Welcome to no 9 of 16 Reptile Roadshow Reptile Profiles – Giant Sulcata Tortoise – celebrating 16 years of Reptile Parties and Events
- The Scientific name for the Giant Sulcata Tortoise is Geochelone sulcata. (The term “sulcata” actually means “furrow” in Latin.) This species is also known as the African spurred tortoise.
- Sulcata are the third largest species of tortoise in the world. Only the Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises get bigger. (Males are bigger than females.)
- The Giant Sulcata Tortoise’s lifespan can be anything from 50 to 150 years.
- The female sulcata buries her eggs then after about 8 months, the clutch of around 15 – 30 hatch and the young begin their dig toward land to fend for themselves.
- Sulcata hatchlings will easily fit in the palm of your hand when young but grow very quickly and very big.
- In captivity, these gentle giants reach adult size in five to ten years, as opposed to in the wild where this can take between 20 to 50 years.
- A fully grown adult can weigh up to 45kg (100 pounds) and reach up to 65cm (25 inches) in shell length. Some get even bigger!
- Sulcata tortoises are survivalists that are native to the semi-arid Sahel region in Africa (ie the region south of the Sahara Desert).
- In the wild, they get to cooler areas with higher moisture by digging burrows using their specialised claws to excavate up to 10 feet below the ground where they spend the warmest parts of the day.
- Another way sulcatas find to cool down is by smearing saliva on their forearms.
- GiantSulcata Tortoises are herbivores and known to be voracious eaters. (However, pet owners should be careful not to over feed them as reptiles don’t metabolise as fast as mammals.)
- In the wild GiantSulcata Tortoises eat weeds and dry grasses – a diet high in fibre. Calcium is also an important part of their diet, as too little calcium can cause their shells to form an odd shape referred to as “pyramiding”.
- Sulcata tortoises don’t hibernate during the winter. This is because their native environment is a dry season in winter, not a cold season.
- Giant Sulcata Tortoises are threatened by habitat loss and over-collection by humans, so are listed as vulnerable (to extinction) by the IUCN, the world’s leading conservation organization.
- They have few natural predators as they are able to withdraw completely into their shells, leaving only the front surfaces of their scaled forelegs and the soles of their back feet showing.
- Reptile Roadshow has one Giant Sulcata Tortoise retired from Reptile Roadshow parties now due to size and weight.
Reptile Roadshow celebrates going strong for 16 years. We hope you enjoyed this animal profile. This reptile is just one of many you can see at Reptile Roadshow events.
To book your own Reptile Roadshow party contact us at 01908 640 072 or email.
Make sure you checkout the other animal profiles on our blog.