So Many Tortoises, Too Few Homes

We're having a run on sulcata tortoises that people are trying to get rid of, and I am turning to Malibu Patch for help in finding good homes.

Geochelone sulcata, commonly known as a sulcata tortoise, is a hardy and personable species. Native to sub-Saharan Africa, it became part of the lucrative pet trade during the 1990s. The sulcata has an engaging nature, is attractive and sells for anywhere between $50 and $1,000. These traits make it one of the most commonly purchased pet tortoises in North America.  

Unknown to the unwary buyer, however, is that sulcatas are the third-largest species of tortoise in the world, weighing up to 200 pounds or more, attaining this size in a very short period of time. Adult female sulcatas can easily produce 50 to 100 eggs a year. It is not unusual to see hundreds of hatchlings for sale at reptile shows even though selling any turtle or tortoise in the U.S. under four inches is illegal.

The pet industry constantly looks for small, exotic animals with a big price tag. We've conducted a survey of sulcata owners about what they were told when they purchased their tortoises. Whether at a pet store or reptile show—the answer is the same. "It won't get bigger than its tank." This is patently ridiculous and often a deliberate lie.

New owners quickly become aware of the difficulties associated with having a potentially destructive non-housebroken animal of this size.  A fully-grown sulcata is strong and aggressive and can easily move furniture and damage or destroy a typical house or apartment wall.  When they start to dig up the property, it looks something like a minefield.

Many owners assume that when the tortoise becomes a problem, zoos will take them. This is simply not true. Zoos are not interested in cast-off pets. Instead, they refer people to American Tortoise Rescue and other organizations.

ATR has placed hundreds into good homes, but it is not the answer because it is not easy finding places with a quarter-acre or more with solid walls and heated houses, which is what a sulcata needs. They need a heated house using pig blankets, meals every other day (vegetarian, consisting of hay, dandelions and dark leafy vegetables) and an area to roam where they cannot cause havoc. No dogs or small children should be left alone with these big guys.   

Some owners mistakenly think that they can sell the huge animal for a large profit. But there is no market for adult sulcatas because the rescues are overflowing with them and they generally place them for free like we do. Since they are from Africa, they do not survive in the wild, so owners should not even think about that option.

The option of placing the animal with a rescue organization or rehabber sounds good to most overwhelmed owners. Unfortunately, of those thousands of cute tortoises that are sold every year, rescue organizations can only take a few of them once they are huge. Since the sulcata can live 50 years or more, and because the males fight when placed together, overcrowded rescues run out of space. At that point, there is no solution.

That said, we are desperately looking for homes that will adopt these wonderful (I know, they don't sound so wonderful anymore do they?) animals. If you are interested, send an email to info@tortoise.com with a detailed description of your habitat and a photo.  

American Tortoise Rescue is a nonprofit founded in 1990 to provide for the protection of all species of tortoise and turtle. It provides permanent sanctuary to abandoned and lost tortoises as well as those that are confiscated from law enforcement and require temporary housing. For more information, go to www.tortoise.com. You can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/americantortosierescue or follow us on twitter (@tortoiserescue). The email address is info@tortoise.com.