Sulcata in Nebraska, free range in my house

[Smiles]

Hello,

I am new to the tortoise ownership world, I acquired a sulcata about 3 months ago, pretty sure it is a girl, and the vet says she seems healthy. we think she is about 5-6 years old. But I would like opinions.

I live in Omaha, NE it gets cold, so she has to live in the house 1/3-1/2 of the year. because of how big she is going to get, we decided to just let her have free range of our living room and kitchen. I feed her a lot of greens, she won't eat hay. I have a UVB light and a heat lamp set up next to her food and kennel. We take her outside as often as possible. And she is soaked for 30 minutes twice a week, and as water available always but doesn't seem to drink it.

It has begun to get very cold out so she can't go outside, she is becoming less active and interactive but is eating well, urinating and defecating

so I have two questions:
1. Anyone have a reason why free range would actually be bad for her.
2. Do you think there is something wrong with her or is it because she is getting too cold?

thank you for your opinions.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Free range is dangerous for the tort. Could eat something that will make her sick, get stepped on, and too cold on the floor. The coldest place in a room is the floor. Heat rises and if you got a temp gun, you would see how much colder it is on the floor. They need a proper enclosure they can feel and be safe in. We have seen it before on here the things that happen when torts are left to roam a house. Besides the fact it's not natural for them to walk on carpets or wood/tile/etc floors and the slippery flooring is not good for the growth of their legs and bones.

 

[Smiles]

Unfortunetly there is no other option in the winter months for her, my house is not big enough to give her an enclosure the size she needs. I could get rid of a kid but they are the ones that will have to care for her when I die, so that's not a good idea either, not to mention that is frowned upon.

I guess I felt the free roam was better than this tiny horrible cage. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[wellington]

Unfortunately a cage that is too small is not any good or healthy either. If you could dedicate a room to just her, with the proper temps, lay down plastic so you can then lay down proper substrate, etc the danger of her eating things she is. It suppose to would be taken care of. With a couple heat lights or a portable heater, the heat should be taken care of if done properly so the floor is warm.
Otherwise, a creative enclosure that is big enough will have to be invented. Maybe an L shaped or a two story. However, unless you have a garage that can be insulated and heated to house her when she gets really big, I'm not sure what your going to do. Good luck, she really needs proper space and temps to grow properly and live long.

 

[Tom]

Post pics and we can give you guesstimates of age and sex. Show us the anal scutes and tail for sexing.

 

[Tom]

I guess I felt the free roam was better than this tiny horrible cage. Maybe I am wrong.

Free roaming often leads to death, illness or injury.

Tiny horrible cages are not good, but a little cramped is better than sick injured or dead.

The obvious solution is a well designed, large enclosure with the proper temps and lighting for this warm weather species. What size is your sulcata?

 

[Alaskamike]

You have a difficult situation for sure. I have several suggestions
- it sounds like this is what you need to do for now , so heat will be your biggest challenge. Most folks do not keep there house at the temps healthy for a sulcata. They cannot properly digest food until their internal temp reaches 80f.
- tortoises need a place to hide & feel secure. This is true no matter the age / size
- there are dangers like electric cords , things dropped on the floor , and getting stepped on in a house.
- the surface is hard. I am assuming you have wood or tile floors - cleaning up poop / pee off carpet would be more than I could handle.

So .....
1. If you created a heated hide he would be much happier so and healthy. A dog house type thing, no matter how you make it , would give him a place to go. You could make this out of wood. Or get one pre made. He needs a door to go in. Cover the door with strips of plastic ( like they use for freezers ).
2. He needs it warm in there. A pig blanket ( you can order on line or get from a farm store ) would work on the floor of his hide. Try to keep it 80-85f in there.
3. I don't know what you use as a water dish , but a terra cotta plant saucer has low sides and would be easier to drink out of than a bowl.
4. Houses have low humidity. Especially in winter when we heat them. This can dry out the caprice and cause pyramiding. If you rub extra virgin coconut oil on his shell several times a week it helps keep moisture from escaping the caprice and will reduce the drying effect.
5. Be extra viligent about things on the floor. Torts have been known to eat socks, coins, even plastic toys. Causes intestinal blockage.

Good fortune with him. Raising a sulcata has challenges in cold climates. But many people are doing it. Welcome to the forum.
& BTW , he will still need a sunlight replacement, so you can set the UVB up beside his house where he sits and eats.

I hope you stay active here. Lots of good information and help. Don't get discouraged !

 

[Yvonne G]

One of our moderators lives in Nebraska - @Jacqui - and she has a couple of sulcatas.

I applaud you for realizing that a sulcata needs a lot of space. The problem is how to SAFELY give it to him. Take a look through our enclosure section. Maybe you'll get some good ideas.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome , it is a challenge but as others have shown it can be done !

 

[Jacqui]

*waves* Your just under 2.5 hours away from me, so we are neighbors. Hi and welcome.

How big is she?

 

[mike taylor]

Man you guys must have big yards in Nebraska ! 2.5 hour away neighbors ! No wonder you guys are truck drivers !

 

[Jodie]

I like Alaskamike's post a lot. I think this is a very realistic, decent option for your situation. I also have been up against getting rid of kids for tortoise space. Lol. My last is a senior this year, so the tortoises are now winning. Make sure the area she can roam in is tortoise proof. They will eat all kinds of things. Recently there was a post, a member was trying to make sure the sock her Sulcata ate passed ok. These things, if not passed can cause impactation and really expensive surgery or death.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[AnimalLady]

Hello and welcome!

WE LOVE PICS HERE! Post when you can

 

[Smiles]

You have a difficult situation for sure. I have several suggestions
- it sounds like this is what you need to do for now , so heat will be your biggest challenge. Most folks do not keep there house at the temps healthy for a sulcata. They cannot properly digest food until their internal temp reaches 80f.
- tortoises need a place to hide & feel secure. This is true no matter the age / size
- there are dangers like electric cords , things dropped on the floor , and getting stepped on in a house.
- the surface is hard. I am assuming you have wood or tile floors - cleaning up poop / pee off carpet would be more than I could handle.

So .....
1. If you created a heated hide he would be much happier so and healthy. A dog house type thing, no matter how you make it , would give him a place to go. You could make this out of wood. Or get one pre made. He needs a door to go in. Cover the door with strips of plastic ( like they use for freezers ).
2. He needs it warm in there. A pig blanket ( you can order on line or get from a farm store ) would work on the floor of his hide. Try to keep it 80-85f in there.
3. I don't know what you use as a water dish , but a terra cotta plant saucer has low sides and would be easier to drink out of than a bowl.
4. Houses have low humidity. Especially in winter when we heat them. This can dry out the caprice and cause pyramiding. If you rub extra virgin coconut oil on his shell several times a week it helps keep moisture from escaping the caprice and will reduce the drying effect.
5. Be extra viligent about things on the floor. Torts have been known to eat socks, coins, even plastic toys. Causes intestinal blockage.


THANK YOU!

I really appreciate your recommendations, so here is the set up:
her "Den" is a dog kennel and she seems to like it, she puts herself to bed in it every night (sometimes she takes my little dogs kennel, which he does not appreciate). She is set up in our kitchen somewhat under the kitchen table, I have a heat lamp and UVB light that hang from the table they are on a timer 12hours on/off and shine on the area of her food. Every morning I wake her up and put her under the lights to warm up, about an hour later she eats. My house is a Tri level so I have a lot of stairs (which she avoids). the living room and kitchen are on the same level and she only has access to them, I have all wood floors so any "messes" are easy to clean up. Typically the only things on the floor are shoes, the kids are pretty good at keeping things off of the floor, they are older elementary ages.

I put paper down under her food plates. She typically urinates and defecates around her food so I rarely have a mess to clean up anywhere else.

I tend to keep a humid house, our heater has a humidifier attached (not uncommon around here) and we run a humidifier additionally in the winter anyways. This will be our first winter together, She is a good size about 11" x 9" so we don't step on her, my husband has tripped over her but he is learning.

For the water dish I have a ramped "Bowl" that was given to me, that I have seen her literally walk over, There is also the main water bowl for my dogs and cats, but she doesn't seem to drink ever. I soak her in warm water every Sunday and Wednesday for 30 minutes (I even change the water midway if it gets cool) in the evening.

I know there has been a lot of concern about dogs- I have 2 - 1 big and 1 little, they are kenneled when no one is home. My cats- they don't care.

She won't eat hay or tortoise pellets (at least I am pretty sure the dogs are the ones eating the pellets) I feed her Fresh Greens- collard, mustard, and turnip, are the staple I try to mix in watercrest (when I can find it), kale (occas), spinach (occas). Squashes, red & green peppers and occasionally fruit- she loves grapes but we have to be careful cause that will kill the dogs.
I have thought about giving her Onions but I am a little nervous I know they are toxic to dogs (lethal) so I haven't, Avocados are toxic to birds so I am gun shy to offer her that either.

This is a wonderful forum and am really glad for all the input. When my children and I took her in we didn't do so lightly we know this is long term and I am hoping that within the next few years we will move and then maybe she could have her own room. But the advantages to her free roam, she gets attention all the time.

 

[Smiles]

 

[Tom]

Wow. All you need is a sand box and an unfenced pool and you will have every common tortoise killer all in one place.

You are making a mistake by housing your tortoise this way. Please read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/warning-another-avoidable-death.128730/#post-1200902

Or the one about the member who accidentally squashed her tortoise's head in the door. Or the one about the member whose free-ranging tortoise swallowed a 2" sewing pin.

If you could see, ear and smell just one surgery to open up a tortoise and remove a foreign body, you wouldn't do this.

People tripping over tortoise is how they get broken legs. Seen many X-rays of this too.

Not to many splayed legs from the slick floor, respiratory infections because its too cold on the floor…

Do a search for tortoises and dogs here on the forum. Look at all the pics of tortoise that were chewed up by dogs. All of those people thought their dogs were fine with their tortoises. All of them were careful and no one thought their loving family dog would maul their tortoise.

I can't make people do anything. All I can do is share the info and hope they make the right choice. One way or another, you will learn what I already know in time.

Good luck.

 

[Lyn W]

My leopard has his own room so although he has plenty of space and everything he needs in the way of uvb heat, substrate a humid hide and so on; he is still confined to a warm safe place, without the hazards of the rest of the house.
There are other members who have posted pics about how they have set up warm winter accommodation in basements etc, for larger torts.

 

[Smiles]

Wow. All you need is a sand box and an unfenced pool and you will have every common tortoise killer all in one place.

You are making a mistake by housing your tortoise this way. Please read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/warning-another-avoidable-death.128730/#post-1200902

Or the one about the member who accidentally squashed her tortoise's head in the door. Or the one about the member whose free-ranging tortoise swallowed a 2" sewing pin.

If you could see, ear and smell just one surgery to open up a tortoise and remove a foreign body, you wouldn't do this.

People tripping over tortoise is how they get broken legs. Seen many X-rays of this too.

Not to many splayed legs from the slick floor, respiratory infections because its too cold on the floor…

Do a search for tortoises and dogs here on the forum. Look at all the pics of tortoise that were chewed up by dogs. All of those people thought their dogs were fine with their tortoises. All of them were careful and no one thought their loving family dog would maul their tortoise.

I can't make people do anything. All I can do is share the info and hope they make the right choice. One way or another, you will learn what I already know in time.

Good luck.

WOW, TOM

I have to say your an ***, and I am over this forum, I acquired this tortoise from people that didn't want to take care of her and from what I have read there is a huge over population issue, so if people would stop breeding them then maybe I wouldn't have even ended up with her and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Bad things happen every day all the time, I have seen surgeries on tortoises and turtles and birds and dogs and cats because of people being stupid and for not caring. I AM A LICENSED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN AND HAVE BEEN FOR 20 YEARS! I know I am not an expert but at least I am willing to learn.

Unless you are going to personally take in all of these unwanted sulcatas then maybe you should try to be more understanding. And really that goes for all of those on here that think I am this horrible person. GOOD BYE!

 

[Tom]

I AM A LICENSED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN AND HAVE BEEN FOR 20 YEARS!

This is EXACTLY why you should know better!