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 African
Spur-Thigh Tortoise
(Geochelone
sulcata)
The African Spur-Thigh Tortoise (often
called the Sulcata Tortoise) is native to
the Southern Sahara desert region. It
can reach 3-4 feet in length, and weigh up to
240 pounds. Reptile experts claim that
these tortoises will live up to 70 years,
but many cases have been reported of a Sulcata living for up to 150 years.
The Sulcata Tortoise is uniformly a brown-
to golden-yellow color. They have
well-defined spurs on their rear legs, which
give the Sulcata its name. Growth
rings will appear on each scute (shell
section) on the carapace. A Sulcata's
skin is thick; this may help it retain fluid
during dry periods.
Housing Requirements
Don't let pet stores fool you into thinking
that this tortoise will grow to the size of
its environment like a water turtle.
This tortoise is going to get BIG!
These are the tortoises you see at Busch
Gardens and zoos that children are allowed
to ride. So plan ahead.
Design an enclosure that allows your
tortoise enough room to exercise, at least
12' square, with a 6' square grazing area
and the other 6' square for basking.
If you live in a warm enough climate, build
your enclosure outside--but make sure to
sink your fencing at least two feet
underground. These tortoises like to
dig.
 Tortoises
will dig burrows where they can rest in safe
comfort during the day. Unlike
gophers, these burrows will only have one
entry/exit hole--unless there is a cave-in
somewhere along its tunnel. If this
happens, the tortoise will dig a new exit
hole to escape. To make sure your
tortoise doesn't dig out of your yard, build
a cage-inside-a-cage; that is, build your
12' square enclosure in the center of your
fenced yard, and leave a wide safety margin
between it and your fence. That way,
if your tortoise digs out of the inner
enclosure, it will still be safely enclosed
in your yard. Click on the diagram for
a larger view.
If your tortoise is being kept inside,
provide a deep substrate mixture of sterile
playground sand and organic soil for its
burrows. Alfalfa pellets, aspen
particles, or Lizard Litter© can also be
used. Avoid pine, cedar, or oyster
shell substrates, as these can be harmful or
toxic to your tortoise. Clean your
enclosure every day, especially if your
tortoise uses its water bowl or pool as a
toilet.
Since tortoises like to soak at least twice
a week, you may want to bury a child's
wading pool in your yard, and build a ramp
for your tortoise to climb down in at its
leisure. The ambient temperature in
its enclosure should be between 72 - 85º F
during the day, with a basking area at 85 -
89º F. At night, the temperature
should drop no lower than 70º F. If it
does, be sure to bring your tortoise inside.
Adequate UVA and UVB lighting is crucial for
proper skeletal and shell development.
If your tortoise is housed outside, it will
receive these important nutrients through
unfiltered sunlight. If your tortoise
is inside, you must provide it with the
proper incandescent lighting. Ceramic
emitters or undertank heaters can also be
used to heat its enclosure. Avoid heat
rocks if at all possible, as these can cause
severe burns to a tortoise's shell and legs.
Since the Sulcata comes from a desert
region, it requires a dry, arid enclosure.
Be sure to provide your tortoise with a
sufficiently large hiding box where it can
hide from the bright sun, especially if no
burrowing is possible.
Diet
Sulcatas are grazers. They need
high-fiber, low-protein food such as mixed
grasses, orchard hay, timothy hay, hibiscus
leaves and flowers, clover, prickly pear
pads, dandelion greens and flowers, Dutch
clover, rose leaves and petals, and sow
thistle. Greens such as mustard,
turnip, and collard leaves can be
substituted when natural grasses and leaves
are not available. Mulberry and grape
leaves should be fed in limited quantities.
Avoid animal protein and lettuce entirely,
and feed fresh fruits sparingly.
Sulcatas live for many years, can learn to
recognize their names, and can be trained to
come when they're called. Often
nicknamed "heirloom pets," these intelligent
tortoises can provide a lifetime of pleasure
for you and your entire family. |
