Bit cross some advice please...

YummyMummy04 · 10-05-2009, 03:38 PM

Hello

A "friend" brought a tortoise last week after seeing mine and thinking how cute they are! Did no research obviously a impulse buy

They phoned today as their tort is now lookin really poorly plus the novelty has worn off and they have spent money they can ill afford setting it all up and now need the money back now! They have asked me to go round and have a look.

Been round and they have they cutest tiniest tort. It was in a tiny viv with loads veg and fruit! On hemp. I was bl00dy fuming as they have seen my set up!

Anyway they said the tort is a Giant african spur thigh?? I am no pro with torts as you know but even i know if this is right he will be huge! They have NO garden either??

I have brought the Tort home with me (told em to stick the viv on EBay or somewhere else!) and have now got my husband and son making a Tort table and i have gone out and brought another set of lights etc this afternoon.

I have just given him a bath as they havent ever given him one and his shell is peeling. There is clear flakes all in the water! Is this ok or should i be worried??

He is only 2 months old and is tiny and weighs 35 gms. They have had him less than a week.

I am not sure long term if i can keep him my husband and i are going to sit down tonight and talk about it but if i had left him there or let them sell him on to another person who wants one for the novelty value especially if it is a giant spur thigh. I would rather find him a really good experinced home or if we can financially and space wise we may keep him.

I hope i have done the right thing. Has anyone any experience with this breed as i have had a quick look on the net but cant find a lot about the giant breed.

Thank you for letting me have a moan but really annoys me when people dont think about the long term effects of having a animal!

YummyMummy04 · 10-05-2009, 04:01 PM

Forgot to say also especially around the edge of his shell around the bottom it is really soft. Is this normal? Also i have added some pics below and wondered if someone can def id that he is a African Giant Spur Thigh.

Lyn · 10-05-2009, 04:09 PM

Aww bless his heart. He is so tiny and yes he is a Sulcata. Good luck with him.

alotoffluff · 10-05-2009, 04:29 PM

I cant advise you on the shell peeling, but i do know it shouldnt be soft at all - anywhere. A trip to the vet might be in order.
He is a beautiful tortie though! Well done for taking him on.

Laraine · 10-05-2009, 04:42 PM

He/she is a beautiful baby Sulcata, If fed correctly she wont grow fast, just keep it slow and steady, and it will take a little while before she needs her own field

Well done for taking her in you wont be sorry, they have a lovely nature and wonderful characters.

As he/she is so young, only 2 months old there will be some springyness of the shell, this will harden up as the little one grows and eats a healthy diet with nutrabol sprinkled on.

lindso3000 · 10-05-2009, 04:59 PM

what a lovely little sulcata!

YummyMummy04 · 10-05-2009, 05:16 PM

Thank you all.

The tort is beautiful. We have just put him in his tort table and he is just keeps walking around and around in laps! he is pretty fast too! lol

Is the same diet i give my Horsfields ok for him too? I feed safe weeds & flowers. With Limestone and cuttlefish, water always available and Nutrobal.

I do not know a lot about sulcata's and will research and look for care sheets tonight but are their food and temp and needs the same as Horsfields?

Thank you all again XX

Pussygalore · 10-05-2009, 05:26 PM

I don't know a lot about them either but think their diet is different in that they need grass and hay also that they don't hibernate and will in a very few years need a heated shed and enormous outdoor space, there was a very good test going around about sulcatas maybe someone will know the link because its pretty eye opening and does make you think twice, a lot of people don't think they should be sold in this country because not may people have the space or money to keep them when they get big and they are very hard to find homes for as adults. I went to someones house who had one and it was about 12yrs old so not fully grown the size of a one of those poofs you put your feet on and to heavy for most to live, it had damaged walls, furniture, fences and all sorts simply by barging straight through them, have a look for Sulcattas.

joekent · 10-05-2009, 05:28 PM

Heyyy,

Your tortoise is a very young Sulcata.

I assume she is going to want you to pay for the tortoise? Im just thinking longterm Sulcatas are walking coffee table sized im afraid. They eat like a horse and poo like a horse and need a heated shed for accomodation when older, no tortoise table will be big enough.

Sorry to put a dampner on things, he is very cute but will grow very big!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1DWT...e=channel_page

Watch that video on sulcatas

Its an eyeopener!

Pussygalore · 10-05-2009, 05:30 PM

http://www.turtlehomes.org/usa/test.shtml

This is that test I was telling you about

10-05-2009, 03:38 PM	#1
YummyMummy04 Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: In my house! Posts: 290	Bit cross some advice please... Hello A "friend" brought a tortoise last week after seeing mine and thinking how cute they are! Did no research obviously a impulse buy They phoned today as their tort is now lookin really poorly plus the novelty has worn off and they have spent money they can ill afford setting it all up and now need the money back now! They have asked me to go round and have a look. Been round and they have they cutest tiniest tort. It was in a tiny viv with loads veg and fruit! On hemp. I was bl00dy fuming as they have seen my set up! Anyway they said the tort is a Giant african spur thigh?? I am no pro with torts as you know but even i know if this is right he will be huge! They have NO garden either?? I have brought the Tort home with me (told em to stick the viv on EBay or somewhere else!) and have now got my husband and son making a Tort table and i have gone out and brought another set of lights etc this afternoon. I have just given him a bath as they havent ever given him one and his shell is peeling. There is clear flakes all in the water! Is this ok or should i be worried?? He is only 2 months old and is tiny and weighs 35 gms. They have had him less than a week. I am not sure long term if i can keep him my husband and i are going to sit down tonight and talk about it but if i had left him there or let them sell him on to another person who wants one for the novelty value especially if it is a giant spur thigh. I would rather find him a really good experinced home or if we can financially and space wise we may keep him. I hope i have done the right thing. Has anyone any experience with this breed as i have had a quick look on the net but cant find a lot about the giant breed. Thank you for letting me have a moan but really annoys me when people dont think about the long term effects of having a animal! __________________ 1.1.0 Horsfield Tortoises ~ Toby & Tilly~ 0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise ~ Bowser ~ 1.1.0 Bearded Dragon Lizards ~ Sid & Nancy

10-05-2009, 04:01 PM	#2
YummyMummy04 Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: In my house! Posts: 290	Forgot to say also especially around the edge of his shell around the bottom it is really soft. Is this normal? Also i have added some pics below and wondered if someone can def id that he is a African Giant Spur Thigh. __________________ 1.1.0 Horsfield Tortoises ~ Toby & Tilly~ 0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise ~ Bowser ~ 1.1.0 Bearded Dragon Lizards ~ Sid & Nancy

10-05-2009, 04:42 PM	#5
Laraine Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wirral Posts: 3,622	He/she is a beautiful baby Sulcata, If fed correctly she wont grow fast, just keep it slow and steady, and it will take a little while before she needs her own field Well done for taking her in you wont be sorry, they have a lovely nature and wonderful characters. As he/she is so young, only 2 months old there will be some springyness of the shell, this will harden up as the little one grows and eats a healthy diet with nutrabol sprinkled on. __________________ Laraine ________________________ Last edited by Laraine; 10-05-2009 at 04:46 PM.

10-05-2009, 04:59 PM	#6
lindso3000 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2,675	what a lovely little sulcata! __________________ Keeper of horsfields, redfoots, Hermans, bearded dragon and 2 rats

10-05-2009, 05:16 PM	#7
YummyMummy04 Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: In my house! Posts: 290	Thank you all. The tort is beautiful. We have just put him in his tort table and he is just keeps walking around and around in laps! he is pretty fast too! lol Is the same diet i give my Horsfields ok for him too? I feed safe weeds & flowers. With Limestone and cuttlefish, water always available and Nutrobal. I do not know a lot about sulcata's and will research and look for care sheets tonight but are their food and temp and needs the same as Horsfields? Thank you all again XX __________________ 1.1.0 Horsfield Tortoises ~ Toby & Tilly~ 0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise ~ Bowser ~ 1.1.0 Bearded Dragon Lizards ~ Sid & Nancy

10-05-2009, 04:09 PM	#3
Lyn Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 3,533	Aww bless his heart. He is so tiny and yes he is a Sulcata. Good luck with him.

10-05-2009, 04:29 PM	#4
alotoffluff Senior Member Adult Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greenwich, london, previously born and brought up in Kent! Posts: 2,127	I cant advise you on the shell peeling, but i do know it shouldnt be soft at all - anywhere. A trip to the vet might be in order. He is a beautiful tortie though! Well done for taking him on.

10-05-2009, 05:26 PM	#8
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I don't know a lot about them either but think their diet is different in that they need grass and hay also that they don't hibernate and will in a very few years need a heated shed and enormous outdoor space, there was a very good test going around about sulcatas maybe someone will know the link because its pretty eye opening and does make you think twice, a lot of people don't think they should be sold in this country because not may people have the space or money to keep them when they get big and they are very hard to find homes for as adults. I went to someones house who had one and it was about 12yrs old so not fully grown the size of a one of those poofs you put your feet on and to heavy for most to live, it had damaged walls, furniture, fences and all sorts simply by barging straight through them, have a look for Sulcattas.

10-05-2009, 05:28 PM	#9
joekent Member Hatchling Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bromley, Kent Posts: 653	Heyyy, Your tortoise is a very young Sulcata. I assume she is going to want you to pay for the tortoise? Im just thinking longterm Sulcatas are walking coffee table sized im afraid. They eat like a horse and poo like a horse and need a heated shed for accomodation when older, no tortoise table will be big enough. Sorry to put a dampner on things, he is very cute but will grow very big!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1DWT...e=channel_page Watch that video on sulcatas Its an eyeopener! __________________ AnImAl MaD!

10-05-2009, 05:30 PM	#10
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	http://www.turtlehomes.org/usa/test.shtml This is that test I was telling you about

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