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[mmamommy1]

Hello,

I am new here. I have two sulcatas that a year and a half and are still indoors in an aquarium. We were just given an 8 year male sulcata who lived indoors his whole life. We have him in our back yard in Southern California, he has an XL Igloo for a bed, with straw and of course a heat lamp. We got him on Friday night, he are well on Saturday and was walking around the enclosure. Today, he has not come out of the igloo or eaten his food from yesterday. Is this okay?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello,

I am new here. I have two sulcatas that a year and a half and are still indoors in an aquarium. We were just given an 8 year male sulcata who lived indoors his whole life. We have him in our back yard in Southern California, he has an XL Igloo for a bed, with straw and of course a heat lamp. We got him on Friday night, he are well on Saturday and was walking around the enclosure. Today, he has not come out of the igloo or eaten his food from yesterday. Is this okay?

Welcome.
There's are so many red flags waving here with this post that you'll need a Sulcata keeping member with a ton of experience.
@Tom
@Yvonne G

 

[Tom]

Hello,

I am new here. I have two sulcatas that a year and a half and are still indoors in an aquarium. We were just given an 8 year male sulcata who lived indoors his whole life. We have him in our back yard in Southern California, he has an XL Igloo for a bed, with straw and of course a heat lamp. We got him on Friday night, he are well on Saturday and was walking around the enclosure. Today, he has not come out of the igloo or eaten his food from yesterday. Is this okay?

You got some major problems that need to be addressed. I hope you'll accept our help.

First the two younger ones: There is no aquarium big enough for a single 18 month old sulcata, much less two.

They should never live in pairs. This is bad for both of them.

You cannot maintain the correct condition in an open topped aquarium.

Most of the advice given for this species is all wrong. Here is the current and correct care advice:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Now for the bigger one: Igloos, dog houses, plastic deck boxes and sheds don't work for sulcatas. They are designed for dogs. They lack insulation and they are too drafty.

Heat lamps should never be used over large sulcatas, as they will damage the carapace, and they won't keep the tortoise warm enough anyway. They also need it dark at night.

Here are two ways to make an appropriate night box for a sulcata. They need it mid 80s on cold winter days since they can't go warm up outside, and 80 degrees for most of the rest of the year. During our hot Summer months, I turn the thermostats down to 70ish.

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

We are having the coldest weather of the year right now. This is NOT the time to suddenly put a sulcata outside with a dg house that isn't heated well enough. It is very likely to get sick or die this way. Bring it back inside and find a way to keep it warm. Put the tortoise in the bath tub if need be, and run a space heater in the bathroom with the door closed. Keep it hot in there. Mid 80s at least. Build a heated box ASAP and if possible wait until the warmer days of spring to make the move outside.

I'm sure none of this was what you wanted to hear, but I'm hoping to save your tortoises' lives.

 

[Yvonne G]

Please, please, please read and pay attention to what Tom has written for you and linked for you. Your tortoises' lives depend upon it!

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'm sorry, but I so totally agree with Tom and Y. I freakin love Sulcata, not only do you need to change all your thinking ASAP about how you are keeping them now, all three need separate enclosures, you need to realize any big Sulcata need roam to exercise to aid in digestion, a big Sulcata can if he desires go thru sheet rock. Male Sulcata are especially territorial.You need so much room to keep 3 large Sulcata correctly. My sister has a 120+ lb male Sulcata who smells another male and breaks down fences to reach them. Once (if I remember correctly) her Dudley decided to go on a walkabout and broke thru what I guesstimate is an 11 solid wood fence. So please understand we know what's happening now and definately see the future. Oh and as the 2 get bigger don't think about breeding them, as Sulcata on the West Coast , are like feral cat's. Too many Sulcata, rescues won't take them, there is so much wrong with what you are doing. But please don't run away, listen to our advice, take what you need and leave the rest. Understand that we are trying to help. Don't run away, please for the sake of those lifes in your hands What the h*** are you gonna do with 3 big Sulcata?

 

[mmamommy1]

You got some major problems that need to be addressed. I hope you'll accept our help.

First the two younger ones: There is no aquarium big enough for a single 18 month old sulcata, much less two.

They should never live in pairs. This is bad for both of them.

You cannot maintain the correct condition in an open topped aquarium.

Most of the advice given for this species is all wrong. Here is the current and correct care advice:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Now for the bigger one: Igloos, dog houses, plastic deck boxes and sheds don't work for sulcatas. They are designed for dogs. They lack insulation and they are too drafty.

Heat lamps should never be used over large sulcatas, as they will damage the carapace, and they won't keep the tortoise warm enough anyway. They also need it dark at night.

Here are two ways to make an appropriate night box for a sulcata. They need it mid 80s on cold winter days since they can't go warm up outside, and 80 degrees for most of the rest of the year. During our hot Summer months, I turn the thermostats down to 70ish.

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

We are having the coldest weather of the year right now. This is NOT the time to suddenly put a sulcata outside with a dg house that isn't heated well enough. It is very likely to get sick or die this way. Bring it back inside and find a way to keep it warm. Put the tortoise in the bath tub if need be, and run a space heater in the bathroom with the door closed. Keep it hot in there. Mid 80s at least. Build a heated box ASAP and if possible wait until the warmer days of spring to make the move outside.

I'm sure none of this was what you wanted to hear, but I'm hoping to save your tortoises' lives.

Thank you for all of your advice, I will definitely be making changes.

 

[mmamommy1]

I'm sorry, but I so totally agree with Tom and Y. I freakin love Sulcata, not only do you need to change all your thinking ASAP about how you are keeping them now, all three need separate enclosures, you need to realize any big Sulcata need roam to exercise to aid in digestion, a big Sulcata can if he desires go thru sheet rock. Male Sulcata are especially territorial.You need so much room to keep 3 large Sulcata correctly. My sister has a 120+ lb male Sulcata who smells another male and breaks down fences to reach them. Once (if I remember correctly) her Dudley decided to go on a walkabout and broke thru what I guesstimate is an 11 solid wood fence. So please understand we know what's happening now and definately see the future. Oh and as the 2 get bigger don't think about breeding them, as Sulcata on the West Coast , are like feral cat's. Too many Sulcata, rescues won't take them, there is so much wrong with what you are doing. But please don't run away, listen to our advice, take what you need and leave the rest. Understand that we are trying to help. Don't run away, please for the sake of those lifes in your hands What the h*** are you gonna do with 3 big Sulcata?
View attachment 316429

Thank you for all of your advice. As for what I'm going to do with three sulcatas, not keep them all! My oldest is 21 and he will be taking the two younger ones in about a year.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for all of your advice. As for what I'm going to do with three sulcatas, not keep them all! My oldest is 21 and he will be taking the two younger ones in about a year.

Keep asking questions. You are welcome here. We come on strong sometimes, but our intentions are to help. Nothing more.

BTW, my Auntie lives in West Covina too. Great tortoise weather there!