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| Stanley and Stella |
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| Meet Stanley and Stella, two sulcata tortoises, or African Spurred Tortoises. Like their name suggests, these two are not native to North America, but come from Africa! This pair was raised as pets by a local tortoise enthusiast. But like many long-lived animals, Stanley and Stella were still going strong after their 20-30 years respectively, while their owner was aging and slowing down. In 2008 they were rehomed to Ray of Light Farm. Creating a space that was suitable for these giants required remodeling the barn stall they would occupy. One consideration was the weather. Being from Africa, this pair could not withstand the cold, wet New England winters. So their stall was sealed up and outfitted with |
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| bright, warm, basking heat lamps.
It is kept at over 80 F during the day. Another consideration was
their size: the sulcata is the largest continental land tortoise
in the world, and requires plenty of space. Stanley and Stella now
have cozy indoor quarters for sleeping and eating as wells as a
large outdoor grazing area.Their outside yard also has special modifications
for their safety. Sulcata tortoises like to dig, and can easily
burrow under fences or foundations. So buried several feet underground
is a hidden cage of rebar. Our goal for all of our animals is to
create safe accommodations that allow the animals to live as comfortably
as possible. We think Stella and Stanley approve of their new home!
Come and see Stella and Stanley at the farm! We're open every day except Wednesday from 10:00-3:00. |
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