Sulcata Tortoises are popular pets right now -- the hatchlings are cute,
inexpensive, and relatively easy to care for
Sulcata Tortoises are popular pets right now -the hatchlings are cute and
relatively inexpensive. However, pet stores frequently give out faulty care
advice, and there are certain widespread misconceptions about these tortoises.
Here is what you need to know to determine whether or not a sulcata
is the right pet for you.
This little girl is holding a hatchling sulcata in her hands atop the shell of a full-grown adult sulcata.
Adult Size/Weight: Sulcata are the third-largest
tortoise species in the world!Only
Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises are larger. A sulcata can easily reach 15 inches in shell length and
weigh up to 75 pounds by the time it is 10 years old. Basically, it will be the
size and weight of a good-sized boulder, with mobility and a mind of its
own.Sulcata
continue to grow throughout their lives and may eventually reach a final length
of 2 feet and well over 100 pounds in weight.
Proper Diet: Sulcata torts are grazers that require a high-fiber, high-calcium,
low-protein diet.About 80% of their
diet should come from grazing on grasses and edible weeds, with the remaining
20% coming from dark leafy greens (dandelion, collards, and mustards). Do not feed your sulcata
tortoise a steady diet of produce, fruit, or thawed frozen veggies – it can lead to kidney and liver damage! Produce is too high in
protein and fruit of any type is too high in sugar and water for sulcata.Sulcata require large amounts of calcium to grow healthy
bone and shell, so a calcium supplement is mandatory.We recommend Repti-Cal
or plain calcium carbonate (sold in feed stores).
Water: Tortoises do require
water! If your tortoise won’t voluntarily drink from a shallow water dish, you
should soak it in warm shallow (no deeper than the base of its throat) water for at least 10
minutes at a time.Hatchlings (babies)
must be soaked at least once daily since they are at the greatest risk for
dehydration. As your tortoise gets larger, it can be soaked less frequently
Housing/Enclosures:
Sulcata torts are native to sub-Sahara Africa,
so they DO NOT hibernate during the
winter! They must be kept warm and relatively dry
year-around.In New Mexico, sulcata tortoises thrive as along as the tortoise’s enclosure
is kept dry and not allowed to drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Sulcata can develop respiratory illnesses if they are
consistently exposed to cold and damp conditions.Tortoise tables are suggested for larger
juveniles (plans for such tables can be found on the Internet). Adult sulcata require a securely walled outdoor pen and a heated,
well-insulated shed for shelter at night or during cold or inclement weather.
Other things you should know about sulcata tortoises:
1.Tortoises can live a very long time
-- up to 80 years is not uncommon -- so purchasing one is truly a lifetime
commitment.
2.Tortoises, like most reptiles,
require special enclosures, UV lamps, heat lamps, hide boxes, and
vitamin/mineral supplements to keep them healthy.Make sure you can afford to buy and maintain
all of this extra equipment when you buy a reptile pet.
3.Zoos cannot afford to take in
unwanted exotic pets, so don’t count on giving your adult tortoise to the local
zoo when it’s too big for you to handle. Sulcata are
not native to the United States, so you should never release one into the wild,
either. Contact Turtle Homes (see link below) if you need to give up your
tortoise.
4.You cannot keep a sulcata small by keeping it a small aquarium or by
under-feeding it, and in fact, both of these actions are cruel.
5.Sulcata
have been known to dig themselves burrows if they are not adequately housed.
These burrows can be over 20 feet long and six to eight feet deep. Sulcata are very
strong and can push through many types of fencing, so secure walls are
mandatory for adult tortoises.
