Sulcatas and Puppys. Plus STRAY CATS.

[zoidberg815]

Ok ok ok, so I was wondering and seen some videos on youtube of how to house sulcatas outside, and what to do and what not to do. But this is the coolest one of them all, how tortoises like the sulcata get to be friends with bearded dragons, puppies/dogs, and more.

I was scared of the danger of stray cats and squirrels/possums/rat. Where I live in Southern California we have seen almost everything. There is squirrels, we once found a baby possum, and obviously mice/rats, and lots of bugs, BUT THE BIGGEST DANGER OF ALL is stray cats. I was wondering if I train my puppy now with my future tortoise either sulcata, leopard or w/e still haven't decided yet will they defend each other and play with each other. Well in my neighborhood this one stupid old lady who I should report is feeding stray cats and allows them to live here happily in a suburb of all places where people buy houses to get away from rats, mice and rodents yet people do this, bad idea since they will stick around my neighborhood and hurt other animals due to hunger, and themselves in the process, and another thing about me is that I don't like cats, I don't hate them just don't like them as pets. I never disliked cats just as pets, but when they attacked my birds and try to eat them then it's a issue. Btw I am not getting my sulcata or leopard until I am ready and have it's habitat ready, and when I am ready to take on such an obligation I mean I already have pets and have to go over what I buy with my parents, but I am for sure researching a probably going to get one. No disrespect to cat lovers, but those are wild and untame. Bad kitty, hahah. So yeah just wanted to know if my puppy will get along and will they protect themselves from predators if left outside to graze/play?


Below is a picture of Mojo my wtf dog I bought for 25 bucks at a yardsale and the kid said he was a chiuaua puppy. Idk what breed he is and I didn't care, I just bought him on impulse. I felt like the little girl from despicable me, "It's SO FLUFFY!!!"

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Alvaro:

You always take a chance when you put dogs and tortoises together. Yes, there is that one in a million dog who acts as the protector towards the tortoise, but that's not the norm.

However, having a dog in the vicinity of a tortoise IS a deterrent for the predators. Predators usually come at night (not counting birds), and your tortoise is usually in his house at night. So a safe night house is a good thing.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Ok ok ok, so I was wondering and seen some videos on youtube of how to house sulcatas outside, and what to do and what not to do. But this is the coolest one of them all, how tortoises like the sulcata get to be friends with bearded dragons, puppies/dogs, and more.

I was scared of the danger of stray cats and squirrels/possums/rat. Where I live in Southern California we have seen almost everything. There is squirrels, we once found a baby possum, and obviously mice/rats, and lots of bugs, BUT THE BIGGEST DANGER OF ALL is stray cats. I was wondering if I train my puppy now with my future tortoise either sulcata, leopard or w/e still haven't decided yet will they defend each other and play with each other. Well in my neighborhood this one stupid old lady who I should report is feeding stray cats and allows them to live here happily in a suburb of all places where people buy houses to get away from rats, mice and rodents yet people do this, bad idea since they will stick around my neighborhood and hurt other animals due to hunger, and themselves in the process, and another thing about me is that I don't like cats, I don't hate them just don't like them as pets. I never disliked cats just as pets, but when they attacked my birds and try to eat them then it's a issue. Btw I am not getting my sulcata or leopard until I am ready and have it's habitat ready, and when I am ready to take on such an obligation I mean I already have pets and have to go over what I buy with my parents, but I am for sure researching a probably going to get one. No disrespect to cat lovers, but those are wild and untame. Bad kitty, hahah. So yeah just wanted to know if my puppy will get along and will they protect themselves from predators if left outside to graze/play?


Below is a picture of Mojo my wtf dog I bought for 25 bucks at a yardsale and the kid said he was a chiuaua puppy. Idk what breed he is and I didn't care, I just bought him on impulse. I felt like the little girl from despicable me, "It's SO FLUFFY!!!"

Mojo appears to be a very rare Peruvian Hamster Hound...this is a breed developed (obviously) for the sport of hunting Peruvian hamsters...otoh, the folks who developed the breed didn't realize that the nearest wild hamsters were in Syria...

That accounts for the rareness, I'm guessing...

Here's my wife's Long-hair Peruvian Hamster Hound (RIP):

This would better help with your stray cat issues, but you'll need a larger enclosure for your tortoise and "Snowball" to share:

 

[Laura]

make sure that lady who feeds the cats get eucateded about spaying and neutering them at least. TNR= Trap Neuter Release.
Cats are predators.. so they go after birds.. its not thier fault. bird owners need to protect thier pets.. Dogs are predators too and love to chew on things.. Rawhide etc... so.. DO NOT put your dog of any size with your tortoise.
Since you are still living at home and need your parents ok... are they ok with a sulcata destrying the back yard? will they care for it when you are away at college? it can live in a apt once they grow... so are you prepared for the future care of it?
Dont do the Impulse buy with a tortoise. Spend time here reading and learning First. There is a lot to know before you own. The set ups and equipment to get started can be expensive...ad Vet bills to that and a lot of people are overwhlemed.

 

[Jacqui]

Hmmm "...one stupid old lady who I should report is feeding stray cats and..." are you talking about ME? *reads back a bit, "Where I live in Southern California.." Oh, I guess not. I openly admit I am one of those old ladies who feeds any cat that shows up. I believe currently the population is around 25 out there. More appear once it gets cold. Last winter was more around 40 cats I was feeding. I also have a few pet house cats. My experience in all the years of having both tortoises and cats (including the feral ones), I have not had a cat injure one. Sure they sometimes have taken playful swipes at them, but no claws. The cats have always thought the tortoises had the best sleeping places around, so it was not uncommon to see them sleeping with tortoises. Inside the danger was more the fire danger when mixing cats and lights. Plus the nasty habit of wanting to use the substrate as litter. Inside enclosures all have to have covers in my house because of the cats.

I also have dogs inside and outside. I have not had a dog who bothered a live tortoise, but I also don't allow them the chance to be together. I did have a very very old collie who never chewed anything, until the day she found the two empty snapper shells under the tree. Then she made beelines every day to them, until she had chewed them all up.

I do think my two dogs that stay out at night (the coonhound and the GP/chow) help to keep away some of the nighttime predators. All those wild cats may also help keep away those daytime predators, right down to the tiny little wren who may be making snacks out of my hatchlings. Birds can be as bad as cats, do not fool yourself into thinking other wise.

Any tortoise outside needs some protection. The smaller the tortoise the more protection it needs, day and night.

 

[ascott]

Where I live I have not seen a cat (at all) in the entire 7 years living here....which I had not even realized until a couple of weeks ago when in three days I saw three cats (one on my property now three times) which I am not thrilled about because I am the crazy lady that feeds all the sparrows/finch/hummingbirds in the immediate area LOL...but I am a person that believes in the natural course of life and just give a little hope that the birds take caution...but the cat is out at night and the birds in the day...so a little balance there.

I have one of my dogs that when he was a baby he laid in my office where I use to work and where I kept one of my Ca Desert Tortoises (he had door to come in and out to a private sun patio) on that day a coworker was taking him to the pound and I refused to let him take him, so I did, well he came into the office and barked at me (because he did not know me, silly thing) and ran over next to Humphry (tortoise) sniffed him and curled up next to him and went to sleep....so since then he has been gentle and awesome...he also likes to be outside at night so I know his movement deters undesired pests (cats, dogs, ravens and the like) while I trust him I would never "trust" a dog/tortoise left alone for hours mix...just instinct so to speak... now I have a female dog that is crazy and is a hunter by nature and when she is able to see one of the tortoises she goes crazy but can not get to them...so night and day.

Terry, is Snowball yours? or a stock photo somewhere?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Terry, is Snowball yours? or a stock photo somewhere?

I wish, but just a cool pic I found on the 'Net...considering my darling wife will (and does ) freak out over tiny lizards, a 10-foot bull 'gator might just finish her heart, once and for all!

You should see her around Bob-zilla, my 3' rhinocerous iguana, who is forever banished to my barn/office space...she came in right after I got him (but before I warned her that he now lived here), and you could've heard her scream for quite a distance!

One of Tom's monitors would have a similar effect, as will ANY-sized spider.

 

[ascott]

Very funny Terry....I was so jealous and was going to ask what mountain did you have to move to get a permit for "Snowball"