Dimensions of doorway/Growth expectations

[AccidentalPapa]

Our tortoise (I think a female) is 10"x15" and exactly 20 pounds. I'm in the middle of making her a 4'x4'x2' night enclosure and was curious as to the recommended size of the doorway for this type of enclosure and tortoise.

I don't know how fast she's going to grow nor what really is the largest size that can really comfortably be in a 4'x4'x2' box at night. Anyone have any recommendations/ideas?

 

[Tom]

Our tortoise (I think a female) is 10"x15" and exactly 20 pounds. I'm in the middle of making her a 4'x4'x2' night enclosure and was curious as to the recommended size of the doorway for this type of enclosure and tortoise.

I don't know how fast she's going to grow nor what really is the largest size that can really comfortably be in a 4'x4'x2' box at night. Anyone have any recommendations/ideas?

FIrst, are you sure its a female? You really can't tell until they are at least 16 inches and sometimes not until 18 inches on faster growers. I ask because you want to make the door as small as possible to hold in heat. A door that is 16 inches tall and 26 inches wide will fit even a large 130 pound adult male, with the exception of a Sudan giant. You could make it much smaller for a female, because they seldom exceed 60-80 pounds. I'd probably go 12x20 for a female.

 

[AccidentalPapa]

I'm absolutely guessing at her gender based on one video on youtube. I'll add some photos of her undersides in case that helps at all.

Is a 4x4x2 enclosure large enough for a 130 pound adult male? Or should I plan to have a larger enclosure for them? I really have no idea what to even generally plan for with this specific tortoise.

Thanks for lending your expertise.

 

[Tom]

I'm absolutely guessing at her gender based on one video on youtube. I'll add some photos of her undersides in case that helps at all.

Is a 4x4x2 enclosure large enough for a 130 pound adult male? Or should I plan to have a larger enclosure for them? I really have no idea what to even generally plan for with this specific tortoise.

Thanks for lending your expertise.

I can't see the tail, but I'm pretty certain you have a male. Can you show us the tail? Females have a tiny little nub. Males have a big long 3 inch tail.

You aren't making an enclosure. The enclosure is the large area where the tortoise can walk around. You are making a night box, aka: den box, shelter, etc... For sulcatas, these boxes simulate their burrows. Their burrows have just barely enough room for them to fit in and out, with a chamber just big enough to turn around in at the bottom. You don't want it to be cavernous. They feel more comfortable with tighter dimensions, and having a smaller area to heat also makes much more efficient use of your expensive electricity. If you make a 4x4x2 foot box now, it should last you 10-15 years.

 

[AccidentalPapa]

Alright, it might be a boy. He's a little too dirty to tell right now, but we've seen in the past that it looks like his tail is a couple of inches long and goes to the left.

With that being the case, should I build the doorway 16x26 now? I'd like to not have to rebuild this box for the next 4-6 years if I don't have to, but I'd also like to be mindful of energy efficiency.

 

[Len B]

Alright, it might be a boy. He's a little too dirty to tell right now, but we've seen in the past that it looks like his tail is a couple of inches long and goes to the left.

With that being the case, should I build the doorway 16x26 now? I'd like to not have to rebuild this box for the next 4-6 years if I don't have to, but I'd also like to be mindful of energy efficiency.

What I've done before is make the door opening bigger than needed right now and make a removable panel to bring the door opening down to the size you want. Also you mentioned energy efficiency. I'm not sure how cold it gets where you live and what types of heat you plan on using. So make sure a 4x4 house is large enough for years of growth. My smallest house is 48x58 inches outside measurement. That extra 10 inches makes a big difference in setting up the heaters and the heat mat. It gets cold here southeast of Washington DC. I don't put heat mats in a corner because most sulcatas like to snuggle into a corner to sleep.

 

[Tom]

Alright, it might be a boy. He's a little too dirty to tell right now, but we've seen in the past that it looks like his tail is a couple of inches long and goes to the left.

With that being the case, should I build the doorway 16x26 now? I'd like to not have to rebuild this box for the next 4-6 years if I don't have to, but I'd also like to be mindful of energy efficiency.

I would make the door 16x26" and then make a plywood panel that is a few inches larger than that all around, and screw it across the door opening. Then, measure your tortoise now, and trace out an opening just a little larger than your tortoise. Add two or three inches of height and width when you trace it out. Next, remove the panel and cut out the opening you traced. Re-install your panel, and periodically enlarge the opening as your tortoise grows. Eventually, you will just remove this whole panel when your tortoise is larger.