Rate of growth??

Kelly and I have acquired 2 tortoises lately. We are leaning more toward pets that can be with us for a very long time. We also know care will have to be taken that there is someone to care for them if we go first. I have always wanted a sulcata tortoise. Not sure at what rate they grow. Since I will be 50 I would like to have a larger one before I go. A little time to enjoy them full size. Everytime I ask someone how long till they reach adulthood I get a different answer. Does anyone have an idea??

I imagine the rate of growth will vary like in more critters, but unfortunately I have no tort experience. :oops: I hope someone can help you with a more definitive answer. ;)

in general i think torts take a LONG time to grow. like after 2 years they've only grown like 6 inches. lol, i dont know much about them either but hopefully someone knows and you find your answer. good luck!

i think sulcatas take around 10 years to get full size and they grow big. they can get to be over 100 pounds...

I'm hoping they go that large. I want a larger one. But the prices are outrageous for an adult. Maybe I will come across one soon. Have to move into new house first.:(

Remember to check rescues too! There's gotta be one or two around somewhere.

Rescues will be my first stop. After this house gets sold. I AM SO TIRED OF WORKING ON THIS HOUSE!!!! AURGGH!!

do you guys have any links to any reptile rescues??

how do they work exactly?

they take in unwanted and neglected reptiles. usually the type of reptiles you find at rescues are ones that get big fast, and can be bought at a cheap price by impulse buyers from crummy petstores. normally you see iguanas, water monitors, nile monitors, sulcatas, and burms, etc. at rescues a lot.

A sulcata is what I have wanted for years. I will be able to provide it with a yard of its own and lighting and housing over the winter will be quite comfy. I'm waiting to see which house we actually buy. The one I'm looking at has a huge double lot. Don't want the tortoise with any less than a double lot. They need a lot of room to roam.

To bad you didn't start this thread about a month ago. I just gave away two sulcatas that are about seven years old. As for growth, mine were at about 25-30 lbs and about 16 inches long. They grow really slowely. I read somewhere that they should be about 45 lbs by age fifteeen. They eat a lot, but food is really cheap or free if you can grow grass year round.

Yeah, I would have been thrilled. As it stands are current house is to small. We are buying a larger place to accomadate our collections and pets. When the time is right I know I'll find one.