Sulcata Tortoise Care Sheet

A Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society Care Sheet

Introduction

Housing

Feeding

Calcium

Tortoises need calcium to develop strong shells and bones. The trick is to get the right amount. Over supplementing calcium to a tortoise can cause many of the same symptoms as when the tortoise has too little calcium. Many of us think that if a little is good, then more is better. That is not how it works with calcium supplements and torts.

That is the great thing about cuttle bone. They eat it when they need it.

Cuttle bone can be obtained from: http://tinyurl.com/d3ubl

Also foods like turnip greens and cactus pads are a good natural way of adding calcium to the diet.

Health

Gulf Coast Turtle & Tortoise Society

The Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society is an all volunteer organization whose goals include:

• Provide a turtle and tortoise rescue, rehabilitation, and release operation in cooperation with other wildlife rescue organizations and turtle and tortoise societies.
• Educate ourselves and the public, through public presentations and meetings, about all aspects of turtle and tortoise care, natural history, and conservation.
• Disseminate the best available information regarding the proper captive husbandry of turtles and tortoises.
• Disseminate information concerning the plight of wild turtles and tortoises and effective efforts to help them.
• Provide an adoption service to our members for captive turtles and tortoises that need new homes.
• Encourage captive breeding programs for turtles and tortoises with a special emphasis on those species that are threatened by habitat destruction and share our experiences in this area.
• Work to make captive bred turtles and tortoises available as an alternative to the trade in wild caught turtles and tortoises.
• Serve as a cooperative to obtain discounts for our members on captive care products and supplies.

For more information about the GCTTS or about the care of turtles and tortoises, email info@gctts.org, write us at GCTTS, 1227 Whitestone Ln, Houston, TX 77073, or visit our website http://www.GCTTS.Org.

GCTTS meetings are open to the public and free.

Membership and care information is available at our meetings and on our web site.

Contributors

Net Resources

• Central Florida Sulcata Rescue

References

Example:

1. Dr. Peter C. H. Pritchard, Encyclopedia of Turtles, T. F. H. Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-87666-918-6. A comprehensive listing and description of turtle and tortoise species.

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