How to Build the Ideal Enclosure for Your African Spurred Tortoise

African Spurred Tortoise Enclosure Guide

When you decide to adopt a sulcata tortoise, commonly known as an African spurred tortoise, it is important to know the amount of space they require to thrive.

Many owners who get their tortoises as hatchlings only measuring a few inches do not realize how large these tortoises will grow. If you decide to bring a sulcata tortoise into your home, it is pertinent you are prepared to provide an indoor and outdoor enclosure to suit its needs.

Since these tortoises vary so much in size throughout their lives, the requirements of an enclosure for a baby sulcata tortoise vary greatly from one for an adult sulcata tortoise.

This guide will be broken up into two sections⁚ indoor enclosures and outdoor enclosures. Both sections will include the enclosures requirements, explain the importance and benefits associated with them, and highlight the differences between baby sulcatas and adult sulcatas.

While baby African Spurred Tortoises may get away with a smaller enclosure, the adult needs a lot of space and hot temperatures. Babies will do fine in a 20-gallon and then 50-gallon space as they grow. Adults do best outside with 100 sq. feet (30 sq. m) of space and high temperatures. Many owners are attracted to sulcata tortoises as hatchlings because they are known as good pets and are extremely adorable. Not all prospective owners account for these animals lifespan, the size and weight they will quickly grow to, or the environmental factors they will require to thrive as adults.

Indoor Enclosures for Baby Sulcatas

This section will provide all of the necessary information for keeping baby sulcatas in an indoor enclosure and the requirements for providing some form of indoor housing for the sulcatas when they reach adulthood.

This general checklist will be broken down in more detail in the following sections.

When you adopt your sulcata as a hatchling, you will start their care with an indoor enclosure. If you are housing one sulcata hatchling, a 20-gallon tub should be large enough for the first six months. After six months, or if you have multiple hatchlings, you will want to upgrade to a 50-gallon tub. To cut down on cost and materials, it is a good idea to start with a 50-gallon enclosure.

Several options are available when purchasing or building your baby sulcata enclosure. Purchasing a 50-gallon tank is acceptable; however, since tortoises like to roam, placing them in a tank with glass walls could be strenuous. Baby and juvenile sulcata tortoises placed in glass tanks are often seen pacing along with the glass, looking for a way to explore outside of the glass walls. If you insist on having a side view into your tank, it is suggested to have three opaque walls and one plexiglass wall to see through and display.

An easy and budget-friendly way to create your baby tortoise enclosure is by purchasing a sturdy 50-gallon tub from a home and garden supply store. Cement mixing tubs work great for this purpose and are easy to transport.

A third option to house your hatchlings is to create a turtle table.

Turtle tables may be purchased, or build your own by turning an old bookshelf on its back. If you decide to transform a bookshelf into a turtle table, be sure to reinforce the bottom, so there is no possibility of collapse.

Outdoor Enclosures for Adult Sulcatas

A recommended minimum enclosure size for adult African Spurred Tortoises is 8 feet by 4 feet, with a solid bottom to prevent injuries. Outdoor enclosures are ideal, as they provide a more natural environment for these tortoises to thrive. When you are constructing an outdoor enclosure for your sulcata, it is important to consider the following⁚

The enclosure must be escape-proof. Sulcatas are known for their digging prowess, so the fence needs to be buried at least 6 inches into the ground. The walls should be at least 2 feet tall, with a secure lid. Your sulcata will try to escape, so you must think like a sulcata when constructing your enclosure.

Provide adequate shade. Sulcatas are desert tortoises and do not need constant sun exposure. In fact, they will burrow to escape the heat of the day. Ensure that a significant portion of the enclosure is shaded, especially during the hottest parts of the day. You can accomplish this with plants, trees, or even a simple tarp. Make sure that the shaded area is large enough to house your sulcata.

Provide a safe area for basking. Sulcatas need a basking area to regulate their body temperature. This should be a sunny spot, preferably with a rock or other elevated platform for the tortoise to climb on. The basking area should be positioned so that it is not in direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. You can use a heat lamp to supplement the sun's heat during the cooler months or if you live in a climate where there is not enough sunlight.

Provide a water source. Sulcatas need access to fresh water, preferably a shallow dish that they can easily enter and exit. The water should be changed daily. You can also provide a pool or pond if you want, but make sure that it is shallow enough for the tortoise to easily climb out.

Provide a variety of vegetation. Sulcatas are herbivores and need a diet that consists of a variety of grasses, weeds, and leafy greens. You can plant these directly in the enclosure or provide them in a separate feeding area.

Essential Components for a Sulcata Tortoise Enclosure

No matter what kind of container you opt to use as an indoor home for your baby sulcata, you must fill it with the substrate. Substrate refers to the substance you place on the floor of the enclosure.

Mixing the  Repti Bark Reptile Bedding  from Zoo Med with organic potting soil is an excellent choice for a substrate. Although adult sulcata tortoises come from a dry environment, they still need to stay hydrated. Mixing these two materials to form your substrate will help provide a mainly dry environment with the ability to retain some moisture. This will help with hydration and will also allow your babies to burrow.

In addition to these suggested materials, you will want to include different reptile mosses, such as  Spanish moss  and  sphagnum moss . These materials will retain moisture and humidity and provide a place for your sulcata to regulate their body temperature.

These reptiles are  ectotherms , meaning they rely on their external environment to regular their body temperature. They require a moist area, such as a moist hide or covered area with damp moss, as well as a basking area.

For these desert tortoises to retain heat and regulate their body temperatures, they need to have a hot spot or a basking rock somewhere in their enclosure. For an indoor enclosure, providing a basking rock such as limestone under your heat source will furnish the animal with a place to warm up.

If you are able to transport your indoor enclosure outdoors for a portion of the day, this basking area will naturally heat up from the sun. Keep in mind; these tortoises are known to burrow during the hottest parts of the day.

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