Sulcata temperatures; what can they tolerate?

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Hello everyone,

I have a question I've been meaning to ask pertaining sulcata tortoises and the temperatures they can sustain. I don't have my tortoise yet, but I will be ordering him from LLLReptile in a couple of days or weeks (was going to go with LanceCham, but there is no way for me to pay for it safely through him unfortunately). Anyways, I can't decide where to place his 30 gallon terrarium... I can either put it in my room or can leave it in the living room. I have an air conditioner in my room and the room stays at about 65 degrees fahrenheit when it's on, but it's only on when I'm asleep or when it's too hot out. My living room stats a little above room temp, but I'm afraid the little guy would overheat and get dehydrated if I left him there to live because of his bulb, which is going to be a 125-Watt Solar Glo.

What do you guys think? I plan on raising him in humid, damp conditions like Tom does with his babies for the first year of his life or so. I also have a snake that meets the same temperature requirements as sulcata's that has been staying in there with me ever since he was a month or two old. Also wanted to point out that I don't use any type of night-time heating for any of my reptiles and don't plan to with the tortoise, either.

Suggestions? :)
 

Laura

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if you are getting a hatchling... you need nighttime heat.. babies are way different then a adult. They tolerate different things..
How about a rescue that is older and you can build an outdoor area for it and bypass the fragile 'baby' stage?
 

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An adult isn't an option for me, sorry. Why would it need night time heat if it stays perfect temperature for it at night in my living room? Doesn't make sense to me...
 

Laura

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Why is an adult not an option? even a juvenile? what do you plan on doing with yours in two years? They shouldn't live indoors all the time..
How hot is your house at night? if you have humidity and it gets too cold, you get a sick tortoise. Read Toms Sulcata care sheets.
 

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Why is an adult not an option? even a juvenile? what do you plan on doing with yours in two years? They shouldn't live indoors all the time..

How hot is your house at night? if you have humidity and it gets too cold, you get a sick tortoise. Read Toms Sulcata care sheets.
I don't plan on keeping him indoors when he's huge, that's ridiculous. He'll be living outside for the warmer months when he's bigger in a few years, but I'm going to have to think of something for December-March...

And I don't want an adult or a juvenile because I want to raise a little one myself. Adopting an additional adult will probably be considered in the future after I experience what they're like, but it's definitely not going to happen now.
 

DeanS

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An adult isn't an option for me, sorry. Why would it need night time heat if it stays perfect temperature for it at night in my living room? Doesn't make sense to me...
An adult isn't an option for me, sorry. Why would it need night time heat if it stays perfect temperature for it at night in my living room? Doesn't make sense to me...

So, you're saying that you keep your house at 80ºF (or warmer) at night...while maintaining a minimum of 75% humidity? Because that's what you would need to properly maintain a sulcata hatchling - juvenile at night! If not, you need to rethink the process and take advice rather than defy those with knowledge and experience!
 

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So, you're saying that you keep your house at 80ºF (or warmer) at night...while maintaining a minimum of 75% humidity? Because that's what you would need to properly maintain a sulcata hatchling - juvenile at night! If not, you need to rethink the process and take advice rather than defy those with knowledge and experience!
At no point did I "defy those with knowledge and experience", I actually joined this forum to learn and all I did was refuse to go with getting an adult tortoise like Laura recommended. Any recommendations for night time heat bulbs?

Also thanks for the links Laura, they made me make up my mind. Tom said he wouldn't let the temperature drop lower than 80 day or night year round, so living room it is!
 

Abdulla6169

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At no point did I "defy those with knowledge and experience", I actually joined this forum to learn and all I did was refuse to go with getting an adult tortoise like Laura recommended. Any recommendations for night time heat bulbs?

Also thanks for the links Laura, they made me make up my mind. Tom said he wouldn't let the temperature drop lower than 80 day or night year round, so living room it is!
I'm happy your learning here my friend :) for nighttime heat use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter), it produces heat only (no light!).
 

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I'm happy your learning here my friend :) for nighttime heat use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter), it produces heat only (no light!).
Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think you're allowed to use those with the heat lamp that I'm getting (deep dome)? Can I use one of the colored ones meant for nocturnal reptiles? My friend has one for his leopard gecko and it looks pretty cool, don't think they're able to see it either.
 

Laura

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I use a dome for my CHE it screws in just like a bulb...
Very important to read.. and read some more...
ask questions.. keep an open mind, but realize that many here have years of experience and lessons learned the hard way.. They are just trying to help those who are new to avoid the same heart break...
 

Abdulla6169

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Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think you're allowed to use those with the heat lamp that I'm getting (deep dome)? Can I use one of the colored ones meant for nocturnal reptiles? My friend has one for his leopard gecko and it looks pretty cool, don't think they're able to see it either.
If you can see it, your tort can :( while not being proven to cause health problems, some torts can't sleep With that lighting. You can easily order a light & fixture from the internet!
 

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If you can see it, your tort can :( while not being proven to cause health problems, some torts can't sleep With that lighting. You can easily order a light & fixture from the internet!
Alright I'll go with the CHE, thank you! I don't have anymore questions this moment, but I hope it's OK to post them in this thread if I have some later on.
 

Abdulla6169

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Alright I'll go with the CHE, thank you! I don't have anymore questions this moment, but I hope it's OK to post them in this thread if I have some later on.
Ask all you want, friend :) Just read Tom's post in the sulcata section which is in the African tortoise section (they are the first posts you see at the top of the page)!
 

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Hey again guys, how do I know or find out if the grass and plants at a park are sprayed with pesticides and herbicides? There's this very beautiful park near my house that I plan on taking my tortoise to so he can eat the grass and plants, as well as get some natural sunlight... only if it's safe though. I'm assuming it's safe since there's a gigantic turtle pond with geese and ducks, although the water is incredibly green, filthy, and has a smell to it... don't know if that means anything since turtles and ducks can be filthy animals.

Also, I was wondering about the humidity in my sulcata's terrarium. The majority of people that house their smaller tortoises inside use turtle tables... how in the world do they reach 75% humidity in these open top enclosures?
 

Dizisdalife

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I would assume that any of the plants in a park area have been sprayed. If there are no weeds and the grass looks perfect, then it probably has been treated with things you don't want your tortoise to eat.

I don't know how the majority of people house their tortoises inside. Those that use a closed chamber rather than an open top table easily maintain the 75-85% relative humidity. I suggest you search the forum for "closed chambers".
 

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I would assume that any of the plants in a park area have been sprayed. If there are no weeds and the grass looks perfect, then it probably has been treated with things you don't want your tortoise to eat.

I don't know how the majority of people house their tortoises inside. Those that use a closed chamber rather than an open top table easily maintain the 75-85% relative humidity. I suggest you search the forum for "closed chambers".
I don't know much about gardening, but I did a bit a research and was told that it's unsafe for an animal to consume or be around grass or plants that are contaminated with pesticides and herbicides. Here's a picture of the actual park and what the grass in it looks like, would you assume that it's unsafe or safe? Who in my area would I ask if you aren't certain?

7860953048_cc15fdf6fc_z.jpg
 

Tom

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You are starting to get the idea, but you are much too inflexible in your plans. You need to change the environment to give the tortoise what it needs, not decide what is convenient for you and then decide the tortoise will adapt to it. I want to offer some tips based on what I have read in this thread. I hope this will help you and the tortoise you are considering.

1. You are making a mistake in not buying from Lance. I've never met him and unfortunately I don't even know him well enough to call him "friend". But I do know that very few people on this earth start their sulcata babies as correctly or as thoroughly as he does. I have talked to him on the phone about his practices, and I've seen countless babies of his on this forum thrive and do well. A sulcata hatchlings first few days and weeks are critical and set the tone for the rest of that babies life. I love LLL. The owner of LLL is a friend of mine. They sell a lot of babies and so they buy babies from a lot of sources. These sources, to the best of my knowledge, do not start their babies as well as Lance. Just send Lance a cashiers check. You can trust him. He's been on this forum for years without a single complaint. If he rips you off, I will personally repay you.
2. 30 gallons is too small. I say minimum 40, but that will only last 2 or 3 months. Just do it right and build a big one from the start.
3. If his bulb is going to overheat and dehydrate him, it is the wrong bulb or the wrong enclosure. This is the inflexibility I'm talking about. Why must it be a 125 if that is not the right bulb to maintain your temps in your enclosure?
4. Instead of asking what they can tolerate, ask what is optimal and figure out how to offer it.
5. You don't need night heat if your room temp is warm enough. I don't use night heat in my reptile room because I keep the ambient temp at 80. Does your living rom stay 80 all year? Even in winter?
6. If your deep dome doesn't accommodate the heating and lighting equipment your baby needs, get the right fixture. THey are only $12 at Home Depot.
7. They can see colored light bulbs at night and sometimes it messes with their head. I'm glad to see you are switching to a CHE.
8. There is no way to find out what every person is or isn't putting on that grass. Even if the manager of the park says its "clean", he might be lying and telling you what he thinks you want to hear, or he might not know what one of his guys is doing. Don't risk it. Besides that you shouldn't be letting him run loose anyway. Make him a large outdoor pen and let him run around in there. Don't let him run outside of a proper enclosure, and don't run him in an area that you don't have control over.
9. People with open tortoise tables in normal houses CAN'T maintain proper conditions. That's why their tortoises pyramid. Make a closed chamber. Like this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

Please read these threads. They will help you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
 

Dizisdalife

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Well, I certainly can't tell from a picture if the grass is safe or not. I wish I were that good. I have never taken my tortoise to a park to let him roam. At the parks near my home I have, at times, seen landscapers spreading "weed and feed" on the lawns. There is a pond with turtles and ducks there as well. I am sure that the water is not ideal for them. Beginning when my tortoise was a hatchling I started to convert parts of my yard to a tortoise pen. I planted seed mixes and other plants to feed him. As he grew I added more space to his pen and more plants that I knew were edible and safe (pesticide free). It's a work in process and I am still adding and changing as the tortoise continues to grow.
 
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