Sulcata in Los Angeles Backyard, Opinions Welcome

Joew

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A sulcata isn't likely to damage your house. Unless you let it start digging under the foundation, or it starts excessively rubbing on a section of wall in a high traffic area. Still, it will likely turn that yard into a desert wasteland.

I also think a Russian is too small for that situation, but night predators won't be a problem for any tortoise because you will be putting the tortoise in its own heated shelter, regardless of species.

Lots of baby DTs go up for free adoption every year. I'll have some in a few months. If you want to raise a baby DT, we can make that happen. Your yard looks a little damp and shady for a DT, but I think it could work with the right housing. Read this thread for more info on that. This info would also apply to a Russian:

Here is another way to go about this: If your question had been, "Here is my yard. I'm looking for a large personable tortoise that can live back there as an adult. What species would you recommend?"
If that had been your question, and knowing what I know about all the commonly kept tortoise species, the very first tortoise that pops into my head is the South African leopard tortoise that Steve mentioned. As babies, all tortoises need some humidity. As adults, SA leopards do well in dry or damp climates, as long as temps are monitored and controlled, which leads us back to that heated night box. SA leopards are bold and outgoing, totally unafraid, but they don't dig and they are not so destructive. They are a big tortoise at 35-40 pounds, but not SOOOO big that a single able bodied person can't lift and carry them. My 13 year old daughter can carry them back to their night boxes with some effort, and so can my petite wife. With kids around and with the tortoise living loose in the whole yard, I'd feel more comfortable with a larger tortoise. Not too big, but big enough.

I'm north of you in Santa Clarita. Very hot and dry here, and my SA leopards thrive. Down where you are the temperature extremes are less and your irrigated, shady, heavily planted yard, looks like it would also be a great environment for Manouria. These are the Burmese mountain tortoises. Also a fairly large tortoise, but not too large like a sulcata. I love these tortoises, but don't keep them because its too hot and dry up here, but you might consider them. Our own @Yvonne G keeps and breeds these, and can offer more insight into how suitable they would be for your yard.

Here is one example of a tortoise night box that would suit your purposes perfectly. I include this so you'll have an idea of what you'll need in two or three years, if you raise a baby:

I'm glad we are all able to talk about this BEFORE you buy or get your heart set on one species or another. All this conversation will help you to make the best decision for your own personal preferences and living situation. Please feel free to ask for more info. :)
WOW! Thank you so much Tom! I absolutley should have opened this with "Here is my yard. I'm looking for a large personable tortoise that can live back there as an adult. What species would you recommend?" I am going to research South African leopard tortoise, which sounds amazing, do you breed those? I also love the idea of working with you to get a DT if that doesn't work. Santa Clarita is perfect, I'd love to work with you on this if that is possible. ANd yes, I was just reading your other post about a tortoise night box. I will deinitely do that...
 

Maggie3fan

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HA! I wouldn't let you have two unless you were going to house them separately. I'd make you take a trio if you wanted more than one.

Also, just to be clear in case any government agents are reading this thread, I am not breeding DTs. I don't even have any. Some of the people who know me seem to think I have a knack for starting baby tortoises in a healthy way, so they give me their babies from accidental breedings to start and adopt out. Babies are started well and kept hydrated and then I adopt them out to good homes free of any charge. I take no compensation of any kind, other than a "thank you" from the recipients. All recipients are advised to contact CTTC and get their permit ASAP. So please, Johnny Law, don't come knocking at my door. You'll be wasting time for both of us.
Yes Tom. You are 'head-starting' those already hatched tortoises, giving them a better chance to survive. I did that very same thing for Y. That's the biggest thing I have against living in Oregon. I can't have Gopherus tortoises here, no Western Painteds, no RES, no Western Pond Turtles.
I'd almost move back to Calif for 3 Gopherus hatchlings. Seriously, they are the best torts to have, a great size, and all that other stuff I already mentioned. I am hoping the OP will go for Gopherus
 

DesertGirl

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@Tom just gave the definitive reply. He's going to have desert tortoise babies soon. If I lived in Calif I sure would be camping on his doorstep. There is no tort who is a great as a California Desert tort, (Gopherus agassizzi), they are intelligent, personable, funny, affectionate and just super tortoises. They are a perfect size. Don't let this chance to get a desert tortoise baby go by. Tom starts his babies perfectly, and if there was a way for me to have one of his Gopherus babies I'd run to his house and get 2 babies
I’m with Maggie. We have a Sonoran DT and simply adore her. She is super smart, learned how to use a doggie door after showing her once, comes over for tickles, very affectionate, loves climbing and exploring, takes walks on a leash. We are in Vegas. I am envious of your yard but all that lush greenery would burst into flames in about a half hour at my place! Love your patio. Don’t think small = boring. Get a baby from Tom. That’s my vote. Good luck and beat wishes.
 

KronksMom

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Illinois
Maggie is right about the desert torts. If I lived somewhere that I was allowed to have one, I'd be at Tom's door step as well. But if you're looking for a bigger tort, the leopards are hard to match for aesthetics. Other than stars and radiated torts (way more money, potentially more complicated care, more difficult to get as well), they are the most beautiful. Regardless of which direction you go, the fact that you putting so much thought into this gives me a feeling that you'll make a wonderful tortoise parent to whatever type you end up getting.
 

Melissacoop

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@Joew I'm not sure if you read the care sheets yet but a baby sulcata wouldn't be ready to be loose in your backyard for quite a few years and will need to be inside with a closed chamber and uvb lights, heater, etc.
I'm in Florida, and I made the mistake of thinking my baby could live outside right away but quickly learned from this group that they can't.
I commend you for doing all this research prior to acquiring one!
 

tortlvr

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I had ruled out Redfoot and Leopard because I thought they required a high humidity and it is more arid where I live. But there are sprinklers and always shade in back, ferns grow well there - do you think Redfoot or Leopard would do well here?

My thought behind sulcata was that they are suited for the environment, we could raise it from young and watch it grow, and it seems they have confident personalities. But I am open and mostly looking for a tortoise that would naturally do well in my yard. Since posting this, I am less sure about the sulcata. The desert tortoise looks promising, we just wouldn't get to raise it and we won't know the history of the animal.
Any tortoise you plan to raise needs protection from raccoons and would need to be caged or brought inside every night. I learned the hard way. I may have a lead for desert torts hatchlings in Oct. I'm sure there's all sizes available for adoption through your local society. Good luck.
 

tortlvr

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@Tom just gave the definitive reply. He's going to have desert tortoise babies soon. If I lived in Calif I sure would be camping on his doorstep. There is no tort who is a great as a California Desert tort, (Gopherus agassizzi), they are intelligent, personable, funny, affectionate and just super tortoises. They are a perfect size. Don't let this chance to get a desert tortoise baby go by. Tom starts his babies perfectly, and if there was a way for me to have one of his Gopherus babies I'd run to his house and get 2 babies
Tom's closer than my lead. Way to go with all your pre planning.
 

enchilada

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i live in OC. i recommend Radiata. much easier to care. i kept mine outside daily 9 to 5
 

LRacks4

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Hello! We are considering getting a baby sulcata to raise with the kids. We live in Los Angeles, CA. I wanted to share a video of my backyard and get opinions if this is a reasonable space for an adult sulcata to live. He would have free reign, it is fenced all around. I was planning on building a shelter in back corner (or elsewhere if needed).

I don't mind the grass getting eaten up or small bushes plowed, but I have heard mixed feedback on how damaging a sulcata can be. Will it destroy my patio and the outside of my house? Do you think this is a reasonable space and environment for a sulcata to live?

THANK you!

Joe


hi joe

are you getting an already mature or hatchling?
 
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Here comes a difference story of success and love from a sulcata owner...MANY MANY will voice their opinion against my raising my beautiful Dartanian, but i joined this group for information and care and to share and exchange thoughts and ideas with others...so nothing personal to those out there who say it can't or shouldn't be done but i don't raise yours and you don't raise mine and i mean that with all love and respect I've recorded
Received thru the years. But i myself m an urban dweller with magnificent relationship as caretaker to my most AWESOME shell baby. A 6 year old sulcata who's clocking in at about 60 plus pounds easy now and we never had the wonderfully full size yard you are lucky to have. We go for walkies to the park every day and go grazing and hike up on the sunny hills of the sf bay area. We go to the beach beach all the time which he loves. He goes with me to music on the square in the summertime and he digs the warm cement and we kick back under the trees on the grass. He gets to come indoors at night...in fact he can pretty much com come in and out whenever he wants and hunkers down In his house when it's time for him to go bobos. It's a different type lifestyle for us but make it work and we're NOT the only ones doing this in the world. It wasnt life i originally wanted with him but we lost our house in the huge California fires 3 years ago and like many others opted to not be separated from our family pet. So if you've done your HOMEWORK and know what to expect I say GO FOR IT! I knew going into this may be challenges, but for the most part I've always gotten and shared great advice with
my fellow turtle peeps with
my online groups. And it's need been WORTH it to me! Yes...sadly I expect a few negative responses from those who think it can't be done or shouldn't be done but I've got glowing reports from the vet on his care, diet, and beautiful shell condition each time he's gone In for a wellness check up. He's my spoiled with love...not fruit...baby....so in
MY OPINION you have a LOVELY yard to raise little bulldoze bulldozer in. And I'm a little jelly...but we will have a forever house again eventually, and i think it works make a wonderful addition to your family. In the mean time...if anybody in northern California needs any boulders In your yard moved...Dartanian and i are for hire!????
.Screenshot_2020-07-26-23-58-47(1).png
 

Maggie3fan

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Tamihealey5163 Personally, I am also a Sulcata person. Currently, I have 2 male Sulcata. Neither of them look half as good as your Dartanian. Knobby is a rescue, and I got Big Sam as a hatchling from my sister. Gopherus agassizzi are my favorite, I'd have a creep of them. But Sulcata are my other favorite tort, however, as hatchlings they are so fragile that I stopped recommending them to newbie tort keepers. I really am no expert, but fell into operating a small special needs turtle and tortoise rescue, was good at it, and have finally found homes for most of the box turtles, no one but me seems to be alright keeping psychotic, abused, deformed tortoises. I can't pay someone to take either of these guys. I live in the PacificNorthWest now, but am a native Californian. So I have 2 growing male Sulcata living in snow and rain country. As you do, I also make concessions for them. Bigger housing, more lights, probably too small an area for 2 big tortoises but seriously planned out. So much food growing for them. This shed is 20'x12', but my guy is planning out an additional shed, so during the long winter both tortoises would have more pacing room.
This is Knobby, he was found wandering the downtown streets of Portland Oregon about 2 years ago
100_4858.JPG
This guy spends his days looking for trouble to get into, always finds it no matter how carefully I look to fix danger spots for him. I had to close off the best part of his new habitat, he just got into too much trouble there. He freakin bent the pole that makes up the chain link gate and almost made it to freedom. He's a 35 lb tortoise with a 200 pound personality.
 

Yvonne G

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@Joew - Summer before last I went to SoCal and picked up a dozen hatchling desert tortoises from one of the SoCal chapters of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club to help find homes for them. Look at this list: https://tortoise.org/cttc/cttcmore.html and contact the different chapters to see which of them has hatchlings. You may need to wait until September, when they hatch, but there may be a chapter that still has babies from last September.

Desert tortoises don't get as big as sulcatas, but they are awfully personable. Once they realize you're the food god/goddess, you have a friend for life.
 

tgirl23

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I definitely recommend getting a South African leopard from Tom. They are just stunning in color and get to be on the bigger side. I got mine from Tom 2 years ago and I adore it. S/he loves to eat everything. Poe is very personable and you couldnt go with a better breeder. This is her now and she just turned 2. I got her as a hatchling and she just keeps growing and growing.

20200824_114632.jpg
 

method89

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My Leopard is a PB not the majestic beauties PP that Tom has but acts along the same lines. He will dig into to his humid hide, but that is it. He is even a moderately personable tortoise. And excellent at training. I know when and what to feed and at his preferred times!
Thats because you are training "show" torts, lol
 

Joew

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I definitely recommend getting a South African leopard from Tom. They are just stunning in color and get to be on the bigger side. I got mine from Tom 2 years ago and I adore it. S/he loves to eat everything. Poe is very personable and you couldnt go with a better breeder. This is her now and she just turned 2. I got her as a hatchling and she just keeps growing and growing.

View attachment 304433
Wow, what a beautiful tortoise. I have spoken with Tom and he is not expecting new SA Leopard hatchlings until January. May I ask how much yours weighs now and if he is outside year round?

I do understand this differently in terms of a hatchling (which we still want) in that care requirements for a very yourng tortoise are different and change. I see they need to be housed indoors for a couple years at least where they can live in specific conditions in regards to humidity, heat, UV, etc. Then there is a transitional time before really letting them live outdoors all the time (as I understand).

I'm not clear with the Leopard after it is old enough to live outdoors, how much I need to to be worried about humidity, bathing, and pyramiding? If the conditions are all ideal when young, will it be Ok after that? Do I still have to be concerned about severe pyramiding or it getting everything it needs (or will it regulate itself assuming food, water, shade, sun, etc are available)? Thanks!
 

Sue Ann

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chapin , South Carolina
Here comes a difference story of success and love from a sulcata owner...MANY MANY will voice their opinion against my raising my beautiful Dartanian, but i joined this group for information and care and to share and exchange thoughts and ideas with others...so nothing personal to those out there who say it can't or shouldn't be done but i don't raise yours and you don't raise mine and i mean that with all love and respect I've recorded
Received thru the years. But i myself m an urban dweller with magnificent relationship as caretaker to my most AWESOME shell baby. A 6 year old sulcata who's clocking in at about 60 plus pounds easy now and we never had the wonderfully full size yard you are lucky to have. We go for walkies to the park every day and go grazing and hike up on the sunny hills of the sf bay area. We go to the beach beach all the time which he loves. He goes with me to music on the square in the summertime and he digs the warm cement and we kick back under the trees on the grass. He gets to come indoors at night...in fact he can pretty much com come in and out whenever he wants and hunkers down In his house when it's time for him to go bobos. It's a different type lifestyle for us but make it work and we're NOT the only ones doing this in the world. It wasnt life i originally wanted with him but we lost our house in the huge California fires 3 years ago and like many others opted to not be separated from our family pet. So if you've done your HOMEWORK and know what to expect I say GO FOR IT! I knew going into this may be challenges, but for the most part I've always gotten and shared great advice with
my fellow turtle peeps with
my online groups. And it's need been WORTH it to me! Yes...sadly I expect a few negative responses from those who think it can't be done or shouldn't be done but I've got glowing reports from the vet on his care, diet, and beautiful shell condition each time he's gone In for a wellness check up. He's my spoiled with love...not fruit...baby....so in
MY OPINION you have a LOVELY yard to raise little bulldoze bulldozer in. And I'm a little jelly...but we will have a forever house again eventually, and i think it works make a wonderful addition to your family. In the mean time...if anybody in northern California needs any boulders In your yard moved...Dartanian and i are for hire!????
.View attachment 302100
He is beautiful! I had thought sand was bad for them but Dartanian proved me wrong. I have a 15 mo old sully Dexter that I dearly love and have built him a special yard . Wish he was as active as your boy, but he is only 6 pounds
 

Sue Ann

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Messages
436
Location (City and/or State)
chapin , South Carolina
I definitely recommend getting a South African leopard from Tom. They are just stunning in color and get to be on the bigger side. I got mine from Tom 2 years ago and I adore it. S/he loves to eat everything. Poe is very personable and you couldnt go with a better breeder. This is her now and she just turned 2. I got her as a hatchling and she just keeps growing and growing.

View attachment 304433
Stunning shell baby
 

DesertGirl

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Dec 5, 2017
Messages
366
Location (City and/or State)
Fabulous Las Vegas, NV
Here comes a difference story of success and love from a sulcata owner...MANY MANY will voice their opinion against my raising my beautiful Dartanian, but i joined this group for information and care and to share and exchange thoughts and ideas with others...so nothing personal to those out there who say it can't or shouldn't be done but i don't raise yours and you don't raise mine and i mean that with all love and respect I've recorded
Received thru the years. But i myself m an urban dweller with magnificent relationship as caretaker to my most AWESOME shell baby. A 6 year old sulcata who's clocking in at about 60 plus pounds easy now and we never had the wonderfully full size yard you are lucky to have. We go for walkies to the park every day and go grazing and hike up on the sunny hills of the sf bay area. We go to the beach beach all the time which he loves. He goes with me to music on the square in the summertime and he digs the warm cement and we kick back under the trees on the grass. He gets to come indoors at night...in fact he can pretty much com come in and out whenever he wants and hunkers down In his house when it's time for him to go bobos. It's a different type lifestyle for us but make it work and we're NOT the only ones doing this in the world. It wasnt life i originally wanted with him but we lost our house in the huge California fires 3 years ago and like many others opted to not be separated from our family pet. So if you've done your HOMEWORK and know what to expect I say GO FOR IT! I knew going into this may be challenges, but for the most part I've always gotten and shared great advice with
my fellow turtle peeps with
my online groups. And it's need been WORTH it to me! Yes...sadly I expect a few negative responses from those who think it can't be done or shouldn't be done but I've got glowing reports from the vet on his care, diet, and beautiful shell condition each time he's gone In for a wellness check up. He's my spoiled with love...not fruit...baby....so in
MY OPINION you have a LOVELY yard to raise little bulldoze bulldozer in. And I'm a little jelly...but we will have a forever house again eventually, and i think it works make a wonderful addition to your family. In the mean time...if anybody in northern California needs any boulders In your yard moved...Dartanian and i are for hire!????
.View attachment 302100
Any human with half a brain who’s been around animals can identify a happy, healthy animal. Yours looks like one of those!! Love and enjoy him.
 

tgirl23

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2017
Messages
53
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Wow, what a beautiful tortoise. I have spoken with Tom and he is not expecting new SA Leopard hatchlings until January. May I ask how much yours weighs now and if he is outside year round?

I do understand this differently in terms of a hatchling (which we still want) in that care requirements for a very yourng tortoise are different and change. I see they need to be housed indoors for a couple years at least where they can live in specific conditions in regards to humidity, heat, UV, etc. Then there is a transitional time before really letting them live outdoors all the time (as I understand).

I'm not clear with the Leopard after it is old enough to live outdoors, how much I need to to be worried about humidity, bathing, and pyramiding? If the conditions are all ideal when young, will it be Ok after that? Do I still have to be concerned about severe pyramiding or it getting everything it needs (or will it regulate itself assuming food, water, shade, sun, etc are available)? Thanks!

Why thank you! Im not sure how much Poe weighs. I will weigh her tomorrow and let you know. I last weighed her in January and she came in at 1100 grams. She was about a year and 10 months then.

We are in the mist of transitioning her to outside. Its pretty warm out in Southern Cal right now. I live in Riverside so it gets quite hot. I plan on keeping her outside year round now. I am finishing building her heated enclosure this weekend.

I believe after they hit a certain length and have the proper outdoor enclosure than you dont have to worry so much. @Tom would be able to answer all those questions better than me.

Im glad you found this forum. I had no idea S African leopard torts were even an option. Good luck with whatever you choose and feel free to ask any questions.
 
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