This sulcata hatchling is in Bertram.
Horus is a little over 1 year old and is a healthy boy or girl. Because he is young, he lives primarily indoors but gets outside time daily, weather permitting. His diet is primarily homegrown grasses, clover, dandelions, chickweed, and Mazuri LS. He gets daily warm water soaks and has been provided proper humidity, temperature, uvb, etc., as evidenced in the beautiful shell formation. He/she is relaxed about being gently handled and is curious to explore new surroundings. He doesn't like changes to his enclosure after a cleaning and will explore it thoroughly before setting down. This is common with any tortoise. The owner surrendered him because the owner's health was declining and she could no longer care for Horus.
This is a hatchling sulcata. To adopt him/her you will need to show us in your photos that you have a small (100-200 square feet) outdoor enclosure, 6000 sq feet of outdoor space to enclose for when they are larger and have or know what is needed to create an indoor habitat for a hatchling. This indoor habitat should only be used until the tortoise is approximately four inches in length, then he moves outside, permanently. We will be happy to guide you in creating this hatchling indoor habitat. We may even be able to provide you with some of the needed materials. Please ask before purchasing.
Every time a sulcata or leopard tortoise comes to the rescue, I personally promise that animal that it will have the best care and that it will always be able to live outdoors where it can enjoy natural sunlight, lots of shady spots for hot summers, lots of plants and other hiding places, a warm shelter that it can freely go into when temperatures drop below 60 degrees, clean fresh water, and plentiful natural graze just like it would have in the wild. That means grasses, weeds, and cactus, but a little snack of store-bought produce is okay once in a while for a photo op (not as a regular diet). I also promise each one that it is going to a big giant yard where it will have at least 6,000 square feet to roam that it will NOT be sharing with another sulcata tortoise, so it doesn't have to worry about fighting or mating. I can't break my promise to any of these wonderful creatures, so if you choose to open your home and heart to one of them you are extending the same promise to the animal that you adopt.
You may NOT adopt more than one sulcata or leopard, unless you have multiple 6000-square-foot enclosures, even the cute harmless little babies. It is dangerous for the animal as it grows, they do not need a companion, and we will not approve the adoption of more than one sulcata per household.
Please note the following:
-Minimum 6,000 feet enclosure means give it the run of your fenced in backyard, which must be at least 6,000 square feet. In the wild, these animals have home ranges that are measured in miles, not feet. We've already taken them from their habitat, the least we can do is try and emulate it in captivity as best as possible.
-TEMPS NEED to BE KEPT ABOVE 60 DEGREES (this means you might have to bring your animal into your home during an historic freeze event). DO NOT BOTHER APPLYING if you aren't willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to keep this animal alive. You MUST have a way to monitor the temperature inside of the tortoise's outdoor house (buy a Bluetooth thermometer) and you should be willing to purchase a good generator, and/or bring the tortoise inside your house if the power goes out and you can't keep the temps in your tortoise's house above 60. If you are not in good physical shape to lift and carry a heavy sulcata or leopard tortoise in an extreme cold weather event don't apply to adopt.
-A sulcata or leopard tortoise's diet is grass, weeds, and cactus. Please do not feed your sulcata or leopard tortoise fruit or produce that is high in oxalates, such as spinach or carrots, as these can cause bladder stones which may be fatal. Do your homework.
Please understand that these animals can live for 150 years and can reach 200 lbs. You'll need to have a plan in place for both of these eventualities.
If you submit photos of your sulcata or leopard tortoise habitat (aka: your yard) with a piece of paper with your name on it or some other form of authentication in the same frame as the habitat then we will review your application, otherwise your application will expire in 30 days without being reviewed. Pictures should be e-mailed to contact@texastortoiserescue.com (this is the only way to submit your photos - please don't text them to me or send them over Facebook). Photos should show sturdy walls or fence of the enclosure, hides, water source, heated house (or explain your plans for this) Once your application has been reviewed and approved, we'll send you an e-mail that has a link to our calendar so that you can schedule the pick up at a time that is convenient for you. The adoption fee for a sulcata or leopard tortoise is $150, payable through the adoption link I will text you during the adoption or by cash at the time when you pick up the animal.
