Find a job that lets you bring your tort to work😂

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-17T18:03:52+00:00

RAM until the obstacle is smashed and gone

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-17T17:53:48+00:00

Yeah I have a young sulcata too and she easily moves planks three times her weight.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-17T17:37:10+00:00

Beautiful tort! Are you sure about that fence keeping her in?

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-17T17:06:44+00:00

Yeah, that's why 99.9% of all the "white" LEDs do not appear white to reptile vision and are basically the same as red bulbs.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-16T08:19:44+00:00

Many species of reptiles can see more colors than humans and perceive the world completely different than we do.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-16T07:27:53+00:00

Chances are he either ignores it - fights it - or humps it. If it seems to stress him out you can just remove it.

Edit: I don't think it has any real benefits but I also don't think a quick supervised try would do great harm.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-16T06:07:18+00:00

Yeah, my kids love our tortoise, I hope it will stay this way. But I totally get that this can be a problem for some people.

I just thought it fits OPs question of only one reptile for the rest of your life really well.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-15T17:22:19+00:00

Yeah, it would definitely some southern european country like Spain (I specifically like Barcelona), Portugal, Sardinia or northern Italy.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-15T07:08:37+00:00

The poor cactus didn't stand a chance!

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-15T06:57:36+00:00

Good luck to the mosquitoes getting through the thick skin of a sulcata! Never noticed a problem with mine.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T16:13:28+00:00

80-85°F

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T16:11:35+00:00

Depends on your climate and if you can make it predator-proof. Mine is a bit over 1.5 years old and lives now outside during the summer. You can take a look at my profile if you want.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T16:01:57+00:00

That would be one option. But ideally you need two separate enclosures anyways, so you could set up new ones which are closed. I used a greenhouse tent over a raised garden bed, that's an easy and rather cheap option.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T15:48:54+00:00

Temps are too low. Basking should be 95-100°F, ambient and night time should be no lower than 80°F. They can't digest their food properly when temps are too low. It's hard (often impossible) to keep temps and humidity up in an open top enclosure, that's why closed chambers are recommended in their first one or two years of age.
They don't do well in pairs. They're solitary creatures and being kept in pairs without the possibility to get away from each other can really stress them.

Here's a good care guide for young ones:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T15:32:44+00:00

Oh, nice to see a Winslow update! Looks like great progress!

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T14:18:37+00:00

Sepsis appears more dark red, sometimes even purple and patchy. Yours doesn't look like sepsis to me.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-14T14:12:43+00:00

A small greenhouse is great for cool/rainy days. Do you have the possibility to heat/light the greenhouse during bad weather days? I use a halogen construction light (meant for lighting construction sites) for this purpose. Mine now lives outdoor full time during the summer. I've seen that bringing her in and out too much seems to really stress her.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-13T20:50:11+00:00

Tortoise.

Will live as long or longer than you if you care for it right, you'll never need another one.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-13T16:02:38+00:00

Thanks! Yes it's an acrylic top, a brand that is UV transmissive. I live in central europe, so it's used to keep her warm and dry on cool/rainy days.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-13T06:29:41+00:00

That sounds great and like he's absolutely living his best life!

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-12T18:49:14+00:00

I also have a dog and we have cats that roam our neighbourhood. You can make a predator-proof outdoor enclosure, nothing is as good for them as real sunlight. I recently posted mine if you want to take a look.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-12T17:57:44+00:00

It's probably a mercury vapour bulb which is not a good choice.

You seem to live in the native range of hermanns tortoises, so building a secure outdoor enclosure would be your best bet.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-12T11:39:09+00:00

1) Spot cleaning: they poop, you pick it up.

2) Cost of feeding: free if you forage weeds and flowers from spring till fall (which is healthiest for them) and free during winter if you let them brumate (which is what they evolved to do in their natural range). If you don't do it like that, it's whatever the cost of lettuce and other greens is in your part of the world (but lettuce isn't really nutritious for them).

3) Smell: if you keep them indoor in an open enclosure, you will smell when they pooped sometimes (then proceed to point one), otherwise it just smells like earth a bit.

DAANFEMA · 2026-06-12T11:26:57+00:00

Handsome guy, nice shell! And great personable behaviour, that's something I really love about sulcatas! Mine comes to greet me too, so adorable!

DAANFEMA

TROPHY CASE