Seeking out to all Sulcata breeder!

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pmcnegroo

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Hi every one this is my second time posting on tortoise forum and im loven it :). i am posting this because my baby sulcata needs a play mate (or even just a mate ;) ) he just wonders around his cage lonely all day and i feel bad for him i have been looking for baby/hatchling sulcata adoptions but all i can find is 8 year old tortoise and all that but i dont want one that is already grown i want one that i can watch it grow and all the other fun stuff now back to the question i was just seeking out to any breeders that could give me a free baby girl sulcata if you can then that would be amazing and if you can ship her that would be even more amazing i have plenty of food,calcium powders,tortoise pellets you name it i got it lol so i can usher you that the tortoise is coming into a grate home oh btw you might ask you why i don't but another sulcata the reason is is that i dont have the money to buy another 100-200 dollar tortoise i just don't so if you can send me one PM me so i can tell you my shiping address :):tort::tort::tort:
 

Yvonne G

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Hi pmcnegroo:

If I'm remembering correctly from one of your previous posts, you are 14 years old. Please understand that I'm not belittling you or coming down on you, but only trying to impart some information to you.

Tortoises, especially sulcatas, do not want other tortoise's company. They like to live alone. That way they don't have to share the best hiding place or share the food.

You look at your little tortoise wandering around, and you are putting a human emotion on him. They don't have the same feelings that we do. Your little tortoise is just fine all by himself.

To inspire him and make him feel better, you might try enrichments in his habitat. But you need a nice, big habitat to be able to add enrichments. A nice big rock on the edge of one wall that he has to walk around. A pile of substrate that he has to climb, and once he reaches the top, a TREAT! Be inventive and think of something.
 

wellington

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Yes, agree with emysemys. If you get another one. They will eventually have to be seperated as one will bully the other to sickness or death. Stick to the one and enjoy.
 

pmcnegroo

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Thanks for your answer but thats not the only reason i want another hatchling i want to breed him in the future but i dont want to buy an adult female because those can range up to 400 to 1000 dollars so i just wanted to see if a breeder has a female he could give to me not just that hes lonely me and my dad are making a 15 x 15 out side shed for when they get bigger so i can handle 1 more :)
 

LuckysGirl007

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From what I have read and heard you cannot tell the sex 100% until they are around five years old.
 

Masin

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If he's indoors this could also be the issue. Ours literally hustles around outside, eats, explores, walks and roams and is clearly happy, inside - while her indoor space is up to par she still is way happier outside and it shows.
 

Eweezyfosheezy

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Most tortoise species dont do well in pairs. Sulcatas especially dont do well in pairs and actually really thrive by themselves. What state are you located in? If you really want to breed them I really would only do it if your winters arent too cold. The amount of money and effort that it costs to keep adult sulcatas warm over winter is a huge investment if you arent in a "warm" state.
 

Tom

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In addition to all the above, which is all true and very good advice, babies are valuable. I can't think of a reason why anyone would want to just give one away for free to a total stranger, and then pay the shipping out of pocket, for someone who really does not demonstrate that they really understand what they are getting into.

If you want to eventually breed sulcatas, you will need a very large pen with lots of visual barriers and interesting features and you will need at least two females, if not more. If youput one male and one female together, even in a huge pen, he will likely harass her to the point of illness or death. Also, the males mature much faster than the females. If you put two together, the male will start trying to breed the female years before she is even remotely ready.

It may feel like we are all trying to shoot down your ideas, but really, we are trying to help you avoid problems. In my case, I know these things will be a problem because I have made these mistakes in the past. I did what you are wanting to do, and I had to work through all these problems that I'm telling you about. Over the last two decades, I have learned about what works and what doesn't, and that's what I'm trying to share with you.

I hope you stick around here and ask lots of questions. There are a lot of helpful knowledgable people here and we would love to help you learn and see you develop into an expert tortoise keeper. In the mean time, enjoy your current sulcata and learn everything you can from him/her.
 

mctlong

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pmcnegroo said:
.... oh btw you might ask you why i don't but another sulcata the reason is is that i dont have the money to buy another 100-200 dollar tortoise i just don't so if you can send me one PM me so i can tell you my shiping address :):tort::tort::tort:

It'll cost alot more than that to feed and house a sulcata....

If you're set on adopting a tortoise, I strongly recommend going to your nearest animal rescue center or tortoise club. This in an affordable route. Also, most do home checks. They'll come to your house and will give you hands-on advise on how to prepare an enclosure. They'll also assess whether or not you can afford to feed and house a sulcata. Obviously, no one will give you a tortoise unless you can afford to feed it.
 

shellysmom

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Hi there! I love that you are interested in tortoises, they are awesome animals. I don't blame you at all for wanting a second tortoise, but if you have your heart set on getting one right now, maybe consider a smaller species. If you have a baby sulcata, it won't be ready to breed for several years, so there's no rush to acquire a female anyway. Also, you have the 3rd largest tortoise species on earth, and it will grow to be at least 150 lbs. What are you planning to do with your tortoise after high school when you move out of the house and/or go to college? In 5 years it could weigh 30 pounds and will be way too big for a 15x15 enclosure. Is your dad going to take care of it at home, or are you going to take it with you when you move? These are just some things to think about before you make any decisions about how and when to acquire another tortoise. And, I can't think of anyone who would be be willing to just give a baby tort away. If you don't have the money to buy it, you don't have the money to care for it properly. I'm only telling you all of this because I see large sulcatas on Craig's List EVERY DAY who need new homes because they've gotten too big to house properly, too expensive to feed, and impossible to overwinter in colder climates. Please consider the quality of life and commitment you can offer a tortoise before you get another one. They are sweet animals that deserve the best of care, and I think you definitely have the potential to be a great tort owner, but it's going to require some planning and foresight on your part.
 

pmcnegroo

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we have a pretty big yard and i can afford the food im not poor i just wanted to see if a breeder has an extra sulcata or one that is sick so i can Quentin him/her untill he/she is well and if it takes a 25x25 my dad will make that hes a builder :)
 

taytay3391

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shellysmom said:
Hi there! I love that you are interested in tortoises, they are awesome animals. I don't blame you at all for wanting a second tortoise, but if you have your heart set on getting one right now, maybe consider a smaller species. If you have a baby sulcata, it won't be ready to breed for several years, so there's no rush to acquire a female anyway. Also, you have the 3rd largest tortoise species on earth, and it will grow to be at least 150 lbs. What are you planning to do with your tortoise after high school when you move out of the house and/or go to college? In 5 years it could weigh 30 pounds and will be way too big for a 15x15 enclosure. Is your dad going to take care of it at home, or are you going to take it with you when you move? These are just some things to think about before you make any decisions about how and when to acquire another tortoise. And, I can't think of anyone who would be be willing to just give a baby tort away. If you don't have the money to buy it, you don't have the money to care for it properly. I'm only telling you all of this because I see large sulcatas on Craig's List EVERY DAY who need new homes because they've gotten too big to house properly, too expensive to feed, and impossible to overwinter in colder climates. Please consider the quality of life and commitment you can offer a tortoise before you get another one. They are sweet animals that deserve the best of care, and I think you definitely have the potential to be a great tort owner, but it's going to require some planning and foresight on your part.

I just want to reiterate what shellysmom said. What will you do when you go off to college? And of you don't are you going to b able to find a home for yourself and the two torts? Need to think about the future first, to make sure you will in fact be able to care for them both!
 

lovelyrosepetal

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If I was you, I would wait. It sounds like you have an awesome support group with your family, but sulcatas really don't do well in pairs. You would need to get another two if you plan on housing them together and even then, there could be bullying going on. If you can't afford them right now, I would wait and see if you are still interested in a few years. Where are you located? I know in Arizona there are a lot of sulcatas on craigslist that you can buy for $30. I don't think that they were started well, so health issues could be present but if you live there you could get a couple for under $100. There are great breeders here that can sell them to you for $50 each and $50 shipping for up to four. You could get two for $150. My advice would be to wait. When the time is ready you will be prepared. If you are still set on it, talk to your parents and find out what you can do to get them. Good Luck with your choice. :)
 

Laura

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i have four.. all are rescues.. didnt pay a thing or them.. BUT thier enclosures.... over $1000 has been spent n supplies, not to mention thier heating requirements for winter. heating bills, etc.
my two large guys are in a area 100x 60.
I would just stick to the one for now. Educate yourself,,, which is what we are doing.. Educating you. :)
A 15x15 area is fine for a hatchling, but in a few years, you will be building again. You have a hatchling now, a older rescue would have to be kept seperate due to the size difference.

Quarantine would be needed also. And if someone was going to send you a sick one,,, you would need a Vet. Those arent cheap either...
enjoy the ONE you have.. once you are out of college and settled,, you can decide what more you want to do . I know that sounds like forever... but it will happen.. ;-)
 
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