Geochelone sulcata.

Also known as: African Spurred Tortoise
    
French:    Tortue Sillonnée
Spanish:    Tortuga Con Púas
Kingdom    Animalia
Phylum    Chordata
Class    Reptilia
Order    Testudines
Family    Testudinidae
Genus    Geochelone
Size    Maximum carapace length: 83 cm
Maximum weight: 105 kg

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The Sulcata tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) is the largest tortoise of the African mainland, and is surpassed in size only by the giant island species from Aldabra and Galápagos . This desert-dwelling tortoise is well camouflaged by its overall sandy coloration ), having thick golden to yellow-brown skin and a brownish carapace . The Sulcata tortoise has a broad, oval carapace which displays prominent serrations at the front and back margins and conspicuous growth rings on each scute, which become particularly marked with age . Large, overlapping scales cover the front surface of the forelimbs, while the hind surface of the thigh bears two or three large conical spurs, from which the species earns its name.

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Most activity occurs during the rainy season (July to October), primarily at dawn and dusk, when this tortoise forages for succulent plants and annual grasses . Like many species, the Sulcata tortoise often spends the early morning basking to raise its body temperature after the night chill. During the dry season, adults often aestivate in their cool, moist burrows to prevent dehydration, while hatchlings are thought to enter small mammal burrows for the same purpose .

Mating can take place at any time from June through to March, but reportedly occurs most frequently after the rainy season from September to November. Four or five nests may be dug before the female decides upon the one in which to lay her clutch of 15 to 30 eggs. Once deposited, these eggs incubate underground in the covered nest for approximately eight months. From the moment they hatch, Sulcata tortoises are very aggressive towards one another, and especially so at breeding times. Males in particular can commonly be seen ramming into each other and attempting to flip one another over .

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Cost and Availibility:

 

We have sulcata Tortoises all year round, ranging from hatchlings to subadults and Adults. Subadults. We currently have the following sulcata tortoises for sale.