Largest sulcata on record?

[Yvonne G]

but idk, their subsequent post said he was the largest

Sulcata is the third largest species after galop and aldab.

 

[jaizei]

Sulcata is the third largest species after galop and aldab.

i thought thats what they were saying at first but it was worded as though they were talking about individuals within (sudanese) sulcatas

 

[zovick]

Whats really impressive is that they said that was the 3rd biggest in the US

It was most probably meant to say that the sulcata is the third largest of all the tortoise species. Which is true.

Not really meant to say that their tortoise is the third largest sulcata in the country, especially after they later said theirs is the largest one in the US. Which is also very likely true after seeing the photo.

 

[jaizei]

Everyone welcome the big new addition! The 3rd biggest Sulcata in the U.S. He is a Sudanese Sulcata. I’m so excited to have this guy here. Sudanese get much larger than the normal Sulcata tortoises most are familiar with. Leave a comment to welcome Frank the Tank below and if you’d like to see more posts of him this week.

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a subsequent posts says 340 pounds

 

[Chefdenoel10]

I have a regular female that's 95lbs. now. I have no idea how old.

Happy birthday!!!!!🎂🎈🎁🎉🎊

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Everyone welcome the big new addition! The 3rd biggest Sulcata in the U.S. He is a Sudanese Sulcata. I’m so excited to have this guy here. Sudanese get much larger than the normal Sulcata tortoises most are familiar with. Leave a comment to welcome Frank the Tank below and if you’d like to see more posts of him this week.

View this content on Instagram

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a subsequent posts says 340 pounds

I most impressed that he has to carry all that weight on his back!! Daaaamm! 😟

 

[TechnoCheese]

Everyone welcome the big new addition! The 3rd biggest Sulcata in the U.S. He is a Sudanese Sulcata. I’m so excited to have this guy here. Sudanese get much larger than the normal Sulcata tortoises most are familiar with. Leave a comment to welcome Frank the Tank below and if you’d like to see more posts of him this week.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

a subsequent posts says 340 pounds

I wonder if they've ever had trouble with that fence? My little 50 lb sulcata can move 2 cinderblocks at ease, I bet that guy could bust through that wall like the Kool-Aid man. Probably not even on purpose. It looks mortared, so maybe not, but I'm not sure I could put it past him lol

 

[BajatheChickenMan]

I wonder if they've ever had trouble with that fence? My little 50 lb sulcata can move 2 cinderblocks at ease, I bet that guy could bust through that wall like the Kool-Aid man. Probably not even on purpose. It looks mortared, so maybe not, but I'm not sure I could put it past him lol

Ya I was just wondering that myself. That behemoth looks like he could get a job as the Kool Aid man.

 

[BajatheChickenMan]

Why do the Sudanese Sulcatas get so much larger than Mali ones? I'm guessing its several factors but it is curious especially since they both look identical at birth.

 

[zovick]

Everyone welcome the big new addition! The 3rd biggest Sulcata in the U.S. He is a Sudanese Sulcata. I’m so excited to have this guy here. Sudanese get much larger than the normal Sulcata tortoises most are familiar with. Leave a comment to welcome Frank the Tank below and if you’d like to see more posts of him this week.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

a subsequent posts says 340 pounds

Do you know when this was posted? I still think that David mis-stated the facts.

Is there any way of asking him where the two larger ones might be?

I just asked. Will post any results I may hear.

 

[jaizei]

Do you know when this was posted? I still think that David mis-stated the facts.

Is there any way of asking him where the two larger ones might be?

I just asked. Will post any results I may hear.

December 20, 2021
I first posted here after seeing just that post, theres a couple subsequent posts (February 13, 2022; July 9, 2022) where he says its the largest so it might have been combining the 2 sentiments (this is the largest sudanese sulcata; sulcatas are the 3rd largest tortoise species)

 

[zovick]

December 20, 2021
I first posted here after seeing just that post, theres a couple subsequent posts (February 13, 2022; July 9, 2022) where he says its the largest so it might have been combining the 2 sentiments (this is the largest sudanese sulcata; sulcatas are the 3rd largest tortoise species)

Yes, I believe that is what happened. Since he later posted the posts saying his is indeed the largest one in the country, he may not answer my email inquiry about the locations of the two which were supposedly larger than his, but we'll see.

It would be interesting to know where he got the tortoise and whether he has any mates for it. I wonder if someone here in the US bought it unknowingly as a baby years ago and grew it up or if it was imported years ago as a juvenile.

Jay (or one of his suppliers) at TurtlesandTortoises.com has some Sudanese adults and he states they were imported in the late 1980's from Sudan.

 

[jaizei]

Yes, I believe that is what happened. Since he later posted the posts saying his is indeed the largest one in the country, he may not answer my email inquiry about the locations of the two which were supposedly larger than his, but we'll see.

It would be interesting to know where he got the tortoise and whether he has any mates for it. I wonder if someone here in the US bought it unknowingly as a baby years ago and grew it up or if it was imported years ago as a juvenile.

Jay (or one of his suppliers) at TurtlesandTortoises.com has some Sudanese adults and he states they were imported in the late 1980's from Sudan.

after additional stalking research, may have come from Andrew Hermes Arizona Tortoise Compound. When David picked it up, he was also pictured.

Bob Blome would be other guess since he's in AZ also and known for huge sudanese sulcata

 

[zovick]

after additional stalking research, may have come from Andrew Hermes Arizona Tortoise Compound. When David picked it up, he was also pictured.

Bob Blome would be other guess since he's in AZ also and known for huge sudanese sulcata

Good thinking. I know Bob quite well, and know he and Andrew are friends and that Andrew sells some of Bob's animals from time to time..

I'll ask Bob if he is the source or knows who it may be.

 

[TammyJ]

I am amazed at both the size and the perfect smoothness of the shell!

 

[zovick]

after additional stalking research, may have come from Andrew Hermes Arizona Tortoise Compound. When David picked it up, he was also pictured.

Bob Blome would be other guess since he's in AZ also and known for huge sudanese sulcata

OK, here's the scoop:

I spoke to Bob Blome and got the full story on the tortoise at David's Jungle. It was indeed imported with other Sudanese sulcatas in 1985 by a fellow named Brad Morris.

Bob Blome acquired it and used it for breeding in his herd until about 8 years ago, when he sold it to Andrew Hermes, warning him that the tortoise would be a LOT of trouble. After some time, Andrew realized that Bob had been correct in that assessment and he, in turn, sold it to David's Jungle.

Bob Blome says that the male he sold to Andrew weighed roughly 280 to 300 pounds when he sold it. Bob says he has some other males now which are OVER 300 pounds.

 

[jaizei]

OK, here's the scoop:

I spoke to Bob Blome and got the full story on the tortoise at David's Jungle. It was indeed imported with other Sudanese sulcatas in 1985 by a fellow named Bob Morris.

Bob Blome acquired it and used it for breeding in his herd until about 8 years ago, when he sold it to Andrew Hermes, warning him that the tortoise would be a LOT of trouble. After some time, Andrew realized that Bob had been correct in that assessment and he, in turn, sold it to David's Jungle.

Bob Blome says that the male he sold to Andrew weighed roughly 280 to 300 pounds when he sold it. Bob says he has some other males now which are OVER 300 pounds.

Any chance the 'Bob Morris' is a mistake and was Brad Morris? That was the other name I had short listed

 

[zovick]

Any chance the 'Bob Morris' is a mistake and was Brad Morris? That was the other name I had short listed

Yes, it should be Brad Morris. I typed it incorrectly. My bad!

I just corrected the original post so these last two of ours #37 and #38 could be deleted and nothing would be lost.

 

[TechnoCheese]

OK, here's the scoop:

I spoke to Bob Blome and got the full story on the tortoise at David's Jungle. It was indeed imported with other Sudanese sulcatas in 1985 by a fellow named Brad Morris.

Bob Blome acquired it and used it for breeding in his herd until about 8 years ago, when he sold it to Andrew Hermes, warning him that the tortoise would be a LOT of trouble. After some time, Andrew realized that Bob had been correct in that assessment and he, in turn, sold it to David's Jungle.

Bob Blome says that the male he sold to Andrew weighed roughly 280 to 300 pounds when he sold it. Bob says he has some other males now which are OVER 300 pounds.

I absolutely believe that tortoise is a lot of trouble. How do you even contain a tortoise that hefty? I suppose the same way you contain big aldabras or Galapagos?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

OK, here's the scoop:

I spoke to Bob Blome and got the full story on the tortoise at David's Jungle. It was indeed imported with other Sudanese sulcatas in 1985 by a fellow named Brad Morris.

Bob Blome acquired it and used it for breeding in his herd until about 8 years ago, when he sold it to Andrew Hermes, warning him that the tortoise would be a LOT of trouble. After some time, Andrew realized that Bob had been correct in that assessment and he, in turn, sold it to David's Jungle.

Bob Blome says that the male he sold to Andrew weighed roughly 280 to 300 pounds when he sold it. Bob says he has some other males now which are OVER 300 pounds.

What about the poor tortoise was “trouble”?
No tortoise could possibly be THAT bad.
Maybe the tortoise was POed because people kept trading him in making him mate all of the time?
They are smart ya know.
He might have felt used?
Poor booger. ☹️