Hey!!!!!!!

[zoidberg815]

I have been interested in animals and still am to this day. Pretty soon I am going to buy a pair of sulcata tortoises hopefully (My First Tortoises). Now I did my research and know it gets big like over 100 pounds, sometimes nearly 200 pounds and that is the third largest tortoise from Africa in the Sahara I believe and they need plants, grass and to be well taken care of. I was wondering if you guys can give me some pointers on what to do and what not to do and if the sulcata is right for me. I had bad experiences with my other reptiles mainly lizards that get sick, are untamed, or just bad. So I want something that is hardy and can live many years without being an expensive, unappreciative, untame, sickly reptile. Then I researched and researched and found ads, till I found a perfect pet for me. Two sulcata tortoises for 100 bucks from a good breeder in my area and I was thinking hmm, buy another lizard or get a tortoise? I decided tortoise. And funny story today we put back a box of baby romaine lettuce and exchanged it for regular romaine lettuce, we have so much lettuce and foods in our refrigerator that the torts can eat and there is more than just veggies in there and we have a big yard with grass and weeds, friendly neighbors and nothing contains pesticides in our area or at least our yard for that matter. We live in a desert area of southern California and the torts can free roam all they want when older, just no burrowing or disturbing the neighbors if I can prevent that, there is a lot of rocks under the dirt so I will know before they get too far when they do anything, because even when we try to plant things it’s hard.
I will get 140-150 dollars for selling my current pet (lizard) and am already planning my enclosure for the sulcatas right now to be made with alfalfa hay and a clean plastic tub and a hide right now I live in a sunny hot part of southern California that I know the temperature would be perfect for them, especially considering it’s summer time. Ok so I will have 40-50 bucks to spend on their temporary enclosures because they get bigger with time and glass disturbs them so I heard. Yes their buying two for the price of one, 2 sulcatas for 100 bucks from a reputable breeder in my area and they might be sexed so later they won’t fight if males, if not then it’s whatever I can’t do anything about it since it hard to sex any reptile when young without harming them. So yeah there is my background and I hope you think I can handle it, and if not then please inform me why I can’t. Hope to have friendly, tame, and beautiful sulcatas arrive at my house soon. I would like information such as what lamps to use; heating is no problem the house doesn’t get lower than 90 without the Air Conditioner on cool. I plan to keep them inside until they grow then in the summer they will go outside, in the winter they will be going back and forth wait is like 60-70 a good temperature for winter full grown sulcatas? So yeah give me pointers like that first time in a long time I am excited to get a pet.

Below is a picture of what I believe to be the tortoises he is selling in the palm of his hand. He is also selling leopards and I can't tell which one is which so, if that's leopard I perfer my sulcata. All of the young tortoises in his pictures look to be in good health, they are sold for 100 bucks for two sulcatas. Can't wait.

 

[jeffbens0n]

Welcome. The two tortoises in the first picture are leopards, the second picture is a sulcata. Hope this clears it up for you.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum..

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi zoidberg815:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. You've asked for opinions several times so I'm going to share mine. The sulcata in the picture is already starting to pyramid. This is an indication that they have been kept too dry or otherwise not correctly. To this day most people out in the world are still doing it the old "dry" way, and we now know that its just not the way to go. I would not buy that tortoise. There are several reputable breeders and sellers here on the forum that will be happy to sell you a young sulcata that is not already disfigured. And I'm not saying that because I want to sell you one. I'm all out for the next couple of months anyway.

Second thing: $40 bucks is not enough to buy all the things you will need.

Third thing (Hey it was a long introduction post with lots of questions ) : They need sunshine when they are babies too. Most of us have both an indoor and an outdoor set up for favorable weather.

Fourth thing: Price should never be a reason to buy a live animal. Sulcatas can probably live for more than 100 years, so is a few bucks more for a well started baby really going to matter in the long run?

Fifth thing: Don't buy two. Pairs almost never work out. Buy one or buy three or more. In most cases they will do much better that way.

Okay, last thing: Here is how I like to raise them here in Southern CA. Lots of people having been using some or all of these methods and reporting excellent results.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1QCrQuQig

Alright one more thing... if you want to do A LOT of reading here is a huge, long running thread explaining lots of peoples opinions about pyramiding.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding#axzz1QCrQuQig

 

[Tortoise]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. Its great you are interested in tortoises.
I have no experience with Sulcattas but I know they are a very serious commitment. They can dig and burrow very well and my friend's sulcatta walked through her green house a few times as nothing stops him on his travels. Her only means of moving him is with a banana as a bribe as she cannot physically pick him up.

They seem a very friendly tortoise with big characters though so I would think carefully about their size and how much they eat too.


There is a lot of info on this site and many members with sulcattas and lots of other species too.

Welcome to the world of tortoises

 

[October]

I just wanted to mention too, that $100 for 2 sulcata hatchlings is not really a deal. It's about the standard price, in my area anyway. So if you're buying those specific sulcatas because of price, I highly encourage you to keep looking. Some of those most reputable Sully dealers with quality animals cost the same, with a little extra for shipping.

Also, the start up cost of an indoor enclosure is closer to about $300, unless you already have some of the items. Here's a great post on that: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-cost-of-supplies-for-a-new-tort#axzz1QE1zbjpN

 

[zoidberg815]

Hi zoidberg815:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name?

Alvaro

 

[Tom]

I just caught your username! Love that show!

Good luck whichever way you choose to go.

 

[zoidberg815]

I just wanted to mention too, that $100 for 2 sulcata hatchlings is not really a deal. It's about the standard price, in my area anyway. So if you're buying those specific sulcatas because of price, I highly encourage you to keep looking. Some of those most reputable Sully dealers with quality animals cost the same, with a little extra for shipping.

Also, the start up cost of an indoor enclosure is closer to about $300, unless you already have some of the items. Here's a great post on that: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-cost-of-supplies-for-a-new-tort#axzz1QE1zbjpN

Woah, Really. I seen people online make there temporary enclosure from an old furniture or plastic bins, wood shelf, and the only thing they bought was the substrate, a hide(Have Two already planned), and heating lamp/heating clamp (already got one). Like 50 bucks, and I live in So. California the lighting I have to buy isn't going to be harsh because it's already hot right now, don't want to dehydrate them. Again it'll be a temporary enclosure, till they get bigger and I get more money. I'll soak them and read up, seen some youtube videos of people with healthy sulcatas babies. And the two fer 100 deal is the only deal I see in my area, or I can get one for 70.

---

Welcome. The two tortoises in the first picture are leopards, the second picture is a sulcata. Hope this clears it up for you.

Thanks.

---

I just caught your username! Love that show!

Good luck whichever way you choose to go.

Did you see yesterday's season premier it was funny as hell.

And thanks for wishing me good luck, I might need it. Reading up as much as I can.

 

[October]

Well, like I mentioned, if you already have some of the stuff, then the cost is less.

Personally, I think my break down was something like this:
Tank: Had
Substrate: about $15 - two bricks of coco coir and a bag of moss)
Lighting: About $25 for lamp and basking bulb
Hides: $5 for a gerbil igloo and about $3 for some planters and such at goodwill
Dishes: $3 goodwill
Temp & Humidity probe: $40 and $10
Calcium/Vitamins/Cuttle bone: $4, $14, $1

So right there is $120. You can certainly get away with using things you have or find, but there are very important things that you must have. Specifically lighting/heating, which are usually the expensive parts.

Substrate can be just dirt, as long as you are certain it has no bug/weed spray, fertilizers, oil, soap (areas around driveways tend to collect all kinds of yucky stuff). Hides and dishes can really be anything, torts don't mind. A humidity probe isn't needed immediately, but you do need to be sure about temps. Too high/too low and you've got big problems. Cuddle bone is cheap and you can scrape it over their food. ReptiCal is pretty cheap too. Higher quality vitamins can run a bit, and opinions vary on whether to use them or not.

So, what I suggest is to get your setup going first. Make sure you have the vital vital pieces and then figure out torts from there. As Tom mentioned, one or 3+ is better, so maybe you can start with one, and stay that way, or save your money until you can get three. I have 2 and will be adding another shortly. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked just 2. I don't want to risk bullying issues.

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[zoidberg815]

Well, like I mentioned, if you already have some of the stuff, then the cost is less.

Personally, I think my break down was something like this:
Tank: Had
Substrate: about $15 - two bricks of coco coir and a bag of moss)
Lighting: About $25 for lamp and basking bulb
Hides: $5 for a gerbil igloo and about $3 for some planters and such at goodwill
Dishes: $3 goodwill
Temp & Humidity probe: $40 and $10
Calcium/Vitamins/Cuttle bone: $4, $14, $1

So right there is $120. You can certainly get away with using things you have or find, but there are very important things that you must have. Specifically lighting/heating, which are usually the expensive parts.

Substrate can be just dirt, as long as you are certain it has no bug/weed spray, fertilizers, oil, soap (areas around driveways tend to collect all kinds of yucky stuff). Hides and dishes can really be anything, torts don't mind. A humidity probe isn't needed immediately, but you do need to be sure about temps. Too high/too low and you've got big problems. Cuddle bone is cheap and you can scrape it over their food. ReptiCal is pretty cheap too. Higher quality vitamins can run a bit, and opinions vary on whether to use them or not.

So, what I suggest is to get your setup going first. Make sure you have the vital vital pieces and then figure out torts from there. As Tom mentioned, one or 3+ is better, so maybe you can start with one, and stay that way, or save your money until you can get three. I have 2 and will be adding another shortly. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked just 2. I don't want to risk bullying issues.

I already said I have most of it, and have had reptiles in the past. For now I think I am going to do alfalfa hay or the coco stuff you suggested as substrate and buy a UV-B light bulb already have the dome ready. I have hides, dishes, and an enclosure. What's the problem with having two, I can get another one later when I can sex them properly, hopefully the breeder can sex them and I get a girl/boy combo. I have no other choice either buy a sulcata or another lizard like a arg. tegu, jackson chameleon (Already Have a male), savannnah monitor, or bearded dragon. I am going to make the enclosure first and later deciede and see if I can afford two/three. Might just get one thanks for the advice. I can buy a two thermometers for like 10 bucks but probably won't need them right now cause this is perfect temp for them right now. They are 3 months old. So only things I may need is lighting, I would like a suggestion on what to buy and calcium/vitamins, also would like a suggestion on what to buy.

 

[October]

I'm not trying to discourage you in the slightest, Alvaro. What you decide is totally up to you. You're off to a great start. Myself, I know how discouraging it can be when you finally start a "project" only to have to turn out to be much more than you were bargaining for. Like remodeling my kitchen or putting together an authentic costume, or getting that garden started. I've never been a billionaire but I know I would be fabulous at it.

It sounds like you have the most expensive parts. I've never raised lizards, but you do need to be pretty sure on temps for your torts. Coolest temp in enclosure, basking spot temp, and night temps.

For calcium, try to have a cuddle bone available all the time. They can go months without touching it and then gobble it all up. Super cheap in the petstore bird section. I use ReptCal or reptical from Petsmart. $4. And the Herptivite tortoise vitamins too. $14.

For the most part, torts can't be "sexed". You can guess but wont know for sure until they are of breeding size. You cannot tell with hatchlings. Some breeders will incubate a clutch at certain temperatures to try and ensure females, but even that is a guessing game. I'm hoping on 2 girls, but who knows?

What is your plan for their diet?

 

[Yvonne G]

And...you need to keep reading here on the forum. Alfalfa or any kind of hay bedding (substrate) isn't really the way to go for sulcatas.

 

[zoidberg815]

I'm not trying to discourage you in the slightest, Alvaro. What you decide is totally up to you. You're off to a great start. Myself, I know how discouraging it can be when you finally start a "project" only to have to turn out to be much more than you were bargaining for. Like remodeling my kitchen or putting together an authentic costume, or getting that garden started. I've never been a billionaire but I know I would be fabulous at it.

It sounds like you have the most expensive parts. I've never raised lizards, but you do need to be pretty sure on temps for your torts. Coolest temp in enclosure, basking spot temp, and night temps.

For calcium, try to have a cuddle bone available all the time. They can go months without touching it and then gobble it all up. Super cheap in the petstore bird section. I use ReptCal or reptical from Petsmart. $4. And the Herptivite tortoise vitamins too. $14.

For the most part, torts can't be "sexed". You can guess but wont know for sure until they are of breeding size. You cannot tell with hatchlings. Some breeders will incubate a clutch at certain temperatures to try and ensure females, but even that is a guessing game. I'm hoping on 2 girls, but who knows?

What is your plan for their diet?

yeah I know what you mean. I have had and still have reptiles mainly lizards in my households but almost never had turtles or tortoises when I was younger till present day mainly because I had bad housing and moved alot, but this will be my permanent home until i move out of here since I live with my parents, btw I'm 17 almost 18 so don't you think I am a 30 yr old living with mom and dad hahah.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.