Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have my sulcuta in a 40 breeeder tank right now he is almost a foot long. does anyone have any suggestions on how to make a bigger enclosure when he gets bigger?? one that i can keep him inside because i dont want to have an outdoor enclosure there are too many cats running around and i dont think i have the proper place to put one. so if anyone can give me any suggestions because once i build a big enough one he would have to also stay in my basement but it is warm enough dowm there. thanks in advance for any information.

Go to www.chelonia.org click on the care sheets inside most of the care sheets there is a link to a site that shows you how to make a tortoise table.

>i have my sulcuta in a 40 breeeder tank right now he is almost >a foot long. does anyone have any suggestions on how to make a >bigger enclosure when he gets bigger??one that i can keep him >inside because i dont want to have an outdoor enclosure there >are too many cats running around and i dont think i have the >proper place to put one

You may want to work on building a bigger enclosure now. A forty Gallon Breeder Tank for a Foot long tortoise is not a very good solution if you want it to have the ability to move around.

And I wouldn't worry about the cats bothering it, if you can have an outdoor enclosure it would be recommended.

>suggestions because once i build a big enough one he would have >to also stay in my basement but it is warm enough dowm there. >thanks in advance for any information.

If you are considering keeping a sulcata in a basement you will need to spend a considerable amount of money to get the conditions right.

This tortoise needs a tremedous amount of sunlight or an Ultra Violet lighting source that is going to beam down on the animal to help it regulate its temperature for digestive purposes and help it grow a nice healthy carapace (shell).

Although your basement may be a warm place, and I'm not sure what part of the country you are in but you may want to think what the future holds for you with this tortoise. In my opinion you may want to think about getting a smaller breed and either selling/trading or your sulcata. At about 5 years old, you will realize that your options for keeping it indoors are going to be very difficult to achieve for you both.

Ciao'

Giovanni

Wow this is probably the saddest post I've read here in a long
time. What a horrible way to keep such a wonderful animal.
It may survive in such conditions, but surviving is hardly
the same as thriving. If it was in a pet shop like this
everyone would be crying "abuse". Obviously there are many
parts of the US that aren't ideal for keeping sulcatas but people
manage and make accomodations. That's part of the "knowing what
you're getting into first" problem. Since you can't/won't keep
your sulcata, find somebody that will - contact turtlehomes and
put it up for adoption. Why condem it to living in your basement
rather than getting outside in the sunshine as much as possible
and enjoying life. How are you going to keep it when it's 50
or 75 pounds (if it lives that long like that)? Image a life
sentence of confinement to an underground 8X4 cell. Would you
like that?

i never said i was actually going to do that!!! it was a thought and i am worried about keeping it outside in the winter!! it gets cold here! he goes outside plenty when its warm and in the winter has the proper lighting!! he is doing fine and anyways i just asked for suggestions not criticism. i was told if u keep the right lighting on them they are fine. you need to chill and i dont abuse my animals.

I have to say, I agree with Niki. A tortoise the size of a sulcata needs access to the outdoors most of the year in order to thrive. Smaller tortoises do, too, of course, but for a large tortoise it's absolutely essential. I have Hermann's, which is a much smaller species, and I wouldn't consider keeping them in a basement year-round. If you can't/won't provide outdoor accomodation for your tortoise, you should probably seriously think about adopting out your tortoise.
-----
Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.2 Hermann's Tortoises
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

listen u people jump to conclusions too quickly all i asked for was help!! anways my basement is finished and heated. he goes outside plenty in the summer he has his light for the winter.
all i asked for was suggestions not criticism besides he is happy and gets plenty of exercise u people on here r ridiculous!!!!!!!!

I know most people wont agree with me, many said it wouldnt work, but I keep my 2 7" sulcatas in a tent. I found one that colapses to a circular disc, and opens to a 3' X 6' tent. It is not a high dome type, but has a lower top, weight about 2.5ft. In it i have hay, a tray of grass, and their combo light. Its nice because it holds heat, or open a panel to ventilate it. I have it so that its 70 on one end and 100 on the other, plus a uvb along the whole of it. I put a tarp in the bottom and about 6 inches up the walls. The torts dont try to push thru them, they just walk and explore, they've stopped trying to get out (A big problem before). In my opinion, its a great solution because it cost me $30 for the tent, its draft proof, and ive had no problems with it for 4 months. Just my 2 cents

Richard Grape

(Torts, Einstein and Newton)