How Long will this work?

[Joshtheturtle]

Hey, I am new to this and I have been browsing for a few days now, reading and learning. I am planing on getting a Sulcata hatchling. My question is, how long can I house my baby sulcata inside in a well built tortoise table for? I am in a small apartment with no yard, but in a 2-3 years I'll be moving into a house. Is this a problem, or would my little guy be okay for that long.

 

[Fernando]

I went from a 10 gallon to a 20 gallon to a 30 gallon to now 100 gallon tank lol

A backyard w/ sunshine is always the best. But if the tortoise table is big enough for exercise and he's getting regular sunshine he'd probably be okay for 2 maybe 3 years from my understanding depending on how big he gets...which can be big fast.

I live in an apartment too. My tortoise loves his new enclosure though. He gets 2 hours a day on the weekends of sunshine but he also has an MVB in his tank too in case I can't get him out on the weekends like recently.

 

[Yvonne G]

It really depends upon how quickly your particular tortoise grows. I just adopted out a three year old sulcata that was about the size of half a soft-ball. Her new keeper put her into a nice large indoor habitat that measures about 2'x4'. She fits in there just fine. By this time next year she may be way to big to over winter in this habitat and need a new one. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

If you are inexperienced it would be my advice for you to get a yearling, not a hatchling. Hatchling are extremely fragile and very hard for the inexperienced keeper to raise. It would be my estimate that almost 3/4's of the hatchling kept by an inexperienced keeper die. Read some of the older threads here and you will see that I am almost spot on in what I say there. But a yearling is already established and would be more forgiving when the keeper makes mistakes. Your yearling could live inside for about 5 years depending on the size of your habitat...they are still very cute and stand a better chance at making it. I don't mean any disrespect to you, it's just that I have seen that time after time here, even for the newbie who talks about all the research he has done... That's my advice even tho that's not what you asked...I hope that helps...
Welcome to the forum...

 

[Neal]

If you are inexperienced it would be my advice for you to get a yearling, not a hatchling. Hatchling are extremely fragile and very hard for the inexperienced keeper to raise.

Wise words...even for an experienced keeper hatchlings are tricky. Spend the extra money for an older tortoise is the best advice I could give. Sorry it's not directly related to your question.

 

[Yvonne G]

Oh, wow! I'm so sorry!!! I totally missed that this was your first post until I read Maggie's "welcome."

So, Joshtheturtle...Welcome to the forum!!! Is your name "Josh?" And may we know where you are?

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum Joshtheturtle

 

[Fernando]

I should have spent the extra $20 for the yearling. I didn't...but because of TFO Andy is now on month 6 and strong. He's very active and eats a lot. I'm one of the few I guess.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. They all grow at wildly different rates. Some sprout like bad weeds and hit 100 pounds in less than ten years while others seem to barely grow at all. Since you are learning and researching, I'm going to guess that yours will be healthy and grow fast. My concern is that it will be hard to maintain any sort of humidity in an open topped, indoor tort table. This will make it pretty hard to grow one smoothly.

You might find this helpful in selecting a source for purchase and avoiding some common pitfalls:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1FTsXg56r

Here's how I like to raise them. A lot of people have been following this advice, and so far I've heard nothing but good news.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1FTsXg56r

They are pretty easy to find, but pretty difficult to find from a source that doesn't dehydrate them and set you up for failure.

Good luck and keep the questions coming.

 

[Joshtheturtle]

Thanks everyone for all the advice! Yeah I am thinking I'll get a yearling, Would rather not risk it.

But the the question about me, Yes my name is Josh and I live in Lexington Kentucky. I have some Mississippi Map Turtles that are doing great but I can't stop thinking about tortoises, I'm sure yall have been there before...

Thanks again for all the help.

---

Also, can anyone recommend a good website to find well raised yearling Sulcatas? I have been looking around and found a few, but I would rather have some first hand advise here.

Thanks all!

 

[Tom]

http://www.tortoisesupply.com/

This is Tyler. He's a friend of mine and a good guy with healthy animals. Sometimes he has yearlings for sale. He brought some good ones to the Pomona Show in Jan. You'll just have to check and see what he's got.