Sulcatas

I took some pics of Shelly and Tails a while back. They're growing faster than weeds and it's hard to believe that Shelly's only a year and a half old (she's huge - the size of a softball at least!). Tails still looks like a hatchling next to her. They're crawling around on the table next to me and hope that you enjoy!

~Katie

Shelly




Tails

Those are beautiful! I've wanted one for as long as I can remember but they're so expensive here that I can't justify choosing a turtle over paying the bills.
The cheapest I've seen one for was $500.00.

Those are pretty darn cool Katie.. I looked at them from time to time, but I don't have the ability to provide for their needs correctly.. Intresting little fellows to say the least...


SnakeNbake mentioned the following.. ( not to jack Katies original thread.. )

The cheapest I've seen one for was $500.00.

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Owwwwie... I have glanced at the prices of the Sulcatta' for sale at the shows here, I remeber seeing them from $55 and up.. Dayum..

Regards.. Tim of T and J

Very cute! My boyfriend has one. He named her Shelly as well. She is about 5 years and came from a bad home. They had her in a small exoterra tank and was feeding her babyfood. She is doing so much better but still has a messed up beak. But it doesn't bother her a bit. She's too funny. She is really enjoying getting to graze outside now that the weather is nicer. Her is a pic of her.

Thanks guys! They provide lots of entertainment for us. Not sure if I mentioned it but Shelly is almost a year and a half and Tails is 6 months or so. We got them at Daytona, Shelly in 2005 and Tails in 2006 and we'll get another this year. I think both of them were around $50 each which isn't bad at all. Just come down to Daytona this year and pic up a tortoise - at least you then have the benefit of a trip for the cost! It's funny, I have one of the secretaries at school that now wants one because I've brought them in on workdays.

~Katie

SilverWolf said:

Very cute! My boyfriend has one. He named her Shelly as well. She is about 5 years and came from a bad home. They had her in a small exoterra tank and was feeding her babyfood. She is doing so much better but still has a messed up beak. But it doesn't bother her a bit. She's too funny. She is really enjoying getting to graze outside now that the weather is nicer. Her is a pic of her.

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Wow...her shell doesn't look that bad but she looks small (she still fits in your hand?) or maybe it's just the angle of the camera. Our girls are on rabbit pellets (that way when they try and eat the pellets it doesn't hurt them) and are fed mostly grasses with some greens in there as well since they're still young. Pumpkin is a treat for them although I've run out for the year.

~Katie

SnakeNbake said:

Those are beautiful! I've wanted one for as long as I can remember but they're so expensive here that I can't justify choosing a turtle over paying the bills.
The cheapest I've seen one for was $500.00.

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I have seen them in pet store for almost $300 but have seen them at reptile shows for $50 to $65.

$50??? So not fair.

Come to Daytona on day 2...

SnakeNbake said:

$50??? So not fair.

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and ya can get a good one cheap.

Cflaguy said:

and ya can get a good one cheap.

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I know you can't see it, but I'm glaring at you right now. Why must you torment me when I'm in pain like this? WHY?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go weep into my pillow until my wracking sobs finally lull me to sleep.

I love the Sulcata Test: http://www.turtlehomes.org/usa/test.shtml

It's scary you can buy something for $50 that will live a hundred years and grow to a couple hundred pounds.

You're going to have to move south before they get to big to carry in and out of the house for hibernation!

I just tried the Mazuri tortoise pellets on my guys. They HATE the Monster Diet pellets. They graze in the spring, summer, fall and get greens in the winter. Mazuri was developed as a zoo diet for Galapagos torts. They LOVE it. It's like dog food kibble size, brown. I soak it. They get six pieces to split a day. I think Koko is about 300g and Buttercup is about 200g. I'm sure they would be happy to eat that alone, but I think they need variety. Now if only I could get them to eat hay...

Your guys are cute- but way out of my league. I have the space, but not the fencing.

Nanci

I will kindly reiterate about space needed for something that will grow much larger than that cute little handfull you originally buy at the pet store. Here's Scooter the sulcata (about 12 years old here) and Marbles and I back in 2006.
:


Sulcatas definitely grow huge and are a special needs pet. The scary thing is, Scooter is still growing and growing...

While I don't entirely agree 100% with everything on the Turtle Homes web site, but for the most part, they give a good outline of what to expect.

One of these days, I'll do a Scooter thread from beginning to present day

Scooter is awesome! Jonathan and I already know that as they grow older they'll be given the basement of whatever house we own at the time. We knew how big they got going into it and I still don't regret it. I can only imagine how much Scooter eats in one day!

~Katie

PtDnsr said:

I can only imagine how much Scooter eats in one day!

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He's a lawn mowing machine. For now, he's got his side of the yard and I have mine (where I'm seeding and fertilizing) separated by a cheesy makeshift fence that somehow he's able to bust through from time to time. The funny part is when I try to mow the lawn, he'll see a good sized edible patch that is soon to be no more and he literally runs over and blocks me from mowing that patch, so I have to go around him. No point in messing with a monster that equals the size of my lawnmower, the lawnmower would lose big time!