Tortoise table or ground ? What should come next ?

[Bee62]

Hello, my 4 sullies grow luckily like weeds. They are 2 years old in July this year.
At present they are living in a big wooden terrarium, a closed chamber, but I fear that they will outgrow their enclosure this year.
In this case I must move them in my barn, but I am insecure what I should build for them:

1. A giant tortoise table that I can cover with acrylic glas to build a close chamber,
2. or let them roam the whole ground of one room in the barn ? ( with substrate, heat and light of course )

How much humidity should a 2 years old sulcata have ? With the tortoise table I might can provide high humidity but when they roam the whole room on the ground it will be more difficult to have high humidity.
Will there still be the danger that they pyramide with more than 2 years ? With soaking I will carry on.
What is your opinion ?

Here is a picture of them. The smallest one I got already pyramided but the new growth of her is smoother now.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Hello, my 4 sullies grow luckily like weeds. They are 2 years old in July this year.
At present they are living in a big wooden terrarium, a closed chamber, but I fear that they will outgrow their enclosure this year.
In this case I must move them in my barn, but I am insecure what I should build for them:

1. A giant tortoise table that I can cover with acrylic glas to build a close chamber,
2. or let them roam the whole ground of one room in the barn ? ( with substrate, heat and light of course )

How much humidity should a 2 years old sulcata have ? With the tortoise table I might can provide high humidity but when they roam the whole room on the ground it will be more difficult to have high humidity.
Will there still be the danger that they pyramide with more than 2 years ? With soaking I will carry on.
What is your opinion ?

Here is a picture of them. The smallest one I got already pyramided but the new growth of her is smoother now.



View attachment 234904

I don't have the experience to really offer you advice, but I just wanted to let you know that is a really good looking group of tortoises.

 

[Bee62]

I don't have the experience to really offer you advice, but I just wanted to let you know that is a really good looking group of tortoises.

Thank you. I have tried my best that they grow smooth and healthy.

 

[Bee62]

 

[Bee62]

 

[jojay327]

View attachment 234912

I will also let some others chime in on what to do next but on the other hand just trust yourself because they are georgous and you seem to know what to do. Good luck

 

[vladimir]

@Bee62 how big is the barn? How big of a tortoise table were you thinking of building?

 

[CarolM]

Hello, my 4 sullies grow luckily like weeds. They are 2 years old in July this year.
At present they are living in a big wooden terrarium, a closed chamber, but I fear that they will outgrow their enclosure this year.
In this case I must move them in my barn, but I am insecure what I should build for them:

1. A giant tortoise table that I can cover with acrylic glas to build a close chamber,
2. or let them roam the whole ground of one room in the barn ? ( with substrate, heat and light of course )

How much humidity should a 2 years old sulcata have ? With the tortoise table I might can provide high humidity but when they roam the whole room on the ground it will be more difficult to have high humidity.
Will there still be the danger that they pyramide with more than 2 years ? With soaking I will carry on.
What is your opinion ?

Here is a picture of them. The smallest one I got already pyramided but the new growth of her is smoother now.



View attachment 234904

What about building a humid / heated box they can retreat to on the barn floor. That is if you don't do the table. Or you can move your current enclosure to the barn room that you will dedicate to them and just create a door that they can go through to access the barn room from their enclosure. So the current enclosure you would put in the barn and install a pet door that will close after them. Oooohh you can use those pet doors that open with a sensor. You know you would put the sensor on your tort shell and when they go to the door it will open for them.

 

[Yvonne G]

I agree with Carol. Let them have the whole room, but the night shelter should be a humid area. This is a good time to get that room ready (when they're not there yet). You can get some plants and lights and get it all set up for them, with the plants already established and protected from them

 

[Bee62]

I will also let some others chime in on what to do next but on the other hand just trust yourself because they are georgous and you seem to know what to do. Good luck

Thank you, but to get to know some more experience from sulcata owners that have their little dinosaurs longer than me are never wrong.

 

[jojay327]

Thank you, but to get to know some more experience from sulcata owners that have their little dinosaurs longer than me are never wrong.

This is my guy

 

[Bee62]

@Bee62 how big is the barn? How big of a tortoise table were you thinking of building?

The barn has 3 "rooms". The room I want to give my sullies is 3 x 4 meters.
The tortoise table could be 2 x 3 metres.

 

[Bee62]

What about building a humid / heated box they can retreat to on the barn floor. That is if you don't do the table. Or you can move your current enclosure to the barn room that you will dedicate to them and just create a door that they can go through to access the barn room from their enclosure. So the current enclosure you would put in the barn and install a pet door that will close after them. Oooohh you can use those pet doors that open with a sensor. You know you would put the sensor on your tort shell and when they go to the door it will open for them.

A humid/heated sleep box is a good idea, and my torts like to soak themselves. When I build them a big pool with warm water I am sure they will used it every day. They are well "soaking trained".
The current enclosure is too small for them in a short while. It makes no sense to move it into the barn. They will not use it when it is too small.
The room in the barn that I will give the torts has a door to the garden. With a pet door the torts have the ability to get out and in.
Good ideas. Thank you.

 

[vladimir]

The barn has 3 "rooms". The room I want to give my sullies is 3 x 4 meters.
The tortoise table could be 2 x 3 metres.

Cool! I realized the enclosure I'm currently building is a giant 8x16 foot (2.4m x 4.8m ) tortoise table inside a room in the house [emoji846] only one sulcata though. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do about humidity yet. I may try to make some kind of green house style cover for the whole thing.

 

[Bee62]

This is my guyView attachment 235164

Wow ! This is a very beautiful tort. You have done a good job.
He looks very healthy and beautiful smooth.

 

[Bee62]

Cool! I realized the enclosure I'm currently building is a giant 8x16 foot (2.4m x 4.8m ) tortoise table inside a room in the house [emoji846] only one sulcata though. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do about humidity yet. I may try to make some kind of green house style cover for the whole thing.

I want to use acrylic glass to cover the table.

 

[Big Charlie]

I would give them the entire room in the barn with humid hides/night boxes.

 

[Bee62]

I agree with Carol. Let them have the whole room, but the night shelter should be a humid area. This is a good time to get that room ready (when they're not there yet). You can get some plants and lights and get it all set up for them, with the plants already established and protected from them

To prepare now the whole room for them would be the best, but :
What about cold draft on the ground ? I am not sure if there is one. This is the point that makes me unsure.
The barn is renovated and can be heated with the central heating.
Are bigger / older sulcatas more resistant against any draft ? I saw pictures of sulcatas being outside ( short time ) in cold weather or even snow. Is your Dudley outside when it is cold ?
Questions over questions, but I fear a respiration infect of my torts they might get on the floor in the barn.
My plan is it to cover the lower walls in that room with wooden planks. That would mininmize the possibility of cold draft. On the ground I would put a lot of orchid bark so they can dig and the substrate can be a little moist.

 

[Bee62]

I would give them the entire room in the barn with humid hides/night boxes.

How do yo raise Big Charlie ? Do you got him as a hatchling ? How and where does he grow up ? That would be interesting for me although your climate is much more better for a sulcata tort I think.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, Dudley goes out rain, sun, or col d. But when it's cold he doesn't stay out long.