Purchasing a Sulcata soon

[Zab34]

I am going to be purchasing Sulcata in about a months time. I plan on raising it in a 20 long for a couple months then switch to a 40 breeder. I have built 4x8 wooden pen outside for roaming and planted lots of grasses and weeds for grazing in the pen. So i think im all set with a game plan for success. My question is about purchasing. I wanted to wait until the Repticon Firexpo in Lakeland about 4 weeks from now to find the best quality tortoise I can. What are the going rates for a hatchling? and what are my odds of finding an Ivory/Albino sulcat while im there? What are they currently going for?

 

[Tom]

Read this first! It will tell you what questions to ask the breeders and insure to don't get a ticking time bomb:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/


Then read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Zab34]

I have both those printed out and many more caresheets. Thanks for the first link ill look into it.

any info on the prices and availability?

 

[Yvonne G]

You should be able to find a normal youngster for under $75. The albino or other morphs are quite a bit more than that...$600 or $700, or maybe up to even $1000.

 

[Maro2Bear]

If you are interested in a young "normal" hatchling Sulcata, check out LanceCham here on the Forum. I received one from Lance in early June (overnight shipment from CA) and couldnt be any happier with our Sully. Lance will answer everyone of your questions almost immediately and will ensure everything is perfect for shipment, including some Mazuri pellets. Five star rating from this happy customer.

 

[Zab34]

I really want an Ivory, but will settle for a regular as well. Im going to wait until the Repticon Expo and see what shows up locally.

 

[Tom]

I really want an Ivory, but will settle for a regular as well. Im going to wait until the Repticon Expo and see what shows up locally.

That's cool. I would want a local one too, but realize that it is unlikely you will find a local one started correctly. This forum is full of stories of people buying sulcata babies that were started dry, on dry substrate in a dry enclosure, fed lettuce and soaked once a week if ever. These babies frequently die and its heart wrenching. Don't buy one of these ticking time bombs at the show. They will look adorable, be active and appear healthy, but a large percentage of them will not live for more than a few months, and the seller will likely blame you after that much time has passed. If you find a seller that has started them in a brooder box, kept them warm and humid, soaked daily, and introduced a wide variety of good foods from the start, then by all means buy one. I seriously doubt you will find anything even close to that. Keep Lance or one of the other sellers here that starts them right in mind in case all you see at the show is the normal typical dry routine.

 

[Zab34]

http://www.repticon.com/fire.html

Here is the link to expo any vendors on the list that are highly reputable?

 

[lismar79]

My baby came second hand from someone who got them from lance and he/she is a healthy thriving sulcata. This is a really good breeder and his babies are top notch. Just thought I would chime in with the rest

 

[Zab34]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-tortoise-hatchlings-incubated-for-females.99507/

does anyone have info on "high yellow" sulcatas.

 

[Zab34]

So I have my 40 breeder, Im planning on using Exo terra Plantation soil (which i believe is mostly coco coir)in it. I read on another thread thats its safe and good and so on. I have a Ceramic planter base for a water saucer, and a little plastic tub upside down that will be his humid hide. All i need is lighting recommendations, he will be getting daily outside time so id rather not spend the money on a MVB right now. He has a 7x3 garden that i built him to wander and graze in the sunshine. What would be the recommended bulb and fixture then? as well as anything you think im missing

 

[Lancecham]

That yellow one looks pretty young. I get these pretty often when my babies hatch, but as they get a couple months old, they are very very similar to its siblings.

 

[turtlemanfla88]

My friend Kim has just hatched some I can call her and see if she will be at the lakeland show. We were all at Reptile Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach a couple of weeks ago. I also am the vice president of the Clearwater chapter of the Turtle and Tortoise Club of Florida and can call some of of our members to see if anyone has eggs or has any hatching out. I can give you my e-mail or cell phone if you want?.

 

[Zab34]

sure shoot me a message. I wont start looking elsewhere until after the Expo.

How about bulb recommendations?

 

[Tom]

Bulb recommendations:

Heating and Lighting:
I use a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb on a 12 hour timer and adjust the height of the fixture to get a hot spot of around 100 directly under the bulb. Then I use a ceramic heating element set to 80 degrees on a reptile thermostat to maintain my ambient temperature in the enclosure. Sometimes the basking lamp raises the day time ambient into the low 90s. This is fine and the thermostat will keep your CHE off during these times, but ready to click on after the basking lamp clicks off and the ambient temperature starts to drop at night. I use long florescent tubes when I want to brighten up the whole enclosure and I run these on the same timer as the basking bulb. The above are just what works for me and are suggestions for what might work for you. Every enclosure and home is different, and some customization will usually be necessary to get things "just right".

UV:
Tortoises MUST have regular exposure to the right kind of UV rays. Real sunshine is best, but be careful. Shade should always be available as babies can overheat and die surprisingly quickly. If your tortoise can get some regular sunning time in a safe outdoor enclosure, even just a couple of times a week for most of the year, you don't need any artificial UV. Its okay if you have to skip two or three weeks of sunning time during a cold winter spell. If you live somewhere with long frozen winters, then some artificial UV might be in order for that time of year. I prefer mercury vapor bulbs. Long florescent UV tubes seem to work okay too nowadays, but I have yet to test that theory. I recommend against any type of coil or cfl UV bulb. I have personally seen these cause eye issues too many times. More research is needed to find out exactly what the problem with the cfl UV bulbs is, but there is no denying that there is a problem at least some of the time.

 

[Zab34]

Thanks for the reply. I did read that in the caresheet. So there isnt much difference between an incandescent flood and those basking bulbs at the pet store? I have a CHE and a thermostat. A thermometer and hygrometer. So i think im all set.

 

[Tom]

So there isnt much difference between an incandescent flood and those basking bulbs at the pet store?

Depends on which pet store bulb you are referring to. They offer so many and have so many gimmicks now. Regular incandescent bulbs work perfectly as long as you don't need indoor UV from them. They are usually much cheaper than the pet store offerings.

 

[Zab34]

Thanks Tom, figured they would be the same. Im big into the reef and aquarium community but havent quite got the handle on reptile supplies just yet.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom, figured they would be the same. Im big into the reef and aquarium community but havent quite got the handle on reptile supplies just yet.

I get the majority of my retile supplies from hardware stores and garden centers. There are only a few items that I get from pet related sources, like UV bulbs and and thermostats.

 

[Zab34]

I get the majority of my retile supplies from hardware stores and garden centers. There are only a few items that I get from pet related sources, like UV bulbs and and thermostats.

Thats cool. For aquariums I know where I can go the hardware route or when to just buy the right thing. I love building thing though. So with a regular floodlight is it usually cheaper to buy the fixture at home depot? If so do you have a recommended fixture?