Proper Care of Your Baby Sulcata Tortoise

The most important thing to remember when you are looking for a cute little tortoise to raise is Sulcatas may not be the breed for you. Sulcatas, also known as African Spurred, or African Spur Leg tortoises, are the 3^rd largest tortoise species on earth and can grow up to be around 150 to 200 lbs. Sulcatas can also live to be over 100 years old. My advice would be to put some thought into the size and age factors before purchasing.

Sulcata tortoises, being from Africa, require an unusual amount of heat. Other reptiles I have do just fine in 70 to 85 degree heat. Sulcatas on the other hand are cozy at around 90 to 100 degrees. If you live in a colder climate a night time heat lamp may also be necessary. As a rule their home should never get below 60 degrees at night. When Sulcatas become to cold they are extremely susceptible to lung infections. Also, they require the heat to be able to digest their food, if they are not warm enough the food won't digest properly and will make them sick.

Along with the heat lamp you will also need a good UV light, this will help them with necessary vitamins. All tortoises and turtles require good UV light in order to make Vitamin D and Calcium. The bulb should be changed about once a year. This will ensure that the light is still producing adequate UV light.

The best recommended substrate, or bedding, to use with your Sulcata at any age is alfalfa pellets. You should be able to find these at any local pet store or reptile shop. This is the safest to use because when your Sulcata is eating they will always eat a little of their bedding too and this is safe for them to eat.

These tortoises are vegetarians so you will want to cut up some veggies or fruits for them. While they are babies it is really important to cut up your Sulcata's food as their beak is still a little dull for cutting through things.

Sulcatas should not have fruits with high citric acids like oranges or lemons and it is recommended that if you do decide to feed them strawberries to use great moderation. Most other fruits are just fine. I tend to stick to apples and bananas these seem easiest for them to eat, especially as babies.

Most veggies will work fine but I have found different lettuces such as romaine, green and red leaf, tend to be easiest to keep most of the time, and are very healthy for the Sulcatas. Other veggies I have fed to mine include kale, zucchini, small amounts of bell pepper, spinach, green beans, and most whatever is in season. However, when they are still babies it can be difficult for them to eat much more than the leafy stuff.

If you choose to feed your Sulcata tortoise pellets from the pet store make sure you read your labels. Some of these pellets contain animal proteins which are not good for your Sulcata. Animal proteins will make your Sulcata grow too fast which is known to cause problems with their shell becoming soft and deformed. Most vets recommend that if you are going to use these types of pellets to do so in moderation or when you aren't there to feed your pet everyday.

As a general rule, if my Sulcata can finish all the food I have given him, I will give him a little more the next day. It is important for Sulcatas to get enough food. In the wild they graze continuously most of the day while walking around the desert. This makes it very important for Sulcatas to get enough food. You may also try putting the food in different areas around the tank to promote a little exercise. Let's face it they are tortoises so they can get lazy pretty quickly.

You will want to start off your baby Sulcata with a small shallow dish of water. Don't be too surprised though if the tortoise isn't interested in this. Remember they are from Africa, they don't drink much water. Most of the water they acquire comes from the vegetation they consume.

To ensure that my Sulcata gets enough water I try to soak him in a warm tub of water about once a week for about 15 minutes. Don't be surprised when this causes them to poop and pee a lot. I have learned to just make sure that I can take the water outside to dump it. There have been times when I have had to dump the water several times due to this problem.

Soaking the Sulcata does make sure that they don't get dehydrated and have urinary or digestive tract problems. Tortoises will hold urine until they know they can replenish the moisture, and if they don't replenish it the urine can get hard and turn into a type of stone in their system. This can be very dangerous and costly.

It may sound like a lot to keep up with and for some it may be. All pets should be studied before purchase to make sure they are right for your family. I have had a Sulcata with several other reptiles for many years and enjoy having them. If you make sure that your pet is receiving the proper care they will soon become a happy, and healthy member of the family.