Weird question

[swatsx]

What is a sulcatas poop like? And can they be litter trained

 

[Yvonne G]

Bwa..ha..ha..ha! Sorry - pardon my rudeness.

As anyone with a large sulcata will tell you, sulcata poop is huge! Think torpedo. And they don't just poop out one log at a time. Each bowel movement contains about 3 or 4 torpedos. My Dudley (110lb sulcata) poops out a torpedo about 8" long and about 3" around. And, no, you cannot litter train them. But they do tend to poop quite a bit inside their house or under the bush they rest under.

 

[Wewt]

My tortoise poops, like Yvonne G said, quite a bit!

I live with my tortoise in my house, walking around like a dog might. He's not litter trained, and so I go through a lot of paper towels. In the winter when he is on his mostly hay diet his poops are really nice and barely leave a mark on the floor, but during the summer with all the fresh grass he gets it's like I'm swimming in tort poo and pee.

8(

My mom had him trained to only go on his mat while he stayed with her when I was moving, but I think that was just a coincidence of where he was when the need arose.

 

[swatsx]

That's the reason I ask is I want him in my basement free ish in the winter so I just want to know if I am going to have poo like Jurassic park

 

[Wewt]

How big is your tort?

He definitely will just poop and pee wherever he is when the need arises, but it depends on his diet and his size. In the winter mine lives mostly on hay and so the poop is not too difficult to clean up. When the poop is wet, and if it's been there a while, it can be super difficult to clean up.

My poop cleaning regime usually involves paper towel and a floor steamer. When the poop is dried on I have a heavy-duty scrub brush and I use regular soap.

If you have carpet in your basement I would advise against free roaming. If you don't, then have at it! Just make sure of the following:
- All CORDS or things that can get wrapped around his neck must be out of reach or taped to a wall (with packing tape, not scotch tape). Sulcatas are like toddlers who have just learned to walk- they get into everything and don't know any better.
- Make sure that he has somewhere to sleep that is warm, but dark and feels like a cave. My little guy has a heating pad ($5 at the drug store) under a bath mat in his corner, and I cover him up with a blanket. You can use a cardboard box with a towel in the end for him to "dig" in.
- Make sure he knows where his basking light is, and move him under it a few times a day until he learns to get there by himself.
- Help fight boredom by hiding carrots, greens, and hay in different spots.

Other than that, you should be fine. If you have any other questions about living with your tort free roaming in your house, let me know! Mine's been living like this for two years now.

 

[swatsx]

No tort yet, just trying to learn and prep for the future, cement floor, then tile in other spots

 

[Wewt]

Cement might be a little cool. If you are doing tile floors maybe you should consider putting in heated flooring! It's awesome, and torts love it. I had heated tile in my bathroom in the last place I lived, and my tort would sleep in there. Super cute to see them all sprawled out on the warm floor when they sleep. <3

I'm glad you are doing research before getting your tort! I asked the person I bought my tort from if he would be okay in a 600 sq. ft. condo, and she said yes... *eye roll* we made it through. Somehow we made it through.

 

[Tom]

My 80 pound sulcatas leave piles bigger than my 140 pound great dane.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Mine poop a lot too but never inside there house.its like huge and a lot ...lol

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

Yeah they poop more then my dog as well

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

No tort yet, just trying to learn and prep for the future, cement floor, then tile in other spots

How long is your winter? If your basement is cold and damp your tortoise will get sick down there. I kept a 50 pound sulcata in my basement but I kept him in a wooden enclosure and the floor was lined with a heavy duty tarp and covered with bags of substrate. In addition I used three heat lamps in various area's and two CHE's above his hide so he would be warm when slept. I also ran a hot air humidifier because he would start to look dry after awhile. Keeping a sulcata in a basement in the winter is a lot of work but it can work. I hope your winters are shorter than mine!!

 

[VladimirPDX]

Haha!!! I'm glad you asked this question! When I told my husband I wanted a giant tortoise, that was the first question out of his mouth!

 

[yazzy1012]

My 120 pound Henry leaves about 6-8 huge logs every single day and also usually urinates the normal whitish substance once every other day. They are huge and will go wherever they want to whenever they want to. Definitely agree that a lot of the bowel movements are performed in his sleeping hole. Makes difficult to clean it up.

 

[Wewt]

My 120 pound Henry leaves about 6-8 huge logs every single day and also usually urinates the normal whitish substance once every other day. They are huge and will go wherever they want to whenever they want to. Definitely agree that a lot of the bowel movements are performed in his sleeping hole. Makes difficult to clean it up.

My tort sleeps on a bath mat, so when he leaves his sleep-poops I can just shake the solids into the garbage, hose it down, and then wash it in the washing machine.

It's the walking around peeing and pooping that bothers me.

 

[Haira32]

The first few days I had my baby, I was worried because he hasn't pooped. Then it came. Even my little hatchling is a monster pooper. Ah the joys of pet parenthood.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Hilarious


Sandy in Oregon
.....................................................
Schlomo the rescue Sulcata
Dexter and Lola (Basenjis)
Sent from my iPad using TortForum mobile app

 

[TerriTurtle]

This thread has got me thinking... Is tortoise poop a good fertilizer? If they are pooping copious amounts in the front yard, is this actually good for the grass? Does their pee tend to kill the grass?[/align]

 

[thereptileenthusiast]

This thread is missing something...ah yes, pics.
These are the leavings of a 16" relative baby. A size 10 flip flop is included for perspective.

This is actually a smaller poo, I have been feeding a lot of cactus recently. The pure grass and weeds tortie poos resemble horse or cow manure and are much larger.
What kind of walls does your basement have? If there is drywall you would need to reinforce with thick plywood around the base, as they can ram through drywall like nothing. A basement might work out for a few years while he is growing up, but moving a 150-250 lber up and down stairs might prove difficult.

---

This thread has got me thinking... Is tortoise poop a good fertilizer? If they are pooping copious amounts in the front yard, is this actually good for the grass? Does their pee tend to kill the grass?[/align]

It makes great fertilizer. I put dry, partially decomposed pellets on all of my citrus and tropical fruit trees. They act as a slow release fertilizer. When left in the enclosure it decomposes and becomes fertilizer. It doesn't seem to burn the grass like some fresh manure can. I also collect some and put it in a large black plastic pot like the ones they sell young trees in. If covered with a little soil, it will convert to a very fertile soil that can be added to vegetable or flower gardens.

 

[OCTortoiseGuy]

Here is a link to an news letter from Orange County California Turtle and Tortoise Club about turning tortoise poop into fertilizer.

This thread has got me thinking... Is tortoise poop a good fertilizer? If they are pooping copious amounts in the front yard, is this actually good for the grass? Does their pee tend to kill the grass?[/align]