Who in s CA heat their tortoise house and who does not, and why?

[Razan]

This post is my husband ALBERT's question. As I am trying to put a heater in his 4x4 house. He is not the forum fanatic like me, but he agrees to read everything posted on this thread. Hammer us with information!

So who in s CA does, or does not, heat their tortoise house and why?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

When I lived in Chino Hills (southern CA) my leopard had a heated tort house.
You and I both have African tortoises that are not living in Africa so it's our job to maintain the right temperatures for them.
The house is heated on a thermostat for 80F.





Now that I've moved to Oregon, I use the same heated tort house and maintain the same temps. our tortoises need the right temps no matter where we live.

Hope this helps!

 

[G-stars]

It's a must during the winter. Even now temps get down to the 40's and 50's at night. Much too cold for a tortoise that doesn't hibernate to be exposed to. I think it's best to invest in a way to heat up his house, instead of paying vet bills for a sick tortoise.

 

[LDRANCH]

I'm in Simi Valley. My tort's house is heated with a heat mat below and a ceramic heat element above. Controlled with a thermostat to maintain about 78 degrees.

 

[Razan]

When I lived in Chino Hills (southern CA) my leopard had a heated tort house.
You and I both have African tortoises that are not living in Africa so it's our job to maintain the right temperatures for them.
The house is heated on a thermostat for 80F.

View attachment 153908

View attachment 153909

Now that I've moved to Oregon, I use the same heated tort house and maintain the same temps. our tortoises need the right temps no matter where we live.

Hope this helps!

Thank you ! This helps ALOT. Particularly the photos showing the wire protecting the heating element and how you have the thermostat positioned for easier reading. You have done a great job.

 

[Razan]

I'm in Simi Valley. My tort's house is heated with a heat mat below and a ceramic heat element above. Controlled with a thermostat to maintain about 78 degrees.

Thank you especially since you are nearby and have a sulcata too. We appreciate you stating specifically maintaining a temp of 78. You have been very helpful.

 

[Razan]

It's a must during the winter. Even now temps get down to the 40's and 50's at night. Much too cold for a tortoise that doesn't hibernate to be exposed to. I think it's best to invest in a way to heat up his house, instead of paying vet bills for a sick tortoise.

Great point to make that no one want's their tortoise to get sick, let alone expensive vet bills. Very motivating. Thank you for posting !

 

[Big Charlie]

Since Charlie was around 5 years old, he has had self-dug burrows and just a corner of the patio that was heated. He would choose to use the heated area when it got extremely cold or wet, but then he would go back to his burrow. This year he doesn't have a burrow. He has a new house with a heater, but he has only spent one night in it so far. It hasn't gotten cold yet. We're in the central valley. By the way, my husband doesn't understand the need for the house or the heater.

I'm a little worried that Charlie won't be smart enough to come into his house when he should, although we built in the same spot where his heater has been for many years.

 

[Big Charlie]

Is everyone's tortoise house green? Is that significant? Ours is green because that is the color of the trim on our house and we already had the paint.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Is everyone's tortoise house green? Is that significant? Ours is green because that is the color of the trim on our house and we already had the paint.

LOL! Funny you noticed that!

No significance....

 

[Razan]

Since Charlie was around 5 years old, he has had self-dug burrows and just a corner of the patio that was heated. He would choose to use the heated area when it got extremely cold or wet, but then he would go back to his burrow. This year he doesn't have a burrow. He has a new house with a heater, but he has only spent one night in it so far. It hasn't gotten cold yet. We're in the central valley. By the way, my husband doesn't understand the need for the house or the heater.

I'm a little worried that Charlie won't be smart enough to come into his house when he should, although we built in the same spot where his heater has been for many years.

Our husbands are similar in not seeing the need for the house or heater for the tortoise.
The purpose of this thread is to stress the reasons and need to provide heat for our tortoise.
I bet your tortoise will go to his heated house when it gets cold. Let us know what he does when the cold comes.

 

[Tom]

Dear Razan's Husband,

Sulcatas come from a tropical climate. My friend from Senegal tells me there are only two seasons there. "Hot and hotter." I live up in Santa Clarita and my Dad lives in Riverside. Our climates are very similar. It is too cold here for sulcatas to go without night heat. In some cases, some of the time they somehow manage to survive without heat, but its not good for them. If you put 100 humans in a big freezer for a week, a few of them might survive, but that doesn't mean it was good for the survivors.

A friend of mine thought the same way you do, and his tortoise is dead. Froze to death two winters ago. He loved that tortoise. Doted on it. Hand fed it every day. The lady he got it from said it didn't need night heat. I told him she was wrong. His tortoise proved me right. Ever seen a 65 year old man cry. I did. Not fun.

Anyhow, your tortoise needs a heat source. Even in summer, our nights get a little too chilly sometimes.

Here are two ways that I do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/

 

[Razan]

Great informative post. Thank you, thank you, thank you !

 

[Tom]

Great informative post. Thank you, thank you, thank you !

Did that do the trick?

 

[Razan]

Dear Razan's Husband,

Sulcatas come from a tropical climate. My friend from Senegal tells me there are only two seasons there. "Hot and hotter." I live up in Santa Clarita and my Dad lives in Riverside. Our climates are very similar. It is too cold here for sulcatas to go without night heat. In some cases, some of the time they somehow manage to survive without heat, but its not good for them. If you put 100 humans in a big freezer for a week, a few of them might survive, but that doesn't mean it was good for the survivors.

A friend of mine thought the same way you do, and his tortoise is dead. Froze to death two winters ago. He loved that tortoise. Doted on it. Hand fed it every day. The lady he got it from said it didn't need night heat. I told him she was wrong. His tortoise proved me right. Ever seen a 65 year old man cry. I did. Not fun.

Anyhow, your tortoise needs a heat source. Even in summer, our nights get a little too chilly sometimes.

Here are two ways that I do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/

This is exceedingly helpful ! Now the trick is to decide which heating elements to use, oil heater or heat mats. What would you do?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, Mr. Razan:

Your tortoise's shelter isn't big enough to house both the tortoise and a heat source. Yes, he needs to be kept warm, but he also needs to be able to get away from the appliance in case it malfunctions. You notice that Team Gomberg's little shed is WAY bigger than her tortoise, and the heater is protected and placed at one end of the shed. The tortoise can be next to the heater, or he can move quite a ways away from it.

If you choose overhead heat, same thing applies. It can't be closer to the top of the shell than 12" or it will burn his keratin, making it fall off and exposing the bone underneath.

The latest "craze" in tortoise house heating would be the infra red panels, using a rheostat to control the temperature. I have a night box with three of those panels. Here's a picture:



this box is for tortoises that are much smaller than yours.

 

[Razan]

Thank you Yvonne for your information.

Albert and I need to provide heat in this box for this tortoise. Unless I can convince him to buy a shed this box is going to have to do. Albert was not convinced this box was ever going to be used but agreed to let me try to build it because of my enthusiasm. In the end he had to work on it because I needed help He is convinced when he can see results and Albert was happy to see our tortoise march into his new home almost instantly.

I am so thankful to tortoise forum for providing the "how to" in taking care of our new guy.

Thank you for your information.

Razan

 

[Tom]

This is exceedingly helpful ! Now the trick is to decide which heating elements to use, oil heater or heat mats. What would you do?

No room for an oil heater. Do it like this one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/ with a RHP and a Kane mat, all controlled by a thermostat. If you keep the heating stuff over to one side then he will be able to get away from the heat. The RHP will not burn the top of his carapace the way CHEs and incandescent bulbs can.

Some clear door flaps would help hold the heat in too.

 

[Razan]

No room for an oil heater. Do it like this one: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/ with a RHP and a Kane mat, all controlled by a thermostat. If you keep the heating stuff over to one side then he will be able to get away from the heat. The RHP will not burn the top of his carapace the way CHEs and incandescent bulbs can.

Some clear door flaps would help hold the heat in too.

Thanks !

Too bad I already have an oil heater. Maybe someone will pay the shipping for me to send it to them.
Clear flaps from Home Depot are on his house now.
An 80 watt RHP has been ordered from reptilebasics. A question remains about the Kane mat wattage.
I found one 18 x 28 with only 72 watts from herpsupplies for $99.00 . Is this mat at 72 watts OK or can you suggest a place to buy from?

Thank you for the time you spend pouring information into this forum to give tortoises a better life.

 

[bouaboua]

I do. I use CHE and electric/oil heater to heat my outdoor torts house. I'm in the Bay Area and it do get cold at some nights which might go into low 30s. Also the day time high can be in low 50s. I think is is too cold for Sulcata and Leopard that I have them outside year round.