Just got my tortoises! New Guy

[SulcutaMan1976]

Hey everyone ,

I just wanted to post a thread to say hi and introduce myself. Hopefully I will be around a lot. I hope to learn from everyone on this site. It looks like a good forum and my first one to join. Well I was a member of a car forum one time but they were a bunch of stuck up people.

At the last local reptile expo I picked up a few Sulcutas (Not sure if I spelled that right) for a breeding project. I am so excited. I got 6 of them. I made sure I picked them up from different suppliers so they werent related. They are such amazing animals I hope to produce a lot of them. Now if I can just say tortoise insted of turtle . They are still young so I have a lot of time to learn. I hope to have enough space by the time they are ready to do it. LOL! I know they get to be pretty big. One guy at the show had one and it was giant! so cool.

Anyway I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.

Fred K.

 

[pdrobber]

Hi Fred,

They are called Sulcata or African Spur Thigh or African Spurred tortoises.
Make sure you read this thread... http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies . It will help a lot.

There are quite a few Sulcata owners here, some more experienced and others like you and I (I have a Russian and a Redfoot) who are here to learn and be the best owners we can. So, Welcome!

 

[Laura]

hi, and welcome.
im glad you are here, i think you have LOTS to learn.
Lets start with what you have.. Sulcata.. if you are going to breed them, i think you need to know
what they are or at least how to spell it.
If you got them all from different places, i hope you didnt put them all together yet. One from some where else, might be sick,
or be a carrier of different germs and spread it to all the others.
I hope you have several acers of land.
Where are you located?

 

[coreyc]

Hello Fred welcome to the forum where are you located?

 

[dmmj]

Welcome I am very stuck up, but I try and keep to under control.

 

[SulcutaMan1976]

Oh boy , looks like I spelled my user name wrong. I do have a lot to learn and its showing. Thanks for all the responces.

I have them all in the same tank right now and didn't know that you should keep them seperate. I will get them seperated soon. Its just so much easier to feed them all in the same tank. I just started a new job and don't have a lot of time in the morning.

Thanks for the link I will read it!

I am in sunny southern california but only have a small place now. I hope to be able to get a house soon on my own. They are pretty small now so I have some time.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Fred:

Don't worry about separating them now. They've already exposed each other to whatever they may have (if anything).

I must say you have a pretty lofty goal, and I wish you luck with your project. Sulcatas grow very fast and in only a couple years they will need an outside pen.

Read the link that pdrobber gave you. It will help you set up your babies for their optimal health and happiness.

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Get them out in the sunshine ASAP while we are having this great warm spell. Very important for their health. There are lots of threads in the enclosure section for safe ways to do this.

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum You are in the right place to learn everything you need too know

 

[SulcutaMan1976]

There are quite a few Sulcata owners here, some more experienced and others like you and I (I have a Russian and a Redfoot) who are here to learn and be the best owners we can. So, Welcome!

Thanks for all the replies I couldn't be happier with this forum.

I have always like the redfoots and thought about those first but I was at a show last year in LA and Leonardo Dicaprio was buying a Sulcata. I love his movies so much I had to have one just like him. Well 6 LOL!, I hope that one day I can produce a ton of them and a movie star will own one of mine! That would be so cool.

I have been reading and was curious if anyone knew what the best way to get them big fast was. I'm not sure if there is a suplemnet or something that helps them grow and maybe even produce extra eggs. I wish I could start breeding tomorrow I would love to see one come out of the egg.

I was talking to the wife and we are thining about trying to get a couple that are bigger already. I wish I could have 100 of these guys they are amazing and cute.

 

[coreyc]

Are you looking to raise healthy tort's or just want to sell them? your last post does not sound good you want them big fast with more eggs. I don't mean to be rude but it sounds like you don't care about about a healthy tort just one that will make you money. I think you should slow down an enjoy your hatchlings

 

[Laura]

Sulcatas are the most common tort in rescues. People who sell them, are not honest with the people who buy them. They are impulse buys for so many people who never give it any thought about thier proper care or needs.
Many dont survive thier first year. :-( There are many being bred and sold and thier prices are dropping.
If you love them, protect them. Educate the public and your buyers about the realitys of them. they are wonderful animals, but are Not for everyone. They can be very destructive, and housing can cost more then people are willing to spend. let alone heating.
Its great that you are so excited, but I think you need to slow down and do some more homework. The whole reason you got one...Leonardo getting one.. we had a big debate discussion here.. How it was going to cause people to do what you just did.. and it was going to cause rescues to become full... just like Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua's.. or the movies.. Shelters are full of those little dogs now. Its very sad.
The most important thing now is growing healthy animals. You got six... you may have 6 males.. But you wont know for at least 4-5 years. Perfect time for you to go visit other faclities, rescues, breeders. to see what thier set ups are like and learn how to do it right.
Sorry if I sound negative.. I know you are excited. But you have a lot to learn before you seriously get into any breeding program with any species. No animal deserves to be treated like a 'puppy mill'. They are not $$$ . A fun hobby if done right.

 

[DeanS]

They are called Sulcata or African Spur Thigh or African Spurred tortoises.

Spur thigh is incorrect... that refers to the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca). I'm pretty sure that's why everyone has resorted to calling them sulcatas...because they don't know the difference between spurred and spur thighs.

 

[Cameron]

People who sell them, are not honest with the people who buy them.

that's not a very fair statement. i know of many reputable sulcata breeders who are very upfront and honest about them and what it takes to raise them.

also, i believe his intentions were innocent. i don't believe he is wanting to get these to breed a bunch just to sell and make money. he's just caught the sulcata bug and is excited. he was asking about doing something to help them grow faster. people who buy sulcatas want large tortoises, he was just asking if there was a way to get there a little quicker. i think he will turn out to be a great sulcata owner, he certainly has the enthusiasm and love for them. he's on the right track anyway...he's on this forum!

 

[TylerStewart]

People who sell them, are not honest with the people who buy them.

that's not a very fair statement. i know of many reputable sulcata breeders who are very upfront and honest about them and what it takes to raise them.

Agreed completely, many (most) people that sell them are very honest when they're selling them. Even this guy said he saw the size of one, which was much of the appeal to him. There was another new guy the other day that said he just got one or wanted one, and 6 people told him what a bad idea it was before he reassured everyone that he is prepared for it. Frankly, it's pretty irritating to me when people (constantly) paint sulcata producers with a bad brush. Just because someone in the past has struggled with a sulcata doesn't mean we all struggle. I don't struggle at all with sulcatas, an I have a nice large, active group. Like I've said before, I struggle a lot more with my dogs than I do with any tortoises.

The "several acres of land" argument is the worst one out there. I'd lose track my sulcatas if I turned them loose on a single acre.

 

[coreyc]

People who sell them, are not honest with the people who buy them.

that's not a very fair statement. i know of many reputable sulcata breeders who are very upfront and honest about them and what it takes to raise them.

also, i believe his intentions were innocent. i don't believe he is wanting to get these to breed a bunch just to sell and make money. he's just caught the sulcata bug and is excited. he was asking about doing something to help them grow faster. people who buy sulcatas want large tortoises, he was just asking if there was a way to get there a little quicker. i think he will turn out to be a great sulcata owner, he certainly has the enthusiasm and love for them. he's on the right track anyway...he's on this forum!

DID YOU READ THE SAME POST ?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Fred:

I understand that you are excited about your new project, but my bit of advice to you is: slow down!

Sulcata tortoises grow pretty fast on their own without trying to make them grow faster. You want their bones and shells to be nice and strong. Feed them correctly and give them sunshine and, believe me, they will grow pretty fast!

 

[Laura]

ok I'll change the people who sell them, to.. 'some people, pet stores etc, that sell them, have been known to not be truthful, and give bad advice. '
i KNow its not ALL. ,,,
but it still happens..

 

[Cameron]

People who sell them, are not honest with the people who buy them.

that's not a very fair statement. i know of many reputable sulcata breeders who are very upfront and honest about them and what it takes to raise them.

also, i believe his intentions were innocent. i don't believe he is wanting to get these to breed a bunch just to sell and make money. he's just caught the sulcata bug and is excited. he was asking about doing something to help them grow faster. people who buy sulcatas want large tortoises, he was just asking if there was a way to get there a little quicker. i think he will turn out to be a great sulcata owner, he certainly has the enthusiasm and love for them. he's on the right track anyway...he's on this forum!

DID YOU READ THE SAME POST ?

i sure did, and i don't think it's as big a deal as other people obviously. he's new to tortoises, and didn't know that growing them too fast isn't necessarily good for them. it was explained that slower growth is better for the tortoises and i'm sure he will listen to that advice. as for breeding and selling babies, so what? i plan on getting a big female and breeding them too. there isn't anything wrong with making a little money off of a hobby.

 

[Laura]

ok.. i didnt mean to start a fight or debate..
lets stop. Or cont it elsewhere..
Lets offer support here for this new guys passion and make sure
he gets the proper advice to do things the Right way.
I apologize, like i said before.. for any negativity.
Ive been excited about things before too.. then have had to take a step back
when I learned more or the reality of what i was wanting to do.. so sorry if I burst a bubble..
it doesnt need to break.. just deflate a bit.. grow slowly.. or it will burst..
off to enjoy the calif SUNSHINE!