Sulcata Tortoise

Sulcata Tortoise Habitat

Given the sizes that the sulcata will grow to, they most often need to be kept outside. Young ones and hatchlings should normally be kept indoors, where you can keep them safe from neighborhood cats & dogs, and have better control over the climate.

When kept outdoors, you will need to make a safe space for them. This means a fence, which extends into the ground. These tortoises do burrow, and could escape under and ordinary fence. You will also need to provide a heated shelter for it for times when the weather is cool.

They should be kept at a temperature of 85F-100F during the day, with temperatures dropping to 75F or so at night. Because they are true land tortoises, native to dry areas, you will need to make sure that their enclosure stays dry and offers them an escape from rain.

Be especially carefull if you have a pool in your yard - these tortoises cannot swim, and will drown if they fall in. They should have water available in a shallow dish at all times.

Like many herbiovorous reptiles, they require ultraviolet light (UVB) to properly convert vitamin D to D3 and metabloize calcium. Outdoors they will get their needs met by sunlight (a vitamin & calcium supplement is still a good idea). Indoors, UVB light must be provided by a boradband flourescent light.

Don't forget their size and strength when designing their enclosure or terrarium. If you think of them as small bulldozers and plan accordingly, you should be too far off.

Just say no...

When keeping them outside, pay attention to the plants in your garden. Some common ones are poisonous to the tortoise. Some examples are tomato leaves, crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, impatiens, iris, milk weed, rhubarb, snapdragon, and tulips. There are a number of other poisonous or dangerous plants, so it's better to be safe than sorry. Ideally, keep your tortoise where it can only eat grass or other vegetation that you have selected especially for it.

While on the subject, remember that pesticides and some fertilizers will be dangerous to your pets health. If you have neighbors that get their lawns treated with chemical spray, it would be best to keep your tortoise indoors that day, to minimize it's exposure.