A Sulcata Tortoise is the third largest tortoise in the world surpassed by the Aldabra and Galapagos Tortoise. The Sulcata Tortoise is found in hot dry areas across North Central Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Sulcata's require a high fiber and low protein diet and also need to be soaked every now and then for hydration purposes which I will go over as well. Just remember these are large animals and will if taken care of properly outlive you.
It is alwaya a good idea to think adoption first before buying an animal. And if you can't find anything for adoption I would try a reptile show in your area or respectable pet store with a great deal of knowledge as you may have questions to ask them. When it's time to pick one out and you are willing to accept the responsibility of owning one you need to know what to look for.
Look For The Following:
- Activeness (Don't pick out the one that seems sluggish and tired, find one moving around alot)
- Alertness (When you pick one up it should be alert and back into the shell)
- Clear Eyes and Nose (Don't get one that has a runny nose or closed eyes)
- Hard Shell (Find one with a hard shell, a soft shell is a bad sign)
- Eating (See if the place will let you watch the animal eat)
- Does the breeder have a good reputation for clean and healthy animals?
Sulcata Tortoises prefer a dry environment in which to live so housing isn't always difficult until they get older. For a hatchling I would say no aquarium less than 45 gallons of space. These little guys like to have room to move around and a 10 gallon aquarium to me seems like a jail. When they walk around the like to be able to feel something under their feet, there is a few things you can use for bedding:
-Terarrium Carpet
-Cypress Mulch
-Calci Sand
-Timothy Hay, Bermuda Grass, Orchard Grass (Try to avoid Alfalfa of any sort)
Whatever you do, use common sense when choosing a bedding. Ask yourself questions, like:
-Can this bedding be eaten and cause digestion problems?
-Can this bedding cause my tortoise to choke?
-Will this bedding mold or mildew?
-Will this bedding contribute to bacteria problems?
Your Tortoise habitat should have a basking spot lamp that reaches tempertatures between 90-95f. The best way to obtain the basking spot temperature is with a light that produces the ideal amount of heat. Make sure if you buy a heat light that the fixture you are using is rated for that amount of wattage or you could have problems. The habitat your using should have an area where your Tortoise can get out of the light to cool it's body down. Tortoise body temperatures are controlled buy the amount of heat you provide or the sun provides. If it's 60 degrees in your room and you don't have a light your Tortoise will be 60 degrees. So the light will play the role as the sun to provide heat to keep your animal warm.
There Are Two Different Types of Lighting Your Tortoise Needs:
- Ultraviolet A (UVA): This type of light is beneficial for breeding, feeding and the overall well being of your reptile.
- Ultraviolet B (UVB): This type of light helps convert Vitamin C to Vitamin D3 which help aide in the proper bone and shell growth. Without it your reptile will become brital and sick over time. (MBD)
This best known type of lighting for a Tortoise is Mercury Vapor Lamps. These lamps produce UVA and UVB all in one bulb. They are in fact quite expensive costing anywhere from 50-80 dollars. But all in all, these are the way to go and I will not recommend anything else.