SULCATA BREEDING HELP PLEASE

[goReptiles]

love doesn't mean that one should breed. market is already saturated with sulcattas, that's why they're so cheap. They're not cared for, they're tossed away. Kind of like green iguanas. People get them because they're small and cute, but when they start to get big, they're done with them. It's pretty selfish to breed bc you love them and bc you're the turtleman or whatever.

If you are absolutely h*** bent on breeding and incubating, check out anapsid for a start:
http://www.anapsid.org/sulcata.html

By the way, it's generally best to know what you're doing before you do it.

 

[TortieGal]

Just my thoughts, I can understand wanting to breed I think it would be a lot of fun, maybe you could get a smaller type of tortoise that are much easier for people to care for and find homes for. They would be just as cute and fun, there are many cool breeds to choose from. What ever you do I hope all goes well and please keep us posted.

 

[Laura]

Paul, Is there an Update? Did your tort ever lay?

 

[kbaker]

imo. I say leave it to the experienced.

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If the 'experienced' had forums back then with the posts from this thread, there would not be any 'experienced' tortoise keepers. Can no one be an 'experienced' tortoise keeper anymore??

I grew up wanting to have certain reptiles for pets. By the time I was old enough and could afford them, many of them are not attainable or over bred. So, is everyone saying "tortoise lover" was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time????

This thread is old, but I hope "tortoise lover" has not stayed away.

From my experience, my sulcatas bred at about the same age and size. First year I received five clutches of 18 eggs each. Three were fertile and two hatched. The second year I received five clutches of 12 eggs each. I have not done the math, but I have a much higher fertility rate the second year. 10 have hatched and at least as many look good to hatch. I had about a half dozen stop developing and die.

As for an incubator, it never seems ready when the eggs show up. I have a 2'X2'X4' cage I build converted to an incubator. Whether you buy or make one, get one. I have only incubated 3-toed box turtles and sulcatas eggs. They are two very different eggs. What you do is up to you and what works for you. You can incubate from 84F to 88F. You can lower your temps at night. You can use sand, sand & moss, vemiculite, perlite....
If you get good strong eggs, you can make some mistakes. If you get bad/weak eggs, opening the incubator will kill them.

So to sum up...if you are a tortoise lover, you have some knowledge of the options. Pick something and do it. If it's wrong or not quite right, change it next time.

Good Luck and enjoy the ride!!

PS - May all your hatchlings find good homes.
(I think I will make this my signature!)

 

[janiedough]

I don't agree with what he is doing either, but it seems he is going to do it anyways so I think we need to make sure he feels welcome enough to stay and get help.

I'm with Maggie - if you don't care about money or whatever then smash the eggs.

There aren't a lot of sulcatas here either because people kill them


But if you do plan on hatching them for whatever reason then I'm sure some one here will help you.

Good Luck and I hope you change your mind

 

[egyptiandan]

Jacqui has already warned everyone

Please stay on topic of how to incubate eggs.

Any more off topic posts will be deleted.

Be one with the force Luke

Myself and Santa have your numbers and a coal mine in Pennsylvania

Danny

 

[murdocjunior]

nO still no update because she never laid eggs i think she still young do yall think shes ready? She about 15" and the male is 20"

 

[egyptiandan]

I do believe 15 inches is large enough for her to lay eggs.

Danny

 

[Shelly]

tHank yall for yall help but im from texas and where im from not much people have sulcatas and lots of people really understand what tbey are and to care fpr them since

Well, since yall are from Texas, yall should just go ahead and start yall self a dadgum Sulcata factory.

 

[Dane]

Thanks be ta God, Shelly!

 

[Tom]

My two males mounted my female for several years before anything happened. Just because the male is up there doing his thing, doesn't mean you've got babies coming. It might take years. She just laid eggs for the first time last January. There were only three and they were all infertile. This year she laid seven and I'm seeing some cosmetic changes in the eggs, so they MIGHT be fertile this year. If I get babies they will be part of my pyramiding experiment.