Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have questions! Boy do I ever. Some of the people who have been on this forum for a while may remember me, I pop in every other year or so and ask questions. Sadly, since Minnie is my parents, and not mine, that is all the time I have had to dedicate to her. Recently I moved within an hour of my parents, and they have asked me to help them improve her set up, so I have more questions! lol. Sorry, this is going to be long.

We are currently re-doing the house, so have a somewhat unique opportunity to create an ideal setting for Minnie. She is a.. 7? year old Sulcata, we have had for 5ish years I think. She is about 2 feet accross her back, and heavy enough we try not to pick her up anymore, lol. We live in WI, and she has 24/7 run of our "Florida" room, which is probably 12ft x 10ft, maybe a little larger. She is offered mixed greens 3-5 times a week, and mazuri tortoise diet daily. We have tried repeatedly to switch her from a lot of fresh greens to Alfalfa, but other than a little grazing she hasn't taken to it. She has what is left of a child's swimming pool that is where she is fed (she has largely destroyed the sides over the last few years), and basks.

Main questions:
1) We cannot seem to find a substrate to keep in the pool for her. Every time we try something she gets a respiratory infection from the dust (she is VERY susceptible to repiratory problems). We have tried alfalfa, bed a beast, dirt, rabbit pellets... can't remember what else they have mentioned. Does anyone have any thoughts on what might work for her other than a yard? (remember, WI, lol)

2) We used to have a 130lb newfoundland that spent the day in the same room as the tortoise. She could get over the fence that kept Minnie in, and made the choice to stay in there, even though Minnie would often try to burrow under the poor dog. I am probably just anthropomorphising but they really did seem to be friends. Jasmine (the dog) passed away a year and a half ago, and Minnie has seemed very depressed. Not moving around as much, not eating as well, just generally not looking as healthy. Recently she has started to perk up again (this is the second spring since it happened so it seems unlikely it is just that). Is it possible she had somehow bonded with the dog? Do Sulcatas do better in groups? I am very reticent to recommend to my parents they get another tortoise, but it would still be good information to know.

3) What does an ideal Sulcata enclosure look like? I have read of them digging monstrous caves and such, but I don't see us being able to offer her that. Is it required for them to be healthy and happy long term? She does not currently have an outside pen, but they do take her for "walks" during nice weather.

Sorry for the long post, and parts of it may belong in other subforums. I appreciate any thoughts though. My father in particular is extremely attached to Minnie, so if we can figure out how to provide an even better life for her we want to (and of course mostly for her sake!). We have discussed "re-homing" her (something we have never done with an animal before), but they really want to give it at least one last huge try before exploring that option. Also, it seems like the possibility of her ending up in a far worse situation is plausible, so unless the perfect situation came around she is probably better off where she is...

Maybe I am jumping the gun, and really just need care sheets. I am sorry I am rambling, and asking some of the same questions I have in the past. I really value the forums input and suggestions though.

Elizabeth
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1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes (May he rest in peace)
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
Madison, Wisconsin

Well, if you wanted to redesign the room for her, install lighting, like a few spot lamp type areas where you can put some mercury vapor bulbs (like Reptisun bulbs). Perhaps have 2 basking spots, one hotter than the other. Give her a few fake tunnels. Like dog houses or something. In one of the dog houses put something to make it more humid. A sand soil mixture that you keep moist or something. Put some large items in the room that block her line of sight. Like some large driftwood type things (like if you cut down a tree, keep a few sections of it and put them in there). Make sure she has a water basin that she can soak in, and that she can easily get in and out of it. Perhaps make a section of the room with a stone type flooring and put the water thing on that and build some kind of ramp up to it. Grow food for her. Keep a few large rubbermaid containers, out of her reach, where you can grow different grasses. Then you can cut it and provide her with fresh grasses mixed in with her greens and mazuri food. Put her food around in different areas daily. Put alittle food here and there so she has to search for it.

I don't think sulcatas need to have company, she should be fine by herself.

>>2) We used to have a 130lb newfoundland that spent the day in the same room as the tortoise. She could get over the fence that kept Minnie in, and made the choice to stay in there, even though Minnie would often try to burrow under the poor dog. I am probably just anthropomorphising but they really did seem to be friends. Jasmine (the dog) passed away a year and a half ago, and Minnie has seemed very depressed. Not moving around as much, not eating as well, just generally not looking as healthy. Recently she has started to perk up again (this is the second spring since it happened so it seems unlikely it is just that). Is it possible she had somehow bonded with the dog? Do Sulcatas do better in groups? I am very reticent to recommend to my parents they get another tortoise, but it would still be good information to know.

Mel answered your other qs but this one I'll tackle because something stuck out for me.
You say she's been depressed & has perked up in spring.. that's normal. They don't hibernate but they really aren't all that active during winter so because the season has changed, that's more likely why she's perked up. I don't think it really does have anything to do with the dog being there before or not being there now.

We had the same situation, our dog & tortoise seemed to like one another but the dog died. Our tortoise didn't show any signs of caring one way or the other.
When we bought a new puppy, the tortoise was irritated by him until he learned he's not supposed to mess with her.
Tort outweighs dog by 60lbs today. lol

No they really don't need company. In the wild they are solitary animals except during breeding season.. if you got another and ended up with 2 males they're likely to fight, a male & female will breed then you end up with 150 eggs every year... more trouble than it's worth when the tort doesn't need the company of another tort to begin with.
Oh & think of the mountains of poop you'd have to clean up every day in the warm months with double the tortoises.
YIKES!
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PHRatz