Guest Author - Meg Grooms

The African spur thigh tortoise (Sulcata) was given its name because of the characteristic “spurs” the tortoise has on its legs which are present from hatching. Spur thighs are a common pet tortoise and are usually captive bred for the pet trade. There are several types of spur thigh tortoise, and as care for each is different this article will use the name sulcata to refer to the African spur thigh.

It is difficult to gender type a sulcata until they are close to adulthood. During bathing you may see the tortoise “flash”, the term for the exposing of male genitalia, at the time they are reaching adulthood.

Generally there is not much of a difference between the behavior of males and females. Most sulcatas are docile, males may become a bit more aggressive in the years leading up to adulthood, especially if there is an unbalanced male/female ratio. There should be at least one adult female to each adult male, though this is often difficult to achieve as gender typing is so difficult. If you have multiple sulcatas and they begin to spar, separating them will solve the problem.

Sulcatas are big tortoises, reaching nearly 200 pounds and can be more than 2 feet in length when fully grown. Pet sulcatas don’t grow quite that large, rather, they top out at 80-100 lbs and 20-24 inches. The lifespan of the wild sulcata is 80-100 years, however in captivity 30-50 is considered the norm.

The spur thigh is native to Africa, specifically the area south of the Sahara and as thus it must be provided similar elements, though as your tortoise grows their needs change.

When your pet is a hatchling they can reside in a tank indoors, 10 gallons is the bare minimum size, 20 gallons (long) is better, 60 gallons (long) or more is preferred. As the animals come from the Sahara area people automatically assume the tortoises need sand as substrate, this isn’t true. Straight sand can harm the hatchling’s delicate underbelly, if using sand mix it 50/50 with a commercial tortoise bedding, reptile grass or rabbit feed. Many breeders recommend rabbit feed as a substrate because it’s soft, it’s inexpensive and can be purchased in large quantities at feed stores, and if it mixes with the tortoise’s food it will not cause harm.

Your indoors tortois will need special light sources. A small wattage basking lamp is required, as is a full spectrum UVB light. If the inside temperature of your house is under 70 degrees you may need to install a tank heater, especially in the winter the type that sits under a tank does nicely.

It is vital to bathe your hatchling sulcata daily, otherwise the animal could become dehydrated. Older tortoises do well with a weekly bath.

Sulcatas grow quickly! You will see their size double in a matter of months, they grow approximately 4-6 inches a month. Not only will you run out of room in your house for your pet, older tortoises must go outside frequently to maintain proper growth and health. Having a fenced in area is not enough as these tortoises are known to burrow under them and escape., if your animal is outside without the shelter of a tortoise pen, never leave him unattended.

A tortoise pen is simple to make, commercial dog pens are fabulous to use, or you can make one. Your pen should be close to an electric source as it will need to accommodate heating lamps, and it should be half shaded. Directions for making a tortoise pen can be found at the link to the right.

The natural diet of the sulcata consists of wild greens. Sulcatas are strict herbivores and there are many things you should never feed a sulcata. Never feed a sulcata dog food, meat, legumes, or large quantities of non-green vegetables. If you feed your pet fruit do so only rarely, not more than twice a month, and in very small quantities. Never feed your pet berries or citrus, stick to apple and pear peels. DO NOT feed your sulcata cooked food.

A healthy sulcata diet should include a lot of dark, leafy greens or edible reptile grass (do not assume that the grass in your yard is healthy for your tortoise, especially if you treat your lawn with pesticides or herbicides.) The sulcata diet can also include peelings from squashes and carrots, rose flowers and hibiscus flowers and leaves. Commercial tortoise food is available but not recommended as they are not specific to sulcatas and can contain ingredients that may harm your pet.

Your tortoise will need a reliable water source. A shallow pan is recommended, the plastic trays that go under potted plants work nicely for smaller tortoises. Provide several pans or a large, shallow source for an adult tortoise, a child’s plastic pool with a side cut down (pad cut side with electrical tape) will work.

With proper care and consideration your sulcata will be a lifetime pet. Sulcatas are gentle and easy to care for, making them a great companion!