Advice on Sulcatas please

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 08:47 AM

After many tears last night and sitting up till 3am talking, my husvband has decided that he wants and African spur thigh as this is what he had back home.
(i believe this is all to cheer me up and get me another tort to love but under the pretext that he wants one).

He is going to convert our very secure lean to into an enclosure for it when it is an adult, and we will of course get insurance this time.
I have read up on sulcatas and i secretly would love one. It would ever replace Fluffy but it would fill the void he has left behind.

My question is, where do you find a breeder for these torts? I see them for sale on preloved and gumtree but i want one from a reputable breeder.
Any advice guys?

fast-as-a-flash · 12-05-2009, 09:33 AM

Hi Laura, Im sure that there is a breeder in Essex, I was reading some posts from him a while back and he had babys, I will try and find him for you,I think they were about £100.

Lou · 12-05-2009, 09:47 AM

Hi Laura,

I really don't want to upset you because I know this is a really sensitive time at the moment, but really don't rush into anything. Sullys get big , and fast and I am not in any way suggesting you are not equiped to deal, but when its cold you are going to have to have a big enough space for them to be in, be this an outdoor heated shed (lots of money! - I for one couldnt afford it!) or a big table indoors, not many of us in the UK have room for this.

Pauls Sully has got nearly twice as big in less than 12 months. His indoor table is really big , I would say atleast 8ft, and this wont last another 12 months again I bet. They can reach 30 inches in SCL if not more.. that is BIG! i don't live in a small house (4 beds) and I would not ever have the room for a sully indoors. I'm sure you'll agree, even a table for a small species can take up a lot of room. I only have three tables (which would never all together be enough for a sully and it takes up a full bedroom)

I understand your husband wanting a tort he has grown up with, but there are other species which are very rewarding and don't take up a lot of space.

I really hope you look forward with this and make a good decision. I know its really hard to and I would love a sully.. but it can be a costly and space demanding tort.

Lou xxxx

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 10:26 AM

Hi Lou
Yes i have been researching all day and i can see it would need a lot of room.
Eddie is happy to convert the lean-to and put up a heated shed in the garden when
the time comes. I am aware of the size they can grow to, so i am considering it carefully.

I wouldnt rush into anything, and i am considering other torts too.
I have found a breeder in Essex and am hopefully going down at the weekend to talk about them.
I would love a leopard also and am researching them too. But you never know, i may just end up with a horsefield or a hemanns!

Pussygalore · 12-05-2009, 10:26 AM

what I'm going to say I know won't go down well and I'm truly sorry for the sad end to Fluffy but I for one donated what little I could, it wasn't much but as I can't work and hubby doesn't earn a lot it was genuinly all I could afford but to be honest I thought I gave my money to someone who was in the same situation as me not someone who can afford to heat an outdoor shed all year round or afford to buy and keep one of the largest torts around. I hope my money little as it was helps towards the bill however I'm sorry but I will think twice before doing so again, if you do decide to get one make sure that home visits from your vet are included on your insurance as I doubt you'll be able to get a fully grown Sulcatta to them.

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

what I'm going to say I know won't go down well and I'm truly sorry for the sad end to Fluffy but I for one donated what little I could, it wasn't much but as I can't work and hubby doesn't earn a lot it was genuinly all I could afford but to be honest I thought I gave my money to someone who was in the same situation as me not someone who can afford to heat an outdoor shed all year round or afford to buy and keep one of the largest torts around. I hope my money little as it was helps towards the bill however I'm sorry but I will think twice before doing so again, if you do decide to get one make sure that home visits from your vet are included on your insurance as I doubt you'll be able to get a fully grown Sulcatta to them.

yes youre right!
I have been researching all day and i can see it would be too costly. I think my husband was just trying to be helpful, but with his job on contract, i can see theres no way we could afford it.
I just wanted a little advice on sullys as he was wanting one like he had back home.
I am veering towards a little tort just like Fluffy and maybe a Horsefield. But we have a vet bill to pay by the end of the week and wouldnt consider it until that was completed.
The breeder in essex has many varieties of torts and i will be going down for some advice.

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 10:38 AM

p.s - i had changed my mind after reading Lou's resonse as i knew in my heart we seriously couldnt afford this type of tort.
I was just asking for help and advice
I was just exploring my husbands unrealistic option so i had some solid info to tell him.
Theres no way we could afford the keep a sully but at least i asked and im sure the breeder im seeing at the weekend wouldve told me this.
I wasnt going in all gung-ho, i just wanted soe informed answers.
I will of course refund your donation as i have offered to do so for everyone else.
But if im going to be attacked just for asking questions, im sorry im a member of this site.

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 11:05 AM

I get that but...
It was my understanding that a sully wouldnt need a heated shed for at least 5 years and hopefully then we would be financially better off as my husband is also training to be an electrician in his spare time.
Right now, our financial situation isnt good, and i was SO grateful for everyone that helped out with the donations. (even if the money has now gone towards putting Fluffy at peace).
But what was said i felt, was a bit below the belt and could have been pm'd to me rather that done publicly.
So please, if anyone would like their money back, please pm me your email addy and i will forward it to you.
As for me and tortoises, i think it will be a long time before i get another, i just thought that by getting another one it would help me heal. But maybe not.
Didnt need that today!

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 11:14 AM

i think i will take a break from the whole tortie keeping thing for a while. Thanks anyway.

alotoffluff · 12-05-2009, 11:16 AM

also, to be honest, an african spur thigh was my husbands idea, not mine and i think he was just trying to cheer me up, but thanks to this thread now, i have been knocked right back down.

12-05-2009, 08:47 AM	#1
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	Advice on Sulcatas please After many tears last night and sitting up till 3am talking, my husvband has decided that he wants and African spur thigh as this is what he had back home. (i believe this is all to cheer me up and get me another tort to love but under the pretext that he wants one). He is going to convert our very secure lean to into an enclosure for it when it is an adult, and we will of course get insurance this time. I have read up on sulcatas and i secretly would love one. It would ever replace Fluffy but it would fill the void he has left behind. My question is, where do you find a breeder for these torts? I see them for sale on preloved and gumtree but i want one from a reputable breeder. Any advice guys?

12-05-2009, 09:47 AM	#3
Lou Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wigan - Greater Manchester Posts: 1,172	Hi Laura, I really don't want to upset you because I know this is a really sensitive time at the moment, but really don't rush into anything. Sullys get big , and fast and I am not in any way suggesting you are not equiped to deal, but when its cold you are going to have to have a big enough space for them to be in, be this an outdoor heated shed (lots of money! - I for one couldnt afford it!) or a big table indoors, not many of us in the UK have room for this. Pauls Sully has got nearly twice as big in less than 12 months. His indoor table is really big , I would say atleast 8ft, and this wont last another 12 months again I bet. They can reach 30 inches in SCL if not more.. that is BIG! i don't live in a small house (4 beds) and I would not ever have the room for a sully indoors. I'm sure you'll agree, even a table for a small species can take up a lot of room. I only have three tables (which would never all together be enough for a sully and it takes up a full bedroom) I understand your husband wanting a tort he has grown up with, but there are other species which are very rewarding and don't take up a lot of space. I really hope you look forward with this and make a good decision. I know its really hard to and I would love a sully.. but it can be a costly and space demanding tort. Lou xxxx __________________ Louise... Horsfield: 1.0.2 Walter / Izzy / Tilly Redfoot : 1.3.0 Ruby / Scarlet / Merlot / Ginger Goldfish : 0:0:1 Splodge Bearded Dragon : 0:1:0 Zuki Springer Spaniel : 1:0:0 Bailey

12-05-2009, 09:33 AM	#2
fast-as-a-flash Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 130	Hi Laura, Im sure that there is a breeder in Essex, I was reading some posts from him a while back and he had babys, I will try and find him for you,I think they were about £100.

12-05-2009, 10:26 AM	#4
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	Hi Lou Yes i have been researching all day and i can see it would need a lot of room. Eddie is happy to convert the lean-to and put up a heated shed in the garden when the time comes. I am aware of the size they can grow to, so i am considering it carefully. I wouldnt rush into anything, and i am considering other torts too. I have found a breeder in Essex and am hopefully going down at the weekend to talk about them. I would love a leopard also and am researching them too. But you never know, i may just end up with a horsefield or a hemanns!

12-05-2009, 10:26 AM	#5
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	what I'm going to say I know won't go down well and I'm truly sorry for the sad end to Fluffy but I for one donated what little I could, it wasn't much but as I can't work and hubby doesn't earn a lot it was genuinly all I could afford but to be honest I thought I gave my money to someone who was in the same situation as me not someone who can afford to heat an outdoor shed all year round or afford to buy and keep one of the largest torts around. I hope my money little as it was helps towards the bill however I'm sorry but I will think twice before doing so again, if you do decide to get one make sure that home visits from your vet are included on your insurance as I doubt you'll be able to get a fully grown Sulcatta to them.

12-05-2009, 10:38 AM	#7
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	p.s - i had changed my mind after reading Lou's resonse as i knew in my heart we seriously couldnt afford this type of tort. I was just asking for help and advice I was just exploring my husbands unrealistic option so i had some solid info to tell him. Theres no way we could afford the keep a sully but at least i asked and im sure the breeder im seeing at the weekend wouldve told me this. I wasnt going in all gung-ho, i just wanted soe informed answers. I will of course refund your donation as i have offered to do so for everyone else. But if im going to be attacked just for asking questions, im sorry im a member of this site.

12-05-2009, 11:05 AM	#8
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	I get that but... It was my understanding that a sully wouldnt need a heated shed for at least 5 years and hopefully then we would be financially better off as my husband is also training to be an electrician in his spare time. Right now, our financial situation isnt good, and i was SO grateful for everyone that helped out with the donations. (even if the money has now gone towards putting Fluffy at peace). But what was said i felt, was a bit below the belt and could have been pm'd to me rather that done publicly. So please, if anyone would like their money back, please pm me your email addy and i will forward it to you. As for me and tortoises, i think it will be a long time before i get another, i just thought that by getting another one it would help me heal. But maybe not. Didnt need that today!

12-05-2009, 11:14 AM	#9
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	i think i will take a break from the whole tortie keeping thing for a while. Thanks anyway.

12-05-2009, 11:16 AM	#10
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	also, to be honest, an african spur thigh was my husbands idea, not mine and i think he was just trying to cheer me up, but thanks to this thread now, i have been knocked right back down.

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