Hi everyone I have a sulcata tortoise and I live in Tucson so quite warm here. He is about 4 years old and I’m trying to figure out his living situation outside for the winter. He’s got his own area in the yard. We put in a borrow about 4 ft in the ground for him with blankets when he wants to chill out. We have no plug ins in that area and I’m trying to see if we can figure out how to keep him outside in the winter safely. Is there any way we can keep him outside with no heating lamps? Please help!
Sulcata Arizona winter habitat
- Thread starter Tlopez07
- Start date
Not without some kind of heat. A nigh box is what you need. However, it needs to be insulated and heated with either Kane heat mats, RHP (reptile heat panels) or an oil filled radiator heater. The oil filled heater is the only one that can't be hooked up to an extension cord.
Btw, blankets are not meant for tortoises and does them no good. You should stop using them.
Search for Toms night box thread.
Btw, blankets are not meant for tortoises and does them no good. You should stop using them.
Search for Toms night box thread.
I just looked up your weather. It high of low 60s or 50s and nights in the 20s and 30s. These temperatures will kill a sulcata without heat. A shallow burrow is not nearly enough. Ground temps where they come from are 80-85 all year long with daily highs in the 90s on the coolest days and around 100 most days. Their cool winter periods are like your summers.
Your tortoise needs warmth immediately. They should never drop below 80 degrees. This is not a temperate species like our desert tortoises. They must be kept warm 24/7/365. Since you don't have anything suitable outside, I would bring him inside and run a space heater in a bath room with the door closed until you can get something suitable for him outside.
My weather is very similar to yours, and this is what I do here. Here are two examples of tortoise night boxes and safe, effective, efficient ways to heat them
Single Tortoise Night Box
I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...
tortoiseforum.org
Double Door Night Box
As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...
tortoiseforum.org
They learn to use their boxes usually within a couple of weeks. Put the tortoise in the box several times a day, and then one final time around sunset when you will shut the door behind him and latch him in for the night. Then when the sun is out and things warm up a little the next morning, open the door and let him out to bask and eat. Its fine if the temperature outside is below 80 because they can bask in the warm sun and go back in their box as needed.
I'm glad you decided to ask. Take action immediately. Do not let your tortoise sleep outside in the cold tonight or ever again. Questions are welcome.
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