Meet Cesare the newest addition to our family

windsantz

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cesare.jpg This is Cesera the newest addition to our family. We adopted him from a co-worker of mine 2 months ago. We live in the country east of Houston, TX. We are keeping him indoors for now until we can make an outdoor enclosure for next spring. Until then he has the whole mancave to himself as we have 2 cats, 3 dogs and an iguna. More concerned about the cats. He is 2 years old according to the previous owners. This is a new type of family member for us. So I'm looking forward to learning what I can from this forum to ensure Cesera has a long healthy life.

cesare.jpg
 

T Smart

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Hi, welcome to the forum!

I wouldn't advise Cesera to wander the basement, especially with other animals present. He should have his own separate enclosure with all the proper needs (Heat, UVB, Substrate, Etc).
 

TechnoCheese

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windsantz

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Hi, welcome to the forum!

I wouldn't advise Cesera to wander the basement, especially with other animals present. He should have his own separate enclosure with all the proper needs (Heat, UVB, Substrate, Etc).

Cesera is not in a basement. It is a room attached to our house. We keep him there away from the other animals. I have ordered his UVB lights and am looking at heat lamp recommendations. The room has been nice and hot/some humidity until this past week. Getting chilly at night and I want to make sure he has all he need. He has 325 sq. ft. room all to himself. He is 2 years old and around 12". I will measure him tonight.
 

Minority2

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Cesera is not in a basement. It is a room attached to our house. We keep him there away from the other animals. I have ordered his UVB lights and am looking at heat lamp recommendations. The room has been nice and hot/some humidity until this past week. Getting chilly at night and I want to make sure he has all he need. He has 325 sq. ft. room all to himself. He is 2 years old and around 12". I will measure him tonight.

At 12 inches your tortoise is ready to permanently be housed outdoors. A 40' x 40' ft outdoor enclosure is generally recommended for a single adult Sulcata. More is definitely better.

How low does the temperature go where you're currently living at?

A heated night box that is attached to the outdoor enclosure is what you should be building instead of housing the tortoise indoors. The heated night box will be easier to build, rig, and keep warm at night compared to the large and tall room.

Here is a thread, one of many in tortoise forum on heated night boxes:
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
 

windsantz

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We are planning him a large outdoor enclosure. As stated before, we just adopted him from someone who did not want him anymore. So we are new to this. We are east of Houston, so you never know what our winters will be but in the coldest months it's usually in the 30's at night. The previous owners kept him indoors. We live in the country and have room for the enclosure. just want to get his lighting and heat correct for where he is until we can get the outdoor enclosure completed. My husband is designing an outside heat box for him. Thank you Minority2 for the link to the night box.
 

daniellenc

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You may do better indoors with some type of large closed enclosure until you can temp proof the room. Remember tortoises are on their tummy all the time so even if you can keep ambient temps in the 80's as is needed, your floors temperature will be much lower.
 

Yvonne G

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Oh Cesara. . . you spoiled little tortoise you! Imagine having a whole room all to yourself!!

Windsantz: Be sure to shoot Cesara occasionally with a temperature gun to make sure he's as warm as you think he is. Being on the floor might not be the best arrangement.
 

windsantz

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Oh Cesara. . . you spoiled little tortoise you! Imagine having a whole room all to yourself!!

Windsantz: Be sure to shoot Cesara occasionally with a temperature gun to make sure he's as warm as you think he is. Being on the floor might not be the best arrangement.
Well I cleaned out an old iguana cage I had from when my iguana was still small. Stole of her 5 heat lamps and made I hope a nice cozy spot for Cesare until his lights come in and we can build his outdoor enclosure and it gets him off the floor.
 

EllieMay

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Welcome!!! I look forward to following your progress. I also live in Texas and have 3 Sulcatas:)
 

Ray--Opo

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Welcome 325 sq ft. WOW. Cesera is one lucky tort. Just remember humidity. You should check @vladimir and his set up. Once you get Cesera outside you will have a perfect room for more sulcata's.:tort::tort::tort::tort::tort::)
 

Ray--Opo

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Welcome!!! I look forward to following your progress. I also live in Texas and have 3 Sulcatas:)
EllieMay did you get more sulcata's or did you start out with 3? I don't remember when you joined TFO
 

EllieMay

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EllieMay did you get more sulcata's or did you start out with 3? I don't remember when you joined TFO

I went to get one but brought home two.... and then adopted one a few months later from a lady in Houston . So I’ve got two 6month olds and a 2-1/2 yr old .
 

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