AFRICAN SPURRED TORTOISE (GEOCHELONE SULCATA)
***CARE TIPS***
Written By Marissa Adams
I am in the process of raising a juvenile
African Spurred Tortoise(Geochelone Sulcata) and have researched
the proper care thoroughly. I wantto give you the accurate
information you need to keep and raise your Sulcata so you don't
make some of the grave mistakes that I did when I didn't know
what to do. Point of interest: for those of you who also have
Leopard tortoises, the care of the Leopard and the Sulcata is
virtually identical. However, you should not house these species
together, as the personalities and aggressiveness (and
eventually, size) are very different!
Veterinarian Information
Upon first purchase of your tortoise, you should have the
tortoise examinedby a qualified reptile vet. Preferably one who
is familiar with treating terrestrial land tortoises such as
Sulcatas. Most regular vets have only had exposure to common
water turtles and box turtles. You want to try to find someone
who is familiar with Sulcatas. You would want to have the vet do
a complete fecal culture to check for all parasites, including
Giardia. If your tortoise is wild caught (which you should try to
steer clear from), it will probably have a better chance of
having internal parasites than a captive bred tortoise. However,
all tortoises can have parasites, so that needs to be checked
for. If you do not have a reputable reptile vet n your area or
are not sure where to begin, access Melissa Kaplan's Herp Vets
section of her web site at:
http://www.sonic.net/melissk/society.html#societies.
You should then choose your stat,e and you will be provided with
a list of reptile vets in your state. Designate a the ones within
driving distance to you and begin calling around to find out
which vet has had the most experience dealing with Sulcatas.
Then, make an appointment for an exam. You will want your vet to
record an accurate weight in his file. Then, every few months,
you should return to have your tortoise weighed. The vet will not
charge you to weigh the tortoise, and it is a good idea to have a
running recorded file of weight and measurement.
Heating
To begin with, never use a hot rock as a heat source. Hot rocks
are the worst, especially for a tortoise! Your tortoise
(especially a hatchling) has very a sensitive shell and skin, and
any contact with the hot rock can cause severe skin and shell
burns, which could be, in a worse case scenario, fatal! The very
best thing for tortoises (and all reptiles) is an under-tank
heater. Find one that sticks to the underside of your tank, on
the outside, providing necessary belly heat without potential
burn factor. Make sure you get the correct size under-tank
heater, which corresponds to the size of your tank. As a
precautionary note, it is important to remember that most of
these heaters raise the temperature 15 degrees F (8 degrees C) or
so above ambient. In the event that you home gets over 80 degrees
F (27 degrees C) this pad must be shut off or you can possibly
cook your hatchling. The tank size should either be 10 or 20
gallon for a hatchling, nothing smaller than that. My hatchling
was in a 10 gallon for 5 months, then a 20 gallon long for 5
months, now he is in a 135 gallon because I got a good buy. After
a few years in different sized tanks, your Sulcata will probably
outgrow any tank altogether and be better suited in an indoor
pen, outdoor pen, or in your yard (depending on the temperatures
and weather where you live). on the temperatures and weather
where you live).
Outdoor Housing
If you eventually do keep your tortoise in your yard, you want to
make sure that your grass is natural, and not sprayed with any
pesticides or fertilizing agents if possible. If you have a
garden with fertilizer in it, you might want to fence that
particular area in. You should take pains to ensure your fence is
sturdy enough to withstand digging and burrowing that may take
place, which may mean you need to have the fence sunk into the
ground a few inches. Many people do this now for their dogs that
tend to dig, so I'm sure you won't be the first to ask your local
fence company to sink a fence. Also, be sure to furnish your yard
with plants and grasses that are edible for the tortoises. There
are a few place to get this information. Melissa Kaplan's African
Spurred Tortoise care sheet will give you a list of the safe and
appropriate plants and grasses with which to landscape your
tortoise's pen. That link is:
http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/#chelonian.Also,
the Tortoise Trust web site has a video you can order on that
subject. For a detailed list of which plants are edible for the
tortoises, click on this link:
http://www.tortoise.org/general/edibplan.html.
For a detailed list of which plants are poisonous or toxic, click
on this link:
http://www.tortoise.org/general/poisonp.html.
Additionally, you should make sure your tortoise has a shelter to
use in case of inclement or cold weather. These tortoises can
take light, warm rain, it is even good for them to be stimulated
by their changing environment. However, the Sulcata cannot be
left outside for long periods of cold, damp, rainy weather, or in
the cold winters of northern areas. You can provide an insulated
shed with a access ramp for shelter. You should also furnish this
shed with some pig farrowing heat pads, heat lamps, etc. You can
find some great pictures and ideas for building an outdoor
tortoise enclosure at the Tortoise Country web site.
Lighting
If outdoor time is not provided a fluorescent full spectrum UVB
bulb is necessary to the development of your tortoise, from the
hatchling stages through adult, and should always be provided,
along with a basking bulb. This is necessary for the animal to
produce Vitamin D3, which is necessary for calcium utilization
for healthy shell growth. Remember, all so-called "full
spectrum" lights do not provide UVB rays, remember to check
the lighting info on each brand, it must at least say UVB on the
box. Most incandescent heat bulbs will state that they are full
spectrum, but really do not have UVB rays. The lights that you
will want that have the UVB rays are long, skinny, fluorescent
bulbs. There has been some research that indicates that if a
calcium supplement that contains Vitamin D3 is used the UVB is
not necessary, I use both as I consider the added light to be
necessary for the proper behavior of the animal.
Temperature
It is most important to monitor temperatures. Get a good
thermometer and mount it to the glass. What I have are two of the
Radio Shack indoor/outdoor digital mountable thermometers. They
run about $10 each and are excellent, and extremely accurate.
They have velcro and can mount to the glass, but the actual
thermometer section can be removed and moved around to monitor
all cage temps! I have two in my big tank. For a small 10/20/30
gallon tank, one would probably be fine. However, move the
thermometer around to make sure it is not too hot in the middle,
right under the heat lamp, and in the cool zone. For a small
tank, it is difficult to make a hot zone and a cool zone, but you
can try. In a larger tank or enclosure, you should have the
under-tank heater and can place a heat lamp in one area. Then,
nothing in the cool zone. In my large tank, I only have an
under-tank heater and no heat lamps, as the room the tank is in
never goes below 70 degrees. I find I am able to maintain the
proper temperatures without heat bulbs. You can still offer an
under-tank heater, even if you find that you don't need a heat
bulb. If you find that you don't need a heat lamp to maintain
proper temperatures, do not use one. The only light source that
is necessary is the UVB lighting. A heat lamp is not necessary.
Important: everyone says to keep these tortoises at high temps,
but it is not true! Sulcatas max out for eating and mobility at
77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Past 86 degrees, they are pretty
much inert. A good temperature zone is 85 degrees in the hot zone
and 72-75 in the cool zone. These would be considered proper
temperature ranges. If it gets too hot, 90-100 degrees F, (32 -
37 degrees C) they can become very dehydrated and lose appetite,
develop bladder stones and additional problems, etc. I listened
to all the conflicting info and made it too hot for the first few
months I had my hatchling. I did not realize the importance of
soakings, and consequently, my tortoise developed a bladder
stone, which I am treating with lowered temperatures and frequent
soakings. Don't make the same mistake!
Soaking
Also, it is important to soak your hatchling at least a few times
per week, and you can even soak each day,. Soak your juvenile 2-3
times a week without fail. Your tortoise will be considered a
juvenile and no longer a hatchling after about 1 year of age. An
adult Sulcata should be still be soaked 1 time per week for the
rest of its life. The water should be
lukewarm and no deeper than the bottom shell (plastron). I use a
plastic kitty-litter pan as a "bath tub", which is
good, as the tortoise likes to see out over the rim, and it makes
for an easy clean-up. I used to use a deep bowl, but my tortoises
seemed to like to see out and would sit longer in a short, flat
pan-like receptacle. You should soak for about 5-10 minutes each
time and make sure the tortoise is clean and dry when he goes
back in his tank, or for a walk around. Further reading on proper
soaking techniques can be found at: http://home.earthlink.net/~rednine/soak.htm.
Substrate
Also, it is important for your tortoise to be able to burrow. In
the wild, Sulcatas spend 85% of their time in scrapes and
burrows. They maintain humidity in their micro climates that way,
and retain the necessary moisture to live. Make sure you have a
good substrate on the tank bottom. I am using Aspen Particles. It
comes in a press pack. It is probably not the best thing to use,
as it is not digestible and Aspen is not the best substrate
choice for reptiles, but the tortoise loves it, never eats it,
and is able to burrow somewhat into it. It is also easy to clean.
You should put about two layers of newspaper on the bottom of the
tank under any substrate, so that any urine or water can soak
through the substrate, not sit in it. It also makes for a quick
clean-up and is safe for the reptile. A really good substrate is
a 50/50 mixture of sterile soil (topsoil) and soft sterile
playground sand. That can be messy for a small tank though.
Feed Information
Food is an important factor in healthy growth. You should not
overfeed your tortoise. Once a day is enough. I would say about
to cup of greens for a hatchling up to 1 year. After one year,
the juvenile should get no more than 1 cup of greens per day.
Full adults, of course, get larger rations. If they are overfed
or fed as much as they will eat, they can grow too fast, causing
shell problems, bone problems, and mineral deficiencies. Slow,
Steady, growth is the key. I use the lid of a Tupperware for
feeding and easy cleaning. Make sure your tortoise can easily
access its food bowl. The food bowl should be relatively flat. If
the tortoise has to climb or reach to get at its food, the
tortoise could tip over and not be able to right itself. If this
happens and goes undiscovered, worst-case scenario is that the
tortoise's lungs could fill up and it will eventually die.
Diet
The majority of their intake should be from a variety of dark,
leafy greens, grasses, and some lettuces, but NEVER iceberg. You
can feed mixtures of turnip greens, mustard greens, collard
greens, chicory, green leaf lettuce, butter and boston lettuces,
watercress, dandelion greens and flowers (untreated with
pesticides), and fresh grass clippings (untreated). The lettuces
such as boston, butter, and green leaf should be given in small
amounts as it is not really a roughage, however, the tortoises
usually love them. You should only be giving fruits as treats,
and in small amounts. My tortoise likes strawberries, melons,
papaya, grapes, apples, and carrots (shredded). You can also try
some watermelon and squash as treats. Stay away from legumes. No
beans, bananas, peas, tomatoes, corn. Also, stay away from
spinach and sprouts. You can get fresh grass seedlings trays and
other specialty tortoise foods from Pipin's Roost. You can e-mail
for further information at: piproost@aol.com.
Also, you can feed hibiscus plants and blossoms if they are
untreated. You can get great untreated hibiscus plants from A.J.
Calisi at T&C Terrariums. You can e-mail him for prices at: a.j.calisi@worldnet.att.net.
Please mention my name in your e-mail to A.J. He also has great
terrarium plants if you keep chameleons, or other terrarium-type
reptiles. Sulcatas can also have Opuntia Cactus. The Cactus King
web site is online. They will ship you a variety of edible
Opuntia cactus for about $25 or so, which you can then plant and
continue to cut from. Their e-mail address is: cactus@cactusking.com.
Shake up the diet and give a variety of foods that are allowed,
to keep your tortoise interested in meals. Buy different lettuces
and experiment on what your tortoise likes. Each tortoise is
different and each tortoise has different food preferences, just
like people!
Supplementation
It is important to use supplements. I use Rep-Cal 2:1 ratio
phosphorous-free calcium supplement. I also use Nekton-Rep
multi-vitamins. You should use 2 parts calcium supplement to 1
part vitamin supplement. You can mix up your own pre-rationed
calcium/vitamin mixture in a empty salt shaker if you want, to
avoid having to open and sprinkle from two different containers
all the time. You should sprinkle the 2:1 ratio mixture on the
food every day, or at least 3 times per week for optimum vitamin
supplementation. With my tortoise, I supplement every day. If the
supplements are too powdery on top of the food, just spray with a
little water to dissolve it into the greens. I use a regular
plant mister filled with water, which I keep on hand.
Tortoise Organizations & Great Links
The best tortoise & turtle organization to be in, I feel, is
Tortoise Trust. They have a web page by the same name. You can
e-mail at this web site for further information not found in this
care sheet, or at the web sites below.
Links:
* Tortoise Trust International is run by Andy Highfield. You can
join Tortoise Trust for only $20 per year individual membership
fee. This allows you access to membership prices for their superb
books, videos, and pamphlets. Also, you will get a newsletter
every 3-4 months. This link is:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ttrust/index.htm
* The second link is to Hatchling Haven, which has excellent care
information, specific hatchling care, and pictures. This link is:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rednine/index.html\
* The third link is Tortoise Country, which has some great
tortoise pictures, as well as detailed descriptions and pictures
of indoor / outdoor tortoise enclosures. This link is:
http://www.huc1.com/tortoise.htm
* The fourth link is to the Slowcoach web site, which has some
excellent miscellaneous info, links, and a Photo Gallery with
fantastic pictures of most of the tortoise breeds. This link is:
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~slowcoach/slow/slocoach.html
I hope this information helps you. If you follow my advice, your
tortoise will have some of the best care it can have. You may
have encountered some questionable or incorrect information and
advice online or from your local pet shops and "reptile
experts". This is a common situation, so you need to
research everything you hear and read very carefully so you can
be sure you are taking proper care of your tortoise. This care
sheet and the link below are a great source of proper and correct
care information. If you just found out you have been doing all
the wrong things, do not panic. What you need to do is start
doing all the right things from now on, starting today. Use these
resources and make sure your tortoise has everything it needs to
grow and remain healthy. Also, I have been through it all, and I
can and will help you. Feel free to e-mail me anytime with
questions, for advice. Your comments are always welcome. My
e-mail ID is:
ColdFusion88@yahoo.com
Good luck!
"Be Kind To Your Tortoise, For Under That Hard Shell Lies A
Soft Heart"