Where to get a healthy baby sulcata?

[Jtglack]

Hello, I am looking at getting a baby sulcata tortoise, and no this will not be my first tortoise, but I was looking at other forms and one cought my eye against tortoise town, so where should I look?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Hello, I am looking at getting a baby sulcata tortoise, and no this will not be my first tortoise, but I was looking at other forms and one cought my eye against tortoise town, so where should I look?

@Tom @Markw84 @Lancecham

 

[pokeyncrusher]

We live in Pittsburgh PA. We have a local reptile show, lots of reputable vendors. But here are some reputable vendors, I know some are online. https://www.pghreptileshow.com/vendorlist.htm. This is a Facebook group for ANYONE, not just Pennsylvania, they could give you direction. search Facebook—Reptiles & Exotic Pets - Western PA, Reptile supplies Buy Sell Trade NJ, PA, NY, DE.————If you go to Facebook, search https://www.facebook.com/search/gro...ZiRPB5ZjVz_iEjQkYyIgp9q4zElKNl7w31-io———there are rehoming and very reputable reptile organizations. I would start with one of these, I know some of the first ones In this list can help find a REPUTABLE seller. Just ask, for your location, our reptile show here has been around since 1989, very very good people.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

I have eggs in the incubator

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Lots of people sell babies but few start them correctly look at the how to start babies thread in the sulcata section and try to find a breeder that starts there babies that way. If babies are not stated correctly many die.

 

[Tom]

We live in Pittsburgh PA. We have a local reptile show, lots of reputable vendors. But here are some reputable vendors, I know some are online. https://www.pghreptileshow.com/vendorlist.htm. This is a Facebook group for ANYONE, not just Pennsylvania, they could give you direction. search Facebook—Reptiles & Exotic Pets - Western PA, Reptile supplies Buy Sell Trade NJ, PA, NY, DE.————If you go to Facebook, search https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=reptile sale groups&f=AboXs8vrlAOiMmxYmLFQNrn6IBDo26eLsq5-ZorEsjYLMcXrFTBG3QvCvg7b3Q6Oz9hmEEDzRlVDhyZuFeuUl3nKM9p5JKZiRPB5ZjVz_iEjQkYyIgp9q4zElKNl7w31-io———there are rehoming and very reputable reptile organizations. I would start with one of these, I know some of the first ones In this list can help find a REPUTABLE seller. Just ask, for your location, our reptile show here has been around since 1989, very very good people.

There is no one in PA and no one on FB that is starting babies even remotely correctly. I'm not saying this to be insulting or start a fight, but this is a fact. There is hardly anyone in the entire world that starts baby sulcatas correctly. Almost everyone, including breeders, vets, "reptile experts", sellers, and book authors still thinks this is a desert species that needs dry conditions. This is universal out in the tortoise community, and it kills a large percentage of the babies that hatch annually.

Before you retort, please take a few minutes to read these threads and understand what I'm talking about. I'm happy to converse about it afterward.

"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"

I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...

tortoiseforum.org

How To Incubate Eggs And Start Hatchlings

I put my eggs in a plastic shoe box with a lid on it and put the shoe box in the incubator. You can drill a couple of very small holes around the top of the container, but not on the lid. I use vermiculite as an incubation media. I mix it in a 1 : 1 ratio with water by weight for Sulcatas and...

tortoiseforum.org

Sudan Sulcatas (This never gets old...)

My very first clutch of true 100% pure Sudan sulcatas is now hatching. I don't care how many times I see this, it just never gets old. I dig up the eggs carefully place them in my prepared shoe boxes, watch the temperature in the incubator and tend to them for months, and then... When that...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Tom]

Hello, I am looking at getting a baby sulcata tortoise, and no this will not be my first tortoise, but I was looking at other forms and one cought my eye against tortoise town, so where should I look?

The only people I know that start sulcata babies correctly are:
Me. I'll have clutches hatching in about two more months. Sudans and regulars.
@Markw84 might still have some well started older babies that I'd highly recommend.
@NorCal tortoise guy is an excellent source now and for years to come.
@Arizona Sulcata is a guy named Austin that starts babies well and has a good track record. Don't confuse him with other sellers in AZ.

That's it. There are no others that I know of. Everyone else is making major mistakes like: Keeping them on dry substrate. Keeping them outside all day. Not soaking daily. Incubating on the wrong media. Skipping the brooder box step. Feeding romaine or spring mix almost exclusively. Not keeping them warm enough. Not keeping them humid enough. Using the wrong substrate. Etc...

If anyone knows of a breeder of sulcatas somewhere that is not making most of these mistakes, please let me know so we can add them to this terribly short list.

Along with the above info, realize that most of these same people starting babies all wrong will give YOU are the wrong care info. Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.