African Spur Tortoise - {Geochelone sulcata}

Care Information

Life Span: 50+ years
Size: Up to 36 Inches long and 100 lbs. when full grown
Food / Diet: Your tortoise will need a diet high in fiber and calcium and low in fat and protein from a plant-based source. Hays and dark greens that are pesticide-free should provide three fourths of the diet. The remaining quarter of the diet should include organic romaine lettuce, collard greens, rye grass, clovers. Fruit may be offered as an occasional treat.
Feeding Procedures: Each day calcium should be dusted on vegetables should be shopped into small pieces and provided in variety to avoid diseases. Once a week vitamin and mineral supplements should be added to the food to help provide a healty diet for your tortoise.
Habitat: The African Spur Tortoise will require a secure outdoor habitat with room for it to move freely. Most Tortoises are well known for eating substrate so make sure the floor of their houseing is deep enough for burrowing and made of something digestible such as alfalfa pellets. It is important that your African Spur have a water bowl with clean fresh chlorine-free water daily. The container should allow the animal to easily get in and out of but large enough to allow them to soak in and drink from. A full spectrum fluoresent lighting with UVB rays is important for 12 to 14 hours a day, unless outdoors in a warm climate. Temperature is important to the safety of your animal so make sure they stay in a range of 85 F to 75 F degrees.

Photos

African Spur Tortoise Overview

The African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), also called the African Spur Thigh Tortoise, is a species of tortoise which inhabits the southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa. It is the third largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest species of mainland tortoise (not found on an island).

Taxonomy and etymology
Its generic name is a combination of two Greek words:Geo(?a?a) meaning "earth" or "land" and Chelone(?e????) meaning "tortoise". Its specific name sulcata is from the Latin word sulcus meaning "furrow" and refers to the furrows on the tortoise's scales.

Range and habitat
The African Spurred Tortoise is native to the Sahara Desert and the Sahel, a transitional ecoregion of semi-arid grasslands, savannas, and thorn shrublands found in the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan In these arid regions the tortoise excavates burrows in the ground to get to areas with higher moisture levels spending the hottest part of the day in these burrows. Burrows may average 30 inches in depth; some dig tunnel systems extending 10 feet or more underground.

Size and lifespan
The Sulcata is the third largest species of tortoise in the world after the Galapagos tortoise, and Aldabra Giant Tortoise; and the largest of the mainland tortoises. Adults are usually 18 inches (45 cm) in shell length, and weigh 70 to 100 pounds. Specimens with 24 to 36 inch long (60-90 cm) shells weighing 150 pounds (70 kg) are not unknown. They grow from hatchling size (2-3 inches) very quickly, reaching 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) within the first few years of their lives. The oldest known of this species was 56 years old although it is believed they can live up to about 80 years.

Breeding
Copulation takes place right after the rainy season, during the months from September through November. Males combat each other for breeding rights with the females and are vocal during copulation.

Sixty days after mating,the female begins to roam looking for suitable nesting sites. For five to fifteen days, four or five nests may be excavated before she selects the perfect location in which the eggs will be laid.

Loose dirt is kicked out of the depression, and the female may frequently urinate into the depression. Once it reaches approximately 2 feet (60 cm) in diameter and approximately 3-6 inches (7-14 cm) deep, a further depression, measuring some eight inches (20 cm) across and in depth, will be dug out towards the back of the original depression. The work of digging the nest may take up to five hours; the speed with which it is dug seems to be dependent upon the relative hardness of the ground. It usually takes place when the ambient air temperature is around 78 F (27 C). Once the nest is dug, the female begins to lay an egg every three minutes. Clutches may contain 15-30 or more eggs. After the eggs are laid, the female fills in the nest, taking an hour or more to fully cover them all.

Terms of Service

The Legal stuff:
Federal Law requires tortoises sold as pets to be at least 4 inches. Tortoises 4 inches and over are legal Pet Shop Size these can be sold as pets (Please check your local & state laws). All tortoises less than 4" straight length are sold as per Federal guidelines 21CFR 1240.62, not sold as "pets" only sold for Scientific, Educational, Exhibition or Export purposes.

PLEASE READ:
All Sulcatas are captive raised on my farm, my farm has been raising tortoise for 25 years. All group lots of tortoise (over 10) are sold with a Vet Health Certificate (required for interstate travel). Note failure to read my terms & Conditions for any reason will not be a reason to consider them void or altered.

Live arrival & Health terms:
The high and low temperature range for the day must be above 40 and below 88 degrees (Shipping & Receiving locations). You or your agent must be present to sign for door to door shipments (First delivery attempt). Orders sent to the airport must be picked up within 4 hours of their arrival time. I am not responsible for missed deliveries or carrier delays. (Missed delivers void the live arrival & health guarantees)

30 Day Health Guarantee:
For animals bought in single lot quantities (No Health Certificate) Animals are guaranteed healthily, eating and acting normally. If you’re animal is sick or is not eating, you can return them prepaid shipping back to us and we will exchange the animal with free shipping back to you. Does not cover sudden death, the animal you send back must be live (Please see Live arrival & Health terms) your health guarantee may be void if the shipping terms were not meet. (Animals bought in Lots come with a health certificate and have been double insured healthy the 30 day health exchange does not apply). Guaranteed live arrival: Animals are guaranteed to arrive live providing our terms are met (please see Live arrival & Health terms). Animals that do not arrive a live will be replaced. No other guarantees or warrantees are implied or offered.

PAYMENT:
We except Bank wire transfer and prefer PayPal . We can send you an invoice thru PayPal or you can send PayPal money directly to sam@FloridaIguana.com. You can also pay by certified check or personal check (allow time to clear). We are happy to hold animals with a 20% non-refundable deposit.

SHIPPING:
We offer Next day UPS service from here if the weather is safe. UPS offers no insurance on livestock (your risk). Most small UPS orders are $45. Other shipping methods available: For large orders we can ship by airlines (Delta is best out of Ft Lauderdale FL) with insurance. Most small air shipments are $85. If you’re paying by PayPal, we only ship to confirmed PayPal address

Note that all door-to-door orders must have someone available to receive and sign for the package (at the first attempt of delivery) or the Health Guarantee is void. All shipping rates noted above are estimates and vary depending on location and order size. Please provide address for a shipping quote.

PHOTOS:
The photos in this ad may or may not be the actual animal (unless other wise noted). Additional photos available by request.

CONTACT:
Email is the best way to contact me: Sam@FloridaIguana.com
Florida Iguana & Tortoises Breeders
Cooper City FL
www.floridaiguana.com
sam@floridaiguana.com