New to the tortoise world

[ashlvellier]

I have owned box turtles and red ear sliders I have rescued from the road but never a big tortoise. I want to get an African spur. Can you guys give me any pointers as to housing food ect. I live in southern Louisiana if that will help. I have a lot of land for its outside home but I would like to keep it inside also

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi ashlvellier:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?...and may we know appx. where in the world you are?

In my opinion, a tortoise's #1 enclosure should be outside, with the #2 enclosure being indoors for inclement weather. Once your sulcata gets to be about 4 or 5 years old its going to be pretty hard to keep it indoors. They are terribly destructive. Most of us who have sulcatas keep them in heated sheds outside for the winter.

 

[ShadowRancher]

I agree with Yvonne, after awhile it would be pretty hard to keep them inside but growing up they do well with the indoor/outdoor. We have a few great threads, especially on hatchling care...I'd link them but I'd have to go hunting. Brinn will be along in a moment to take care of them I'm sure.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Hello and Welcome !!!!!!!​

Here are my favorite threads about sulcatas and how to raise them
this is about the best enclosures for sulcata tortoises
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Closed-Chambers#axzz1hkZxITMK

These are care sheets , one is for leopard tortoises but it works really well for sulcatas . Tom's how to raise hathcling sulcatas is the most important though
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Leopard-Tortoise-Care-Sheet#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

This one is about hatchling failure syndrome and how to prevent it 
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

These threads are about pyramiding
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding#axzz1i4Ds8pC6
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards#axzz1i4Ds8pC6

You should also really ,really read this link
Its called the Sulcata Challenge
Sulcata Challenge

I of course don't want to discourage you at all from getting a sulcata but you should know what you are getting into before you get one. They get LARGE fast... VERY FAST. and they are expensive. I have never spent so much money on any animal as I have my tortoise to give them everything they need.
Creating enclosure for a 15 pound four year old Sulcata tortoise is expensive and hard work

This is how big a sulcata will be in just four years..

and males can't be housed with other males because they fight.
Also if you have a male and a female they can't be housed together because the male will try to mate with the female so much he will hurt her shell. There should be a one male to two females ration and then you have to worry about the babies...a single female sulcata can produce 100 fertile eggs a year. Its usually best to just stick with females or keep the sexes separated.
You would need a huge 4 foot wide and 8 feet long tortoise table to house a sulcata for around three years

If this sounds like your kinda tortoise then I say awesome!!!! There are tons of sulcatas that need homes, babies and adults

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

I would suggest you read that last link 1st!!!

As the owner of an Adult Male Sulcata I can tell you is is VERY satisfying to tend to one of these Dinosaurs but also time consuming and money consuming to set up thier habitat and enclosures. Once the enclosures are done and payed for, you just have to worry about feeding them... young ones dont eat much (Too much anyhow) but they must eat to grow and they do grow fast... here is a quick series of pics that show WalkingRock from the age of 5 to 11...

WalkingRock at age 5

WalkingRock, Age 6.... the little one is Rocky and he is 5

WalkingRock at age 7.... Rocky, 6

WalkingRock at age 8 (maybe 9)

WalkingRock at 10

and last... WalkingRock today at 11years and 80lbs

 

[pam]

Wow thoes are awsome pictures they get big way to fast for me I will stick to my Russians

---

Opps I was overwhelmed by the pictures Welcome

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[cmosuna]

I have owned box turtles and red ear sliders I have rescued from the road but never a big tortoise. I want to get an African spur. Can you guys give me any pointers as to housing food ect. I live in southern Louisiana if that will help. I have a lot of land for its outside home but I would like to keep it inside also

If you do decide Sulcata (we have several and you can click the link below to check out our facebook page with lots of tips) look into local rescue first. There are so many in rescues (especially here in CA) that need homes, most of the time you can get them from a rescue for free. You just miss out on the baby stage, ehhh who cares I've had all stages and if you can handle it the big bruiser stage is the most fun. Watching those monsters eat, or charge at you when you come in the backyard with a pumpkin treat or something, that's the best =)

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome! Sulcatas are awesome! As a baby inside is a good idea! However when it gets bigger you're not going to have a choice... Haha

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[jkingler]

I am going to second, third, fourth and fifth looking into RESCUES. Especially if you have a lot of land and decide (after doing A LOT OF RESEARCH and reading The Sulcata Challenge) that Sulcatas are right for you.

So many people decide without much forethought that they like Sulcatas, and they quickly discover that they do not like how big they get, how heavy they get, how much they eat, and how destructive they can be simply living their lives the best they can...There are a lot of rescue Sulcatas that could really use a good home with a keeper who knows what properly keeping Sulcatas entails.

If you read up and decide that you want to keep Sulcatas, you and Sulcatas could be of tremendous benefit to each other. Best of luck!

 

[laramie]

hello and welcome to TFO

 

[CLMoss]

Welcome! Good luck with your new Tortoise! I wish that I could keep a Sulcuta; however, I live in NY. Too big for me!

 

[pdrobber]

welcome