Spur Thigh Tortoise

[Big Mike]

I was at the pet store and there were these great little spur thigh tortoises. Very small and extremly cute, we wanted to take one home but we didn't know anything about them and they were $600 each :eek:

Anyway, we read somewhere that they might out live us (80 yrs) and get up to 200lbs. Is this right?

[Jaylyn]

You betcha!! Need a barn or some big heated place to keep them here! They are beautiful, though!

The redfoots (feets) are nice - and they get to a maximum of about 12 inches - awesome little personalities, too. Wayne Fedorchuk in Calgary has a breeding group (with nice hatchlings! and $200 a piece).

Jaylyn

[Dom]

they can actually attain sizes of coffe talbes .. weighing even over the 300 pound mark.. and live way more then 80 years .. 175 years has already been seen b4 ..

they are the third largest tortoises/turtles after the Leatherback and the galapagos..

They will defently outlive you!

Dom

[Vattica]

They may be huge and outlive you, but they are WONDERFUL! I have a 2 yr old female and she is the funniest thing I have ever seen. The things she does are hilarous! She makes the funniest faces, comes when called, follows me around, and if I let her out, she goes straight for the fridge and sits there eyeing us until we feed her! She is such a crack up. She LOVES music too, anytime there is music, she goes and sits next to the speakers, and sits under the hubby's chair when he plays guitar. If you possibly have the space and time and MONEY to keep them, go for it. They are well worth it. Although I woulnt pay $600 for one, I got mine @ a pet shop for $200 - and that is pretty avarage for a pet shop, but I am in WA state....

Leah

[Dom]

Ive seen them in Ottawa for 290$ ..

Amazing totoises! If i had to pick any tortoises i'd have to go for a Spur thight!

Dom

[Big Mike]

Thanks everyone.

It's hard to belive that those little guys will get so big. The ones they had at the pet store were small enough to fit into my hand.

[AzR@k]

they all start out small and cute then get big and even cuter!

[crimsonking]

Dang,guys is there something I'm missing? Assuming I have the right ssp., sulcatas (spur thughs)were about $40.-$ 50. as hatchlings at last show I attended here in Tampa. Red-footed about $135.- $150. as hatchlings. Are you talking about adults for $600. It just seems a little steep to me with the thousands produced each year.IMHO, Mark

[crimsonking]

Ignore my poor spelling and editing, please!

[Linds]

Any of the large tortoise species dont make appropriate pets for most herp enthusiast. Being burrowing tortoises, spur thighs are known to dig up the plumbing your yard and can get through fences quite easily as well (as adults). They need to be housed outside for as much of the year as they can (preferably year round, but can winter inside so long as they have several rooms devoted to a temporary habitat). Since tortoises are roamers, they need a fairly large yard to themselves. And they will definitely outlive you. I hate seeing these beautiful animals sold in pet stores, most of them will likely end up a tragic story. I would love one, but no way I could provide adequate care for one. Keep responsibly and enjoy your herps :)

[crimsonking]

Very well put Linds!

[Vattica]

You know, my biggest concern about a Sulcata was the digging behavior, but you know, mine doesnt dig at all. She is a wandering nomad for sure, but no digging. I just hope she stays that way! I hate seeing them, well, any reptile for that matter, in a pet shop. I really cant swallow the idea of a reptile as a "pet". I guess I just done see them that way. A cat is a pet, but a reptile is something entirely different, they are beautiful, complicated, intelligent, fascinating creatures, and the though of some kid getting hold of any herp in a pet shop makes me sick. I wish there were something we could do about it.

Leah

[jncoclub]

Lately whenever my boyfriend and I end up going into a reptile shop it's like we're in a candy store... we want everything, and tend to leave with something! It's a habit we're trying to break.

But the reason I'm responding is that our roommate got a baby sulcata for his birthday. He liked it in the begining, but now he doesn't even rememebr to turn on the light in the mornings. I have taken on the responsibility of caring for "Flash" myself (and oh yes, it will be kidnapped when my boyfriend and I move to CT at the end of the month). Since it was never a really well thought out pet/gift, I have been doing a lot of research myself on them. I think I know a decent about, but there is always room to learn more. I understand how big they'll get and the sort of environment they'll need, but around what age do they really need to start having more space and really become complicated? (i.e. at what point should I expect to let it have a home outside as opposed to a set up inside my home?)

Oh, and is a spur thigh the same as a sulcata? If not, can someone post a pic for me?

-Jennifer:atom:

[naja]

actually,sulcatas(Geochelone sucata)are the third largest LAND CHELONIAN, after the galapagos(Geochelone elephantopus) and the aldabra(Geochelone gigantea)tortoises. its hard to say where exactly that puts it between sea turtles and tortoises but it is definetly one of the top 5 or so, maybe as high as 4th, after the leatherback and the other big tortoises i mentioned. green sea turtles get to pretty much the same size as sucatas:about 3' and 300lbs. one big f****r, thats for damned sure!! yup, anyone that is not a land owner, as well as a responsible adult, probable at least 30 years old or more and stable in life, should not commit to an animal of these proportions. when you do decide to get a tortoise, of any species that lives to great ages, you should consider who will take care of him or her when you pass on. do you have children who will be commited to kepping such a huge animal, and/or grandchildren may need toget involved... you get the picture. definetly not an animal for a novice herper. they are sure darned adorable though, as babes! thats for certain!!!

[Jaylyn]

African Spur Thigh = Geochelone sulcata
Spur Thigh = Geochelone ibera = Greek tortoise

The iberas are MUCH smaller - usually 6-7 1/2 inches. They are a temperate tort that needs to hibernate.

Jaylyn

[naja]

i think its actually "Geochelone graeca iberia", for the asian spur thigh, and "Geochelone graeca graeca" for the greek tortoise. and the correct "spurry" name for the african sulcata tortoise, or the less confusing one , anyhow, is the "african spurred tortoise"... gosh! there is so much confusion and mis-understanding about these species! but, to call the sulcata a spur thigh tortoise, is definetly very misleading. the true spur thigh is the asian spur thigh, Geochelone graeca iberia. ok, i'm done now! bye!

[Paul McCleary]

...Geochelone graeca iberia

[Jaylyn]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion! Great pic!
Jaylyn

[AstroZombie]

I was under the assumption that pet stores aren't allowed to "sell turtles or tortoises"...or is this just an Ontario/ Toronto by-law thing?

Jenn

[Linds]

Many species of tutrle and tortoise are legal to be sold in Ontario and I'm fairly certain there is no bylaw banning them in Toronto either.