Sheldon is our Sulcata, sometimes called an African Spurred Tortoise. Sulcata tortoises are the 3rd largest tortoise species on the planet.
Even though tortoises and turtles are both reptiles, they are different species and have several differences in their physical characteristics, as well as different needs in terms of habitat and food.
The main difference between them are their habitats: tortoises live on land, and turtles live in water some of the time. Tortoise shells are more dome-shaped and they have sturdy feet with chunky claws at the end of their bent legs. Turtles have flatter, more streamlined shells and webbed feet with long claws. Tortoises are herbivores (eating only plants) and turtles can be omnivores (eating both plants and animals). Turtles will be on land to warm themselves in the sun, and when they get too hot, they will go into the water. Tortoises will go in the sun to warm themselves, and into a burrow in the ground to cool off.
Sheldon doesn’t have a burrow and he’s never been much of a digger. I think that’s because he’s always been able to find a cool, shady spot in the yard to take a nap in when it gets hot. His favorite spot in our yard is under the wisteria bush.
We rescued Sheldon March 6, 2014. His previous family was unable to care for him any longer, and he wasn’t getting the nutrition he needed. The older part of his shell (the pointier, lighter parts toward the center of each section of his shell) have a lot of pyramiding due to the poor conditions of his early life. We cannot reverse the pyramiding, but his shell is now growing more evenly since he’s receiving the care and nutrition he needs .
This is a picture from May 2014, one of the first of many that have been posted on Facebook. Both my son and Sheldon have both grown a lot since this photo was taken over 4 years ago.
The dogs weren’t too sure what he was at first. I think they thought he might be a rock, but then… HE MOVED! So of course then they had to bark at him! They barked at him every time they saw him walking for a couple months until they understood that he really was just “one of the gang” and then the barking stopped.
When we rescued him, he enjoyed going into the kids’ playhouse in the yard. He would go in through the door and sleep inside at night. As he grew bigger, eventually he wasn’t able to fit through the door anymore. My husband and oldest son designed and built him his own house to live in, fully equipped with a heat lamp for when it gets cold and a removable roof for easy inside cleaning.
His current shell measurements are about 14″ wide and 20″ length (from behind his head to his tail. He weighs about 50 pounds. We guess that he’s about 32 years old based on what we’ve heard from his previous family.
The colors on his shell are amazing now! The darkest parts are where what has grown most recently. (They remind me of rings on a tree!) You can see how much he’s grown after he moved in with us. It’s an obvious reminder of how important good nutrition is for all of us, not just animals.
He’s developed quite the curious personality over the past 4 years. He’s a grazer and will eat any grasses and most plants in his yard. He comes up to the back door when he’s hungry to tell us it’s “feeding time.” Most of the time we notice him cruising around the yard and we’re able to feed him before he asks us. He will nibble on food and then walk away and take a stroll around the yard and then come back to eat the rest of his food. Sometimes it takes him a while to eat because he takes several breaks in between nibbles. The dogs have learned this is when they can take advantage of his unattended food and sneak one of his carrots.
There are not many plants to graze on in our yard, so he relies on us giving him the food he needs. He loves romaine lettuce and carrots and he eats those daily. Other favorite foods of his are veggies like corn on the cob, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. He really enjoys his special treats of fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, and apples.
My favorite thing about Sheldon is his “smile.” His face gives him his unique personality and I enjoy when he interacts with us. That usually happens when we are giving him food, but sometimes when we’re sitting on the patio in the evening he will come over and sit under the chairs.
He’s even come into the house a few times, if the door is open, he walks right in! Sometimes he will be near the back door and when the kids go in/out he will be quick to move into the doorway. YES, tortoises can be quick! I can notice him walking in the yard (right out the back door) and then go to get his lettuce and carrots out of he fridge, and then when I go out to give them to him he’s already walked to the other side of the yard. I believe it’s totally a myth that tortoises are slow, because Sheldon give us proof that he can move quickly!
What do people love about Sheldon? Here’s what a few of his fans on Facebook say:
“I love how he eats and gets it all over his face and it doesn’t phase him. ” ~Christine
(Strawberries)
(Corn on the Cob)
“It’s fascinating that he is a domesticated tortoise living as a pet in suburbia!” ~Joy
“I love that he is curious and wants to come into the house to visit! He thinks he is one of the dogs!” ~Carol
“I love how his front legs look like stacked river rock.” ~Crystal
“I love his yoga skills!” ~Tracy
(Reptile Yoga, Sheldon is doing table pose to complete a challenge for Gish 2017, and YES those are REAL snakes! Sheldon was so brave!)
What’s your favorite thing about Sheldon? Post a comment below and let me know!
No responses yet