Meet Kora - 20+ y/o Rescue Sulcata

[ofafeather]

Hello,

We are new tort parents and have adopted a 20+ y/old female Sulcata that has an unclear past. Please meet Kora who joined us yesterday.

We are told that she (one of many) was confiscated by NYC DEC when she was about 5y/o. We are not sure of the circumstances surrounding that event or her life until that time. The gentleman that ended up with her needed to rehome her after 15 years, which is where we come in.

We’ve been a “soft rescue” for birds (mostly parrots) that need to be a re-homed for more than 20 years - we provide their lifetime home - and with our flock of 12 are well versed in care of long-lived exotic creatures, though reptiles are new to us.

Kora arrived to us yesterday, courtesy of our friend that is involved in various rescue communities. Kora is 20” and 38lbs, so we’re guessing she may be underweight according to what we’re reading. I will post questions and ask for suggestions in other threads but wanted to introduce her here. As we are in upstate NY (about 100 miles north of NYC), she will live indoors with us in a pen until the weather warms enough for her to occupy an outdoor enclosure where she can wander and graze to a much larger extent. Meanwhile, she’s safe and warm, has some room to stretch and walk, plenty of food and access to water. She’s been eating a lot of greens.

Looking forward to spending time getting to know Kora and providing for her.

 

[Yvonne G]

Just being able to see the gular (the shell protruding under the chin), I'm at a disadvantage, but my guess is that kora is male. And, you're right, at 20+ years of age he would easily be over 100lbs.

 

[ofafeather]

Just being able to see the gular (the shell protruding under the chin), I'm at a disadvantage, but my guess is that kora is male.

Certainly possible. We can send more pics in the future. Anything in particular to show male/female? The tail is a tiny nipple shaped nub.

 

[ofafeather]

Certainly possible. We can send more pics in the future. Anything in particular to show male/female? The tail is a tiny nipple shaped nub.

Based on what we were told and have just read (if accurate) Kora is most likely female. Flat plastering with a wide U shaped anal scute, nub tale, gular scutes are more rounded, carapace does not go underneath in the rear.

 

[_The_Beast_]

Welcome Kora!

 

[Maggie3fan]

Based on what we were told and have just read (if accurate) Kora is most likely female. Flat plastering with a wide U shaped anal scute, nub tale, gular scutes are more rounded, carapace does not go underneath in the rear.

show the gular better, the anal area, and the plastron....

 

[ofafeather]

Based on what we were told and have just read (if accurate) Kora is most likely female. Flat plastering with a wide U shaped anal scute, nub tale, gular scutes are more rounded, carapace does not go underneath in the rear.

“Plastron”. Darn auto-correct.

 

[ofafeather]

Here are some quick pics (pre and post soak - clearly needs her plastron cleaned) Let me know if you need more details of something to confirm sex.

Confirmed her weight at 38lbs then gave her a good soak. She has a healthy appetite and hasn’t been picky with greens. Mixing in various add-ins such as Mazuri LS pellets, orchard grass pellets and some of the Kapidolo Farms dried goods, trying to switch it up each day. Hopefully we can get her eating hay but I don’t think she has before.

 

[wellington]

Sadly because her care in the past was very poor and it has played a big role in her size or lack of it, she likely is slow to mature and not showing all she needs to, too positively ID her sex.
With proper diet, room and care, she hopefully will get caught up some to where she should be in weight, size and sexual maturity.

 

[ofafeather]

Sadly because her care in the past was very poor and it has played a big role in her size or lack of it, she likely is slow to mature and not showing all she needs to, too positively ID her sex.
With proper diet, room and care, she hopefully will get caught up some to where she should be in weight, size and sexual maturity.

Thanks Wellington. We’ll go with “she” for now and re-evaluate if necessary. Should our goal be to “bulk her up” and, if so, what would the best strategy be? I read a lot about using standard Mazuri to add bulk but would rather not get her started on that if we don’t have to.

 

[wellington]

I would for sure use mazuri. Both kinds will round out anything missing from her regular diet. Feed it soaked and mixed in with the greens. This will help keep her eating everything not just the mazuri. Feed her orchard grass hay, grass, grape leaf, mulberry leaf, hibiscus flower and leaf, optunia cactus pads.
If you have to use grocery greens, go with arugula, escarole endive, water cress, dandelion, spring mix, all this can be added to some romaine. You can also order dried flowers/weeds, etc from Kapidolo Farms to add in. Also Purina chicken layer pellets can be added in.

 

[ofafeather]

We’ve been using the Mazuri LS. She went through heaps of greens this week, much of what is on your list, as well as some Kapidolo Farms stuff that arrived yesterday. If I were to buy a large bag of Mazuri would you go for the regular or LS?

 

[wellington]

We’ve been using the Mazuri LS. She went through heaps of greens this week, much of what is on your list, as well as some Kapidolo Farms stuff that arrived yesterday. If I were to buy a large bag of Mazuri would you go for the regular or LS?

I used to only buy the regular older version. I now buy both. However, when I feed it, I use the two together, using a lot less of the LS as it's much more expensive and not liked as well. This way they eat it much easier and are getting the good stuff from both. I feed more of it during winter, I have leopards, same care as sulcata. Summer they graze outside and I feed mazuri only once or twice a month or so. Winter I feed it about every third day and on the mazuri days I feed it on top of the less healthy greens but the ones they like the most, romaine, spring mix, any head lettuce I might have left over, etc.

 

[TammyJ]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[ofafeather]

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you!

 

[ofafeather]

Welcome Kora!

Thank you!

 

[ALICE_in_Wonderland]

Congrats on your new addition! Would love to see your birds too! (Also have adopted birds )

 

[ofafeather]

Congrats on your new addition! Would love to see your birds too! (Also have adopted birds )

Don’t want to co-opt the tortoise forum but here are a few select pics - 12 birds total, all rehomed/rescued:
Mango (front) and Sammy (rear) are our Moluccan Cockatoos. Mango we think is 24 this year and Sammy we’re not sure but we think over 50. Mango’s been with us since 2003 and Sammy 2006The “Greens” - Monk (right) the Quaker and Bebop (left) the pineapple green cheek conure are shacked up.


The ‘tiels - all came from the same house. There are 4:

And lastly, the “tinies”-April (Java Finch) and Nico, blue parakeet, (bottom), are paired up. So adorable when they snuggle and feed each other. Jack is the green parakeet and Bandit is the zebra finch (top left)

 

[ALICE_in_Wonderland]

They are all beautiful! Thank you for sharing

 

[ofafeather]

They are all beautiful! Thank you for sharing

And your avian friends?