my suggestions. . .

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Posted by Esther on July 13, 2001 at 15:42:02:

In Reply to: Re: finding the right tortoise for our family posted by Nick on July 13, 2001 at 11:43:24:

I advise against getting a sulcata as a first tortoise for a family. Sulcatas are a LIFE-LONG responsibility that grow enormous in only a matter of years. Ours are 18 lbs and only 4 years old. True, they do amuse us for hours, but they are a serious handful as they get big (I am now pregnant and it is more and more difficult to lift my first, Chanel, now that he is a squirming 18 lbs). They require a year round environment that is heated because they do not hibernate. They do NOT get along well with others, and must be seperated. Their diets are quite demanding. Luckily, I've kept turtles since a kid, so I was prepared for this kind of work.

May I recommend for you instead the tortoise that I first started out with, at age 4, a box turtle. They are fascinating little guys, and hibernate during the winter. They are lower maintenance than the demanding sulcata, and a good way to guage how your family takes to the joys and responsibility of turtle ownership. My box turtles, Bart and Betty (and eventually their babies, Bettyanne and Bartlett), inspired a life-long love of all things chelonian.

If you are seriously condidering a sulcata, then a visit to the "sulcata reality-check" page is an immediate necessity, so that you truly realize the committment you are getting into:
http://www.turtlehomes.org/test.htm

Here is what happens to most sulcats:
http://www.turtlehomes.org/thebeautifulsulcata.htm

The turtlehomes website
http://www.turtlehomes.org/index.htm
is extremely helpful and could potentially help you locate your new arrival of another species.. . .

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Thank you Esther Rachel 07/14/01 (0)

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: I advise against getting a sulcata as a first tortoise for a family. Sulcatas are a LIFE-LONG responsibility that grow enormous in only a matter of years. Ours are 18 lbs and only 4 years old. True, they do amuse us for hours, but they are a serious handful as they get big (I am now pregnant and it is more and more difficult to lift my first, Chanel, now that he is a squirming 18 lbs). They require a year round environment that is heated because they do not hibernate. They do NOT get along well with others, and must be seperated. Their diets are quite demanding. Luckily, I've kept turtles since a kid, so I was prepared for this kind of work. : May I recommend for you instead the tortoise that I first started out with, at age 4, a box turtle. They are fascinating little guys, and hibernate during the winter. They are lower maintenance than the demanding sulcata, and a good way to guage how your family takes to the joys and responsibility of turtle ownership. My box turtles, Bart and Betty (and eventually their babies, Bettyanne and Bartlett), inspired a life-long love of all things chelonian. : If you are seriously condidering a sulcata, then a visit to the "sulcata reality-check" page is an immediate necessity, so that you truly realize the committment you are getting into: : http://www.turtlehomes.org/test.htm : : Here is what happens to most sulcats: : http://www.turtlehomes.org/thebeautifulsulcata.htm : The turtlehomes website : http://www.turtlehomes.org/index.htm : is extremely helpful and could potentially help you locate your new arrival of another species.. . .

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