement, but that wouldn't work when he gets too big to carry!
 

daniellenc

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Joined
Jun 10, 2017
Messages
2,084
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Ever since I tortoise sat my friends Sully a few years ago I always wanted one. Then I started looking into how to make that happen and realized in Maryland's climate winters would be so hard to provide adequate space and heat. Spring, summer, and even fall would work fine with a heated shed in the fall months but December-March he'd need an indoor room and I just don't have that amount of spare space. I'll be interested to see how other members here do it in the cold winter months though because it's quite common so obviously I am missing something, lol
 

Jay Bagley

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Oct 11, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
Michigan
I know some in the cooler climates build a dedicated room for their sully's indoors. Not sure if this is possible for you I just know in my situation I do not have the option and went with a smaller species. However, many on here live in cooler climates and have success. @Cowboy_Ken @Jay Bagley @Maro2Bear @Turtulas-Len are a few I can think of off hand. I know I have a friend that set-up heating and sealed his garage - no where to park but it makes a cool tort spot just pricey to insulate, heat, and maintain.
I got Sheldon back in my possession last October, I really wasn't planning on it, but life happens. So I am behind, and trying to play catch up in every aspect of his care and housing. He went from a tortoise table, to a closed chamber. I do plan on over the fall / winter converting my larger spare bedroom into an enclosure for him(looking more like a she). So since Sheldon is at that age where I need to start figuring out how I'm going to do things with him in cold weather as he morphs into a living breathing dinosaur, I'm kind of in the same boat. I would like to convert the bedroom into one large closed chamber, I also would like to put him outside full-time during the summer months starting next year, which means I will be building a large outdoor enclosure. And probably a night house as well outside. I'm going to try to be as overly ambitious as I can with these upcoming projects before his size and weight bite me in the butt.
 

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
Update: After showing my husband pictures of Leopards, he hands down prefers I get one of those versus the Sulcata. I must admit a less destructive tortoise sounds more appealing, even if it is more reserved and shy. Fortunately from what I've gathered a Leopard is not so different from a Sulcata, carewise, so all my researching isn't for naught. It's just a shame a true P. Pardalis is not so easy to come by!
 

daniellenc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2017
Messages
2,084
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Update: After showing my husband pictures of Leopards, he hands down prefers I get one of those versus the Sulcata. I must admit a less destructive tortoise sounds more appealing, even if it is more reserved and shy. Fortunately from what I've gathered a Leopard is not so different from a Sulcata, carewise, so all my researching isn't for naught. It's just a shame a true P. Pardalis is not so easy to come by!
@Tom
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Jan 9, 2010
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63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Update: After showing my husband pictures of Leopards, he hands down prefers I get one of those versus the Sulcata. I must admit a less destructive tortoise sounds more appealing, even if it is more reserved and shy. Fortunately from what I've gathered a Leopard is not so different from a Sulcata, carewise, so all my researching isn't for naught. It's just a shame a true P. Pardalis is not so easy to come by!
South African leopards are one of my favorites. They are wonderful tortoises and you won't be disappointed.

The problem is that most of them are not started correctly, just like most sulcatas. It is imperative that you get them from the right source. Send me a message and I'll list the sources that I know start them correctly. Mine are all sold out for the season, but I know of other people who have them.
 

LoonyLovegood

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs, CO
South African leopards are one of my favorites. They are wonderful tortoises and you won't be disappointed.

The problem is that most of them are not started correctly, just like most sulcatas. It is imperative that you get them from the right source. Send me a message and I'll list the sources that I know start them correctly. Mine are all sold out for the season, but I know of other people who have them.
Thank you Tom, I would greatly appreciate that!
 
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