indoor housing advice

[lvstorts]

Hi all,
Some of you may remember I posted early in the summer about a Leopard tort I was fostering with a deformed jaw. I've now become the owner of the tortoise. He's been outside all summer and I need to set him up inside for winter. Can anyone refer me to a care sheet with detailed requirements for indoor housing?

Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

Try to make it as big as you possible can. They really don't like being cooped up and they keep digging at the corners trying to escape. The same requirements that we give for babies will apply. A big enough habitat so that you can have a hot side and a room temperature side.

We really need to know where you are going to set up the winter habitat. Will you be making him a warm shed outside? In the basement? will he have a whole bedroom to himself?

My leopard tortoises have a heated, insulated shed and the come and go at will all winter long.

 

[Greg T]

I don't remember how large your tort was, so that may make a difference in your enclosure. Mine are too large to keep in the house now, so I set them up in a 6'x6' enclosure in the garage. It is not as big as I'd like, but I put them outside if the weather is nice during the day. I put a mix of sand and garden soil in the enclosure, about 3-4 inches deep. I'm lucky because mine don't dig. One corner has a enclosed area with heat lamps as their warm zone which keeps it in the 80's usually. The rest of the enclosure stays at garage temps, usually in the 60's. I have a sun lamp by their water dish also. It works very well for me.

Our night temps are supposed to drop into the 50's in the coming week, so I'm thinking it is time to set it up again...

Good luck with yours.

 

[lvstorts]

He's 2-3 years old. I have the option of inside my house or inside a heated shed that my Redfoots stay in all winter. I'll make him a separate area away from the Redfoots.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought these guys were warm weather torts.... I didn't think they could handle winter weather. My area gets below freezing on a normal basis with snow, I would think they would hibernate if they could handle that...wait a minute...do these guys hibernate?

Ok, now I'm totally confused. Can someone point me to an accurate detailed care sheet? I need to double check my initial research.

Thanks.

 

[terrypin]

hi i dont think this is exactly detailed because my writing skills are limited .the basics are here and any specific questions i will be happy to answer.
http://www.tortoise-island.com/page...re-sheet&sid=7b86f1673a8158fa7af54e43112e60a7

terry