Story By Cressi Brown, Southern Arizona Reptile Rescue & Education
African Sulcata Tortoises are a popular pet tortoise species, and many Tucsonans are familiar with the large, friendly tortoises.
For those not involved behind the scenes of reptile rescues it can be hard to imagine that something as slow as a tortoise can become the center of a pet epidemic.
These tortoises start out as golf ball sized babies that are sold in pet stores at unbelievably cheap prices. Unfortunately, pet stores are not always the best source for information and buyers are not likely to be told the downside before making a purchase. Many buyers are making impulse buys and have not researched the species and its husbandry requirements and long-term needs.
Baby Sulcata tortoises seem like the perfect pet tortoise to put into a terrarium for the unknowing new pet owner, but that is where the trouble begins.
Reptile pets including tortoises have specific needs ranging from special heating and lighting to dietary needs, vitamin supplements to protect against metabolic bone disease, and even requirements related to enclosure size…or in the case of Sulcata tortoises, yard size. Sulcatas are the third largest species, and a full-grown male can easily reach over 150 lbs.
So, all we need to do is make sure the baby we get isn’t a male, and problem solved, right? Well, that’s one of those solutions that looks good on paper but when put into effect, the real challenges start to present themselves. Sulcata tortoises can’t properly have their sex determined visually until they are at least fourteen inches long. By that time most people have become attached to their pet and don’t want to trade him in for a different tortoise. A blood test done by a veterinarian can help determine the sex, but vet visits can be costly and lab work is even more expensive. Most new tortoise owners do not want to spend a few hundred dollars to know if their tortoise is male or female.
The husbandry requirements for this species, if not followed properly, will result in a sickly tortoise. Metabolic Bone Disease is commonly seen in these tortoises when they come to our rescue. We see soft shells, deformed shells with pyramiding, swollen eyes, lethargy, emaciation, and dehydration frequently, often resulting in the death of the animal.
The biggest single factor is a lack of research on the husbandry requirements before purchasing a tortoise. Secondarily this results in an improper diet. Sulcatas are herbivores but that does not mean they can be fed a diet of lettuce or similar unhealthy foods. This species originates from the grasslands and savannahs of the African plains and is a grazer of grasses. The closest food item they can be given in captivity is a diet of Bermuda grass, timothy hay, or orchard grass. They can be given a few store-bought vegetables as treats but even those must be limited to healthy and nutritious vegetables. They aren’t able to process sugar so even though they love sweet treats, those can cause harm in the long run. Other foods such as citrus, tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables are also harmful.
Tortoises, turtles, and other reptiles rely on UVB light to help keep their bodies healthy and to metabolize Vitamin D. When a baby tortoise, which is at its most fragile state, is placed into a terrarium without a proper replacement for UVB it will undoubtedly suffer from Metabolic Bone Disease. Unable to get the nutrients that would naturally come from outdoor sunlight, the shell will soften, organs inside will shift to accommodate the deformed shell, and bones will not be strong and healthy enough to support an adult weight. Eyes will become swollen and shut resulting in the tortoise being unable to find food, water, and even shelter and the animal will be at risk of secondary illnesses. Many tortoises surrendered to our rescue are already suffering from this common disease, which could have been prevented through research before purchasing the tortoise.
Another common reason that these tortoises are in rescue is that they can be incredible escape artists. If they can see through it they can get through it. They are not called miniature bulldozers for nothing! We highly recommend solid block walls when housing these majestic animals. Southern Arizona Reptile Rescue & Education had over forty stray tortoises turned into their rescue last year. We often receive calls from citizens who see them walking down streets, sometimes even in traffic! Sometimes they show up in a yard or are spotted in other locations and are recognized as a non-native species. Most owners do not realize that their tortoise can safely have an ID tag placed on their shell. When we have these strays brought to us we try to alert the public by posting them on our Facebook page and other social media. We understand that it may be a few days before an owner may realize that their tortoise is missing so we hold them for ten days before making them available for adoption. We use several fosters to help us house Sulcatas and are always looking for additional fosters that can help with housing them.
We encourage anyone interested in getting a new reptile pet to thoroughly research their husbandry requirements and we are always happy to help find the right reptile pet for their family.
Southern Arizona Reptile Rescue & Education can be reached by phone or text at 808-747-6445, or on Facebook at Southern Arizona Reptile Rescue & Education.
