Hi - My name is Cindy and I have just been given an African Spurred Tortoise. It is quite large (about 40 pounds) and appears to be in good health. The people who had it prior owned it for about 3 years and the tortoise lived in their house loose and in the back yard when the weather was warm. I have never owned a tortoise before and have been reading everything I can about them. I am looking for any advice I can get. I currently own a horse farm in Illinois and have dogs and cats. The tortoise has been loose in my house for the last few days and seems to be doing very well. The dogs sniffed around out of curiousity the first day but now could care less. I am very excited about owning a pet such as this but am looking for any advice or warning I should be aware of. Thanks
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Hi Cindy:
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
As soon as you can, you need to build this tortoise an outside heated shed with access to the yard. He's way too big to be running loose in the house. Once you start feeding and watering him, he's going to make quite a mess on the floors. Think of a horse urinating. Almost the same thing.
Sulcata tortoises are grazers. They eat grasses and weeds either dead or living. You can feed your tortoise hay, if he'll eat it. But barring allowing him outside to graze, you'll have to settle for dark, leafy greens. There's also a product called Mazuri Tortoise Diet that feeds your tortoise well in a pinch.
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
As soon as you can, you need to build this tortoise an outside heated shed with access to the yard. He's way too big to be running loose in the house. Once you start feeding and watering him, he's going to make quite a mess on the floors. Think of a horse urinating. Almost the same thing.
Sulcata tortoises are grazers. They eat grasses and weeds either dead or living. You can feed your tortoise hay, if he'll eat it. But barring allowing him outside to graze, you'll have to settle for dark, leafy greens. There's also a product called Mazuri Tortoise Diet that feeds your tortoise well in a pinch.
WELCOME
Hello Cindy and welcome to the forum..
I agree with what Yvonne said and will add that they can be very distructive to walls and doors "they are like bulldozers" so it is best to set him/her a nice place to live outside where it will have the ability to graze and explore.
I agree with what Yvonne said and will add that they can be very distructive to walls and doors "they are like bulldozers" so it is best to set him/her a nice place to live outside where it will have the ability to graze and explore.
Hello and welcome. As a tropical species, they need to be able to warm up every day. Sunshine works best, but in an Illinois winter, artificial heat sources will have to do. Room temp on the floor of a house will eventually lead to him becoming ill.
Welcome to the forum , read read read and read some more , this is a great place to learn ....
Welcome!
Welcome Cindy, I advice you to read it really works.
Thanks everyone - I do live in Illinois and what about the winter. I have pot bellied pigs that live outside in a heated area (heatlamps) but wouldn't that be too cold for him? (Even with the lamps)
As far as going in the house, if I put him in the tub he seems to immediately do his business. That is what the other people did with him. He seems to sleep a good part of the day, then eats and walks around exploring the house a little and then back to sleep. Again, they had him in their house, but I do have concerns and do not totally believe them that he never caused any trouble. Can they get into wires or chew things?
Thanks everyone.
As far as going in the house, if I put him in the tub he seems to immediately do his business. That is what the other people did with him. He seems to sleep a good part of the day, then eats and walks around exploring the house a little and then back to sleep. Again, they had him in their house, but I do have concerns and do not totally believe them that he never caused any trouble. Can they get into wires or chew things?
Thanks everyone.
Welcome to the Forum!
Welcome!
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Sulcatas get rather large I mean like 150lbs and about 24" long Are you still going to let him/her run loose in your house when he/she is the size of a small fourwheeler? at some point u WILL need an outdoor enclosure. It's best to go ahead and build it now because heat rises and hardwood floors can be drafty. So while it's ok to let them roam free in the summer at times, winter is definitely not the time of year for it :-/ because they cannot produce their own body heat and unless u have your home at a steady 80-90 degrees 24-7 ur tort could become I'll and die from an upper respiratory illness. I'm not trying to sound ugly I just would hate for u to become attached and love your new house-mate and something happen to it
at some point u WILL need an outdoor enclosure. It's best to go ahead and build it now because heat rises and hardwood floors can be drafty. So while it's ok to let them roam free in the summer at times, winter is definitely not the time of year for it :-/ because they cannot produce their own body heat and unless u have your home at a steady 80-90 degrees 24-7 ur tort could become I'll and die from an upper respiratory illness. I'm not trying to sound ugly I just would hate for u to become attached and love your new house-mate and something happen to it 
What they said! lol Welcome!
Welcome
Cindy:
There are a couple options, but in my opinion, the heated shed is the best one. If you build or buy a shed, then insulate the walls and ceiling, you can provide a nice place for your tortoise during the winter.
My sister lives in what she calls the frozen north, where people don't tan, they rust. She has a nice shed for Bob, her 100lb sulcata. He comes and goes at will, and when he gets cold outside, he goes back into the shed. Here's a link to some pictures of it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Bob-s-shed--20710#axzz1nyWL2MQG
I use the shed too. But I built mine from scratch:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Housing-a-100lb-Sulcata#axzz1nyWL2MQG
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-My-new-shed-Finished-at-last#axzz1nyWL2MQG
There are a couple options, but in my opinion, the heated shed is the best one. If you build or buy a shed, then insulate the walls and ceiling, you can provide a nice place for your tortoise during the winter.
My sister lives in what she calls the frozen north, where people don't tan, they rust. She has a nice shed for Bob, her 100lb sulcata. He comes and goes at will, and when he gets cold outside, he goes back into the shed. Here's a link to some pictures of it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Bob-s-shed--20710#axzz1nyWL2MQG
I use the shed too. But I built mine from scratch:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Housing-a-100lb-Sulcata#axzz1nyWL2MQG
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-My-new-shed-Finished-at-last#axzz1nyWL2MQG
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