Is this your giant tortoise? Exotic reptile 'Frank the Tank' found in Richmond spinach field
An exotic tortoise found wandering — very slowly — in a Richmond, B.C. spinach field may go up for adoption if deemed healthy by the SPCA.
Named Frank the Tank by his foster caregivers, the male juvenile sulcata weighs close to 35 pounds, but could reach four or five times that size once fully grown.
And with a lifespan of up to 150 years and an unstoppable urge to dig, veterinarian Dr. Adrian Walton cautions that whoever takes in the tortoise should be prepared with a succession plan, not to mention the carpentry skills to reinforce walls.
“Sulcatas are one of the largest tortoises that we have. And the reason that we call them tanks is because of their incredible ability to dig through, well, most people’s houses,” said Walton, who works at Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge, about 45 kilometres east of Vancouver.
“These can be wonderful pets if you take the time and effort, and have long-term planning and family members who are willing to take on this animal after you die,” he said.