Sulcata tortoise humidity

Humidity is extremely important with baby Sulcata tortoises as well as yearlings and even juveniles.  While your baby Sulcata is small, keeping him or her in a high humidity environment is extremely important.  Here at CB we raise all of our Sulcata tortoise hatchlings for sale at 75% humidity and 88 degrees as our ambient temperature.  By using a reptile fogger system that turns on in the morning with your day / night light timer, you can provide them the nourishing humidity / hydration they require each morning.

Use a reptile fogger to maintain your Sulcata tortoise habitat humidity

Using a reptile fogger is almost necessary for most indoor tortoise enclosures.  If you are raising your baby Sulcata indoors, you will most likely need to supplement the lack of indoor humid air due to your heat or air conditioners.  When our heaters or AC units turn on, they basically dry out the air quickly.  Just soaking your baby tortoise is often not enough, and that is why we recommend using a reptile fogger.

Sulcata Tortoise Care Sheet

Before purchasing your new pet sulcata tortoise for sale, please make sure you find an experienced captive bred sulcata tortoise breeder and do your homework researching proper African Spurred tortoise care.

Our biolgist has provided a detailed Sulcata tortoise care guide that will cover the following topics:

Sulcata tortoise Range:

Arid, sparse areas of sub-saharan Africa.  Sulcatas are found throughout the grassy and dry sub saharan African plains.  They are fairly widespread and overlap in territory with other African tortoise species, including the leopard tortoiseLeopard tortoise for sale are also available here at CB.  Giant South African leopard tortoise exist only in southern Africa.  The Pardalis Pardalis leopard tortoise is also available here at CB Reptile.

Sulcata tortoise Lifespan:

These guys like all tortoises are long lived when properly cared for.  It is not uncommon for an African Spurred tortoise to live anywhere from 80-100 years!  Sulcatas for sale should be thought of as a long term pet, to say the least!  When raised in the proper Sulcata habitat, with proper UV lighting, Substrate, Humidity, Temperatures and good quality food, your baby Sulcata may outlive you!  Food is probably most important when considering the lifespan of a Sulcata tortoise.  Humidity however, is not far behind!

Sulcata tortoise size

A very large tortoise an African Sulcata can reach sizes of 18-30 inches with most in the 24″ range.  Depending on where they are from, some including the Sudanese Sulcata tortoise for sale can reach 30″.  A big factor concerning how big with a Sulcata tortoise grow entails its’ diet and habitat when growing up. Naturally, higher calorie, high protein content diets are going to be worse for the animal.  Because high protein diets may cause the baby tortoise to grow larger, much faster.

African Sulcata tortoise Appearance:

Males can be larger than females. Adult males have a deep concavity in the posterior half of plastron, with long, thin tails tipped by a horny curving spur. Females have a more rounded appearance with features that are not so exaggerated and a short, blunt tail. Adults’ carapace is a uniform brown to yellow. Their plastron, head, and limbs are a uniform yellowish. Juveniles have a pale yellow carapace with brown on the scutes, a yellow-white plastron and lighter areoles on the carapace plates.

African Spurred tortoise Housing:

Due to their large size, housing these tortoises inside can be quite impractical. Please consider this carefully prior to purchasing. Of all the types of habitats available, the most useful form of indoor accommodation for a hatchling is a tortoise table.  The only issue here is the open top.  We recommend a reptile fogger for sale, to keep the humidity at 70% A reasonable size for a hatchling is 2 foot by 2 foot, however they will outgrow this very quickly (at 3 years old they can exceed 12 inches). As the animal grows the size of its habitat needs to be increased. Holes can be cut into the bottom of your tortoise table to allow for the sinking of food and water dishes, making them flush with the surface for easier animal access.

Sulcata tortoise Water

Always, water dishes in the habitat should be large enough to allow the tortoise to soak in.  At the same time, they need to remain shallow enough to protect from drowning. For an adult African Spurred tortoise, the indoor habitat should be at least 8 foot by 8 foot! An outdoor heated shed or greenhouse is sometimes a better option for an adult African Spurred tortoise. During hot summer days allow your tortoise to roam in a predator-free enclosed garden. Because of their large size and grazing habits, these tortoises will greatly benefit from being outdoors when the climate allows it. Ensure that there is adequate shade, hiding spots, and access to a shallow dish of water. A dry grassy area that allows grazing is ideal.

Sulcata tortoises can burrow

These large tortoises need a sturdy fence that extends underground due to their tendency to burrow. Daytime temperatures can be up to 99 F and nighttime temperatures should not drop below 70 degrees F. A shallow dish of water should be provided at all times, and a muddy wallow may be used as well.

As a substrate, a mixture of topsoil and play sand or cypress bark works well.  At the same time other options for arid loving species, dried grasses and hay can be used. Hay is easily maintained and provides nourishment if they nibble it. Humidity should be kept around 70% for any spurred tortoises up to 24 months old.  If sand is used in the substrate this area should also not have food placed directly upon.  Because if ingested the sand can build up in the tortoises GI tract leading to possible impaction and even death. A completely separate sand-free area in the habitat should be utilized to feed.

Sulcata tortoise heating

In one corner of the environment, a heat spot lamp should be positioned to provide artificial basking facilities. This should be positioned to provide a basking spot of 90 degrees F in that section of the habitat, while the rest of the enclosure can be heated to 80-90 F during the day with a drop at night. Heating sources should always be run through a thermostat. The enclosure should also be equipped with a full spectrum fluorescent light to provide for UVB. A UVB source is necessary for Vitamin D3 syntheses (needed in calcium metabolism). There should be a hide box located in the corner away from the basking spot to allow the animal a cooler dim retreat.

Sulcata tortoise diet

Diet: African Spurred tortoises are herbivorous, grazing tortoises and need a high fiber, low protein diet. At least 75% of their diet should be given as grasses and hays, along with some edible weeds and flowers. Small amounts of other leafy green vegetables are okay, but avoid foods high in oxalates.

Examples:

* Orchard grass or hay

* Timothy or Bermuda Grass

* Dandelion greens

* Clove

* Cactus pads

* Edible flowers

Avoid:

* Fruits

* Spinach

* Grains (bread, pasta etc)

* Human foods

* Dog and cat food or any animal protein

Sulcata tortoise lighting

UVB levels in the tortoises natural habitat are vastly higher than anything we experience in the normal inside of our homes, so food must be lightly dusted with a vitamin and mineral supplement which contains vitamin D3 and calcium daily. Cuttlebone is a good source of calcium and can be left in the enclosure at all times.  We use tortoise bone, or reptile calcium both available here on our website.

Do Sulcata tortoises hibernate?

African Spurred tortoises do not hibernate. Make sure there are no steep surfaces or steps that the tortoise can climb on as they can tip over onto their backs and be unable to get back up.

As with any new pet, it is highly recommended that you take your new tortoise to a vet with exotics experience for a health check up. Problems and health issues in chelonian are often hidden and your pet may appear healthy at first. It is also recommended that you measure and weigh your tortoise on a regular basis. Please only buy your tortoise from a genuine suclata tortoise breeder.

Sulcata tortoises for sale online

Of all species of tortoise, Sulcata tortoises are some of the largest and most beautiful of all tortoises for sale.  When considering any tortoise for sale, or turtles for sale, captive bred baby tortoises for sale and turtles for sale should be your only consideration instead of wild caught.  Some of the best tortoise breeder in the world only work with captive bred animals.  Whether it be huge sulcata tortoise for sale, or small russian tortoise for sale, we are your source for the best of the best!