Horatio's Sulcata Tortoise Page Sulcata Tortoises can be wonderful pets. They are kind, gentle and have very distinct personalities.
But you MUST understand what you are getting into when you purchase one and prepare accordingly.
The first thing to consider is, of course, their size. Sulcatas are very small and cute when they are babies. Horatio was barely larger
than a silver dollar when I bought him. He was very young, his skin was very soft and nearly transparent and he still had his egg tooth. Within a week,
he had already grown noticably. Sulcatas, when cared for properly, grow very rapidly. Horatio is now bigger than my hand. They can grow up to two feet in length and weigh over 100 pounds when full grown. (Think of a Galapagoes turtle, now imagine one maybe half, or possibly a quarter
of the size.) They also live extremely long lives, possibly up to a century.
Horatio in January 2002.
So, think ahead when considering a sulcata. They reach their maximum growth in about 20 years. Obviously, no one knows where they will be in 20 years. But remember there's a good period of time there where you will have a very large tortoise. They need sturdy housing, proper heat and lighting, nice bedding and plenty of food. They can start becoming
expensive to keep and without proper care, they will become ill. And don't think for one minute you can release it into the wild if your sick of it! You will be sending it to certain
death and it may spread diseases to wild turtles and tortoises. If you cannot care for your tortoise (or turtle) there are rescue groups who will be happy to help.
Housing can be tricky, especially depending on your climate. When they are small, sulcatas can live in a large Rubbermaid tub or a big aquarium. Consider building an outside
pen for warm weather, but always supervise your tortoise when it is playing outside. It may escape, be stolen or possibly be eaten by something larger than itself. Sunshine will do your sulcata
good. As they grow in size, they become very strong and stubborn. When they come across a barricade, they will tend to just back up and keep ramming it until they can knock it down. So any enclosure
you build must have walls that extend deep in the ground, deep enough that they cannot be knocked over or dug under.
Whatever you choose to keep your tortoise in, their enclosure must be kept clean. Many sulcatas become ill because of poor sanitation. Obviously, the bigger they are, the more they eat and that translates to alot of poop. They
will walk in it faster than you can scoop it up. When this happens, you can run a very shallow, warm (not hot) bath for them, no soap and gently scrub them. You should also provide bedding. This will provide them something to dig in and will also make clean up easier. I recommend alfalfa pellets. They smell good and are safe if eaten. You should also provide something for the tortoise to hide in. Horatio used to sleep inside a hollowed log, until he outgrew the doorway. When they reach adult size, I've heard that dog Igloos make good hiding places. They should also have a shallow bathing pan, such as a plant saucer. It should be short enough that they can climb in without difficulty, shallow enough that they cannot drown and heavy enough that they can't tip it over. When they are adults, a trash can lid works nicely. Horatio has a bathing pan, but he *never* goes in it and goes out of his way to avoid it. Some of them just don't like water.
If you are feeding them fresh greens, they get all their water from that, so don't worry about your sulcata becoming dehydrated.
As they grow, they eat and the food can be expensive. Sulcatas are strictly vegetarians--absolutely no animal protein! They have to have plenty of dark, leafy greens--NO iceberg lettuce and avoid spinach and broccoli. Things like mustard greens, dandelion greens, bok choy, kale, red leaf lettuce, etc. I usually buy Horatio a few bags of those "ready to eat" salad mixes (minus dressing, of course) and then a variety of dark greens. You can also try your tortoise out on some timothy or alfalfa hay. Horatio refuses to eat it (he prefers my scripts and dried aspen leaves, apparently) and I gave up, but if yours will eat it, great! In addition to greens, your sulcata should get a variety of vegetables. Yams, squash, carrots, peas, corn and green beans are all good. Horatio loves peas and has since he was a baby. He particularly enjoys them fresh and in the pod, green beans are also a favorite. Fruit is ok in moderation, but not too often. Tortoises are similar to humans in that they like to eat things that are sweet and will become addicted. I don't feed Horatio any fruit. Once and awhile, he gets a strawberry or something, but it's not a regular thing because I find that it gives him runny poop. Absolutely NO CITRUS OR TOMATOES.
Lighting and warmth, as with any reptile, is also very important. You will need a full spectrum light for Vitamin A absorbing--a good reptile store will sell you the right set-up. The bulbs last about six months before losing
their effectiveness and needing to be replaced. You will also need a heat lamp. You can purchase a metal-hooded clamping lamp at a hardware store. Horatio has a 75 degree heat bulb, which hangs pretty low. It's good to have a "hot" area
of the enclosure and a "cool" area, so they can choose their own tempature. Tempature is important--if the tortoise is too cold, he will not want to eat. You may need to purchase a heating pad to place underneath his enclosure, but use caution.
Sulcatas are very curious and attracted are to bright colors. Your floors should be "sulcata-proof"
because they are somewhat like toddlers--anything pretty and bright, they will put in their mouths and eat. Small plastic toys like rubber balls or Barbie accessories may be a favorite! When walking on my floor, Horatio often tried to eat the pink carpet, or even my blue jeans. If he's doing this, your tortoise may want a snack. :)
They also have some odd defenses. They will hiss, loudly, when startled or afraid and will pull their spiked legs in front of their face. They will not attack or bite in anger. I have never been bitten by Horatio, except when holding the end of a piece of lettuce he's currently munching. :) Or if he's really hungry, he'll peck at our toes. When stressed, another odd trait is that they will urinate solid calcium. I have no idea why they do this, or what it's designed for. I've heard of them doing it for a few days, after something upsetting like moving house.
You should take your tortoise in for a vet check-up, especially if it is young. Because of their rapid growth rate, it is important that they do not have too much or too little calcium, otherwise their shells will pyramid. This is a very painful condition. You can only hope to stop and reverse the damage with a good diet. So, it is important to make sure you are on the right track with your sulcata's care. You will also need a reliable reptile vet in case of an emergency. You can locate one on the Internet, or ask at your local reptile shop and see who they recommend. If you are a Colorado resident, I recommend Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald of Alameda East!
If you choose to purchase a sulcata tortoise, good for you! They are wonderful and unique pets. Just prepare your grandchildren for their living inheritence! :)
