Sulcata cage size

[Tweeter066]

I'm new to tortoise forum so I may mess up. But anyway I wanted to get 3-4 maybe 5 Sulcatas but the winter here is cold so how big dose a cage need to be it will be in my basement or a big heated shed outside. Thank you

 

[ICUSleeping]

Why do you need so many...1 is a good number they like being alone anyway...but the cage would have to be very very large

 

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion, the only "messing up" you will be doing is to get more than one sulcata.

Tortoises are NOT herd-type animals. They live alone in the wild, not looking for other tortoises for companionship. They live one to a burrow, and religiously chase any other tortoises out of their territory; sometimes fighting to the death of one of them.

Some people get away with having more than one tortoise at a time, but they also keep them outside in very large pens or maybe even the whole yard/property. It is just not possible to keep peace among tortoises when they are housed indoors.

In answer to your question, ONE sulcata, as a baby, can be kept in a large plastic tote for the first year. After that he will need a lot more space. Something like 4'x8'. And a year later, he'll need to be housed outside in a large pen with plenty of grass and weeds to graze on.

 

[fiveash]

I have three in a outdoor 60 + x 18 and about to add 15 or 20 feet to the 60. T
I have walls splitting the enclosure into 3 if needed but open where they can roam the entire enclosure. They get along fine but they have plenty of room. The two males both sleep in my 4 x 8 shed I built for them no problem. If you want more than one you ll need a huge area and its up to the animals if they get along. Everyone of them have different personalities. Good luck

Sent from my SPH-L900 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Tweeter066]

I did not ask care or anything I know that I was just asking the size nothing else

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Thank you fiveash

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And buy messing up I meant not doing something right on this site

 

[JoesMum]

I did not ask care or anything I know that I was just asking the size nothing else

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Thank you fiveash

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And we are telling you that unless you have space for a very large outdoor enclosure then you should have no more than one. By very large, I mean a field.

A single sulcata grows very large indeed. They are not indoor tortoises. You need space and the weather... To keep them outdoors.

 

[Tweeter066]

I know

 

[erica anne]

I also wish that I could have multiple Sulcata's. I get so much enjoyment out of the one I have! After doing some research though I have decided that it is not worth taking the risk. I would hate for one to get hurt as a result of stress or aggression or be forced to give one away

 

[Yvonne G]

I apologize if you thought I was being rude. However, I DID answer your question about the size of container for a sulcata.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Seems to me the motivation here is to have a creep of tortoises of the larger species. Sulcatas are not the breed to do this with. Save your money and get yourself aldabra or Galapagos tortoises. There is fantasy land and the real world. Do it right or don't do it at all.

 

[JayTyler]

Wow people can't ask a question without getting a bunch of RUDE people and their opinions! But to answer ur question, but I think ur basement would be to small. Good luck!

 

[Kathy Coles]

I only have one "little" red foot but I know I have seen heart breaking forum threads from some who had to part with their adult. Because they started fighting (biting flesh off) when they got mature. You really can't sex the little ones. I'm just sharing what looked like a big regret in that keeper's life, having to part with his tortoise that he had for years.

 

[Annaliisas]

Seems to me the motivation here is to have a creep of tortoises of the larger species. Sulcatas are not the breed to do this with. Save your money and get yourself aldabra or Galapagos tortoises. There is fantasy land and the real world. Do it right or don't do it at all.

 

[Tom]

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. They aren't going to drop dead if you put them in a 3' square, but obviously that would be too small for most people's liking. Not too many people have a half acre indoors in the winter, but most people will agree that that would be a nice size for a group of five adults. The question is really what are you comfortable with, and how small can you go before it starts affecting the health and well being of the tortoises.

Personally, I don't like to see large active tortoises cooped up in relatively small enclosures over long frozen winters. If I lived somewhere like that, I wouldn't keep sulcatas. There are smaller species that would be much better suited to a basement size enclosure.

We could give better advice if we knew where you lived to. This would tell us if an outdoor shed attached to a large outdoor enclosure might work over winter. If we are talking snow for months at a time, then it probably won't.