Sulcata Costs

[crazy_sailor]

I should be moving house in the next few months to a property with quite a large garden and as I have the tortoise bug I would like get a Sulcata.

Now, as with anything I do, I have done a lot of reading up and am aware of their housing requirements as they grow. The tortoise table to outdoor enclosure transition is not an issue and when it goes outside I am fully prepared to build a shed/brick building with all the insulation and heating required.

However my question is - Apart from the initial outlay to build the required housing, how much will it cost to run? Does anyone have any practical experience of caring for an adult sulcata with an outdoor enclosure in the south of England? Also how much does it cost to correctly feed an adult sulcata? Basically, what are the running costs of an adult sulcata?

I can do a few calculations but a lot depends on the design and construction which is why I'm asking for peoples experiences.

Also would any sulcata owners actually recommend having one in the south of england? or is the weather too dissimilar from what they need.

Many thanks

[crazy_sailor]

Admins

Sorry for the repeat new threads. I had a few computer snags where nothing happened after I clicked submit, so I reclicked (twice). Please delete any 2 of the 3.

[Pussygalore]

Once your set up is built the main cost will be electricity as the house will have to be heated 24/7, you can work that out by deciding the size of the house and what heating you will use good insulation will cut the costs a lot. Sorry I don't know how but there is a way of knowing the cost of running various things, the food won't be that much if you can provide grazing and collect grass/weeds, I know there someone who gets through 3 carrier bags a day but get it to eat hay and that's cheap enough if you can buy a bale from a horse feed place, much cheaper than small bags from the pet shop, about £3-4 per bale which will last ages and can also be the bedding. Pre Alpine Cobs are also a good source of fibre have a look at the link for details http://www.tortoiselady.co.uk/page7.htm this can be fed soaked all year, you can also use a good complete pellet food such as Mazuri/Nutrazu a couple of time a week again soaked, again there is a member on here that makes a 'mix' with Mazuri, pre alpine and tinned tomatoes (no salt ones). I know there's someone on the forums that uses the stable rubber matting on the floor as it can be hosed down and in the winter the tort would be spending a lot of time indoors so there'd be a fair bit of sizeable poo, I think its also supposed to be fairly warm as a floor.