sulcata story on news

[macandchz]

i just wanted to post this in case you haven't heard this story. on our local news they just ran a story about a rescue group that wants to eliminate the sale of tortoises. they claim people buy them and don't realize how destructive they can be. eating plants,etc. they said they eat like horses and poop like them too. the guy doing the talking had 1 that must have weighed 200 lbs. and made the comment, 'Would you let a horse in your house?" he claims people are always turning them in to rescues. he wants a ban on the selling of them. this was on KDKA- channel 2-Pittsburgh. maybe you'd like to comment.

[mysticmoon]

Are the tortoises not native to the environment and maybe too many pets end up in the wild? I could see how that might become a problem, but there are other ways to fix that like regulations and maybe even registering/tagging tortoises like we do with dogs.

[chairman]

You see these things from time to time. Sulcata tortoises do average 100 lbs as adults and do require outdoor pens, making them unsuitable as pets for many households. It doesn't help that you can purchase them for $40. But that's no reason to ban them. Some people bring up the whole "rescues can't find homes for them" bit but, honestly, the rescues that are full of adult sulcatas are asking $500+ adoption fees per tortoise. Sorry, but it is going to cost me at least $500 to put in a new heated shed and fence for that rescued tortoise... you want them off your hands, give them away free to suitable homes.

As for setting sulcata free, I'm sure that they could survive in the wild in parts of the southern US but even the winters in central FL get cold enough to kill them.