Does this look good?

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Does this look ok for a full grown sulcata?

 

[Yvonne G]

Not really. Its too small, and it will get too hot inside.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

How big is it? What will it exactly be used for?

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

It's big Enough to fit a full grown German Shepard with ease it would have a lot of space in there and it would be used for shade and/or shelter.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

It should be big enough. It definitely has the height but I am a little worried about the width of the opening. How big is the sulcata?

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

I don't have the sulcata yet he will be a baby when I get him but I found this at a yard sale so I got it for him.

 

[Sulcataman]

Like emysemys said, it's too small, but most importantly, it will get WAY too hot. My adult sulcata would never fit in that. He's 30 inchs straight line and 200 lbs. A sub adult would push that thing around his enclosure. I would suggest a trip to your nearest lumber yard, and build something. That way you can incorporate vents into it and insulate it from the heat. The main purpose is too give your tort a place to cool down. Stay away from the dogloo.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Since you only have a baby you dont have to be worrying about that sort of thing for a while but he will be able to use it for many years depending on the width of the opening. If it is in the shade then it will work perfectly fine. Like sulcataman said your sulcata will get to 30 inches if its a male but thats only after many many years so I wouldnt worry about that at all. A sub adult shouldnt be able to push it around because these dogloos are typically pretty heavy or at least mine is and my 20 plus inch adults cant move it.

 

[Dizisdalife]

I would not count on it for anything other than a hide for him. It may be his favorite hide if it is in a shady part of his pen. It really won't protect your tort from the elements (wind, rain, cold), or predators (dogs, raccoons, possums, coyotes) that may sneak into your yard. I found that they are difficult to insulate, difficult to mount a heater (although Hound Heater makes one for the igloo), difficult to get in to clean it or to get my tort out, and difficult to seal up against night time predators. People do use them and make them work. I saw a 75lb. sulcata housed in one that seemed to be okay. He had a heat mat and a ceramic heating element and a plastic cover on the doorway. By the time my tortoise was the size and age to use an outdoor house I knew I wanted to build one myself (and I am not a tradesman) so that I had the security, climate control, and ease of access.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

It will just be used for shade and it has a vent at the top and it's way to heavy for him to move, plus I'm going to put a heat lamp in there.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Its too small, and it will get too hot inside.

 

[NinjaTortoises]

It will just be used for shade and it has a vent at the top and it's way to heavy for him to move, plus I'm going to put a heat lamp in there.

Well if your anything like me, you would customize it i would use that only as a shade area, a home for sulcata would be something like a shed IMO a doghouse would be like a safehouse during the day to escape from the hot sun, but then again it would only store heat and that would be bad but its a good buy if you can customize so its can provide shade only like cut it up and stuff if your handy with powertools good luck

 

[Tom]

I would not count on it for anything other than a hide for him. It may be his favorite hide if it is in a shady part of his pen. It really won't protect your tort from the elements (wind, rain, cold), or predators (dogs, raccoons, possums, coyotes) that may sneak into your yard. I found that they are difficult to insulate, difficult to mount a heater (although Hound Heater makes one for the igloo), difficult to get in to clean it or to get my tort out, and difficult to seal up against night time predators. People do use them and make them work. I saw a 75lb. sulcata housed in one that seemed to be okay. He had a heat mat and a ceramic heating element and a plastic cover on the doorway. By the time my tortoise was the size and age to use an outdoor house I knew I wanted to build one myself (and I am not a tradesman) so that I had the security, climate control, and ease of access.

I agree with Joe here, and everyone else too. I think this will be fine to just have in his enclosure as part of the furnishings, but I wouldn't use this as THE night house for him. If temps ever get anywhere near freezing where you are, this will not be adequate for winter either. Remember that a dog generates his own heat and this small space is designed to capture and hold in that heat. Your tortoise will be a different story.

That might make a neat hide area for a juvenile or subadult if you semi-bury it into a hillside or something.

 

[Biff Malibu]

Try laying in that on a hot day and let me know if its comfortable. LOL! A dog can regulate its temperature by panting, humans can sweat, Sulcata's dig themselves in the ground in the wild to cool themselves down.

I don't think "TortoiseBoy1999" is too good with the power tools, mainly because he's a kid (I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all buddy, I didn't know squat about building anything at that age) - BUT if that thing interests you, It could be a good project with your dad/uncle etc...

Talk to your parents - Let them know that a "Captive" Sulcata needs a custom built enclosure and it will not cost THAT much money. Tell them that yes it costs money - BUT if you do it right, you only have to do it once.

You want to build a semi-circular entrance of about 36" wide. You want to have vents in it, insulation, a weather-proof roof, an access door to get in for cleaning and a stanfield heat mat (with weatherproofed electrical connections if necessary)--- running a heat lamp outdoors can be a fire hazard. You can also make a pretty good foundation by laying some bricks in the ground to outline the base shape of the enclosure.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Well actually I'm 12 and not to toot my own horn but I am pretty good with power tools I've built a lot of things, and I was going to put a hole at the top just big enough for his heat lamp for him in the winter. And it has a vent at the top so it is cool.

---

Try laying in that on a hot day and let me know if its comfortable. LOL! A dog can regulate its temperature by panting, humans can sweat, Sulcata's dig themselves in the ground in the wild to cool themselves down.

I don't think "TortoiseBoy1999" is too good with the power tools, mainly because he's a kid (I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all buddy, I didn't know squat about building anything at that age) - BUT if that thing interests you, It could be a good project with your dad/uncle etc...

Talk to your parents - Let them know that a "Captive" Sulcata needs a custom built enclosure and it will not cost THAT much money. Tell them that yes it costs money - BUT if you do it right, you only have to do it once.

You want to build a semi-circular entrance of about 36" wide. You want to have vents in it, insulation, a weather-proof roof, an access door to get in for cleaning and a stanfield heat mat (with weatherproofed electrical connections if necessary)--- running a heat lamp outdoors can be a fire hazard. You can also make a pretty good foundation by laying some bricks in the ground to outline the base shape of the enclosure.

Ok I'll build my own. But I'll use it for shade.

 

[Dizisdalife]

So, you have decided to build your own. You have some time, probably until next spring or summer. I suggest you read a lot of the post in the section on enclosures to get an idea of the many types that have been made and how well they may work for you. here is a link to that section.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Forum-Tortoise-Enclosures#axzz20C8OFsI9

I first built an outdoor pen that I could leave my year old sulcata SAFELY in for most of the day. I brought him in every night where I could control the night time temperature and humidity. Plus, I liked seeing him wake up in the morning and sit under his basking lamp until I could soak him and put him outside.

By the time he was 18 months he was getting too big for the indoor enclosure that i had and I had no where to house him. Outside was my only option. I built a night box using one of Tom"s boxes as a pattern and scaled it to the size I needed (so I thought) for a single tortoise.
Here is that example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-Mother-of-All-Tortoise-Boxes#axzz1cEsoxKYf

The night box was attached to his outdoor pen and together they gave me a safe, warm, dry outdoor home for the winter days. I do live in Southern California, but the tortoise needs 80 plus degrees even on the cold (55f rainy, or at least cloudy) days that we get.

Now my tortoise is 29 months old and has been living outside 24/7 for the past 3 - 4 months. I am hoping to get one more year out of this night box before I have to build him a shed to live in. Probably will build just a bigger version of the box I have.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

So, you have decided to build your own. You have some time, probably until next spring or summer. I suggest you read a lot of the post in the section on enclosures to get an idea of the many types that have been made and how well they may work for you. here is a link to that section.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Forum-Tortoise-Enclosures#axzz20C8OFsI9

I first built an outdoor pen that I could leave my year old sulcata SAFELY in for most of the day. I brought him in every night where I could control the night time temperature and humidity. Plus, I liked seeing him wake up in the morning and sit under his basking lamp until I could soak him and put him outside.

By the time he was 18 months he was getting too big for the indoor enclosure that i had and I had no where to house him. Outside was my only option. I built a night box using one of Tom"s boxes as a pattern and scaled it to the size I needed (so I thought) for a single tortoise.
Here is that example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-Mother-of-All-Tortoise-Boxes#axzz1cEsoxKYf

The night box was attached to his outdoor pen and together they gave me a safe, warm, dry outdoor home for the winter days. I do live in Southern California, but the tortoise needs 80 plus degrees even on the cold (55f rainy, or at least cloudy) days that we get.

Now my tortoise is 29 months old and has been living outside 24/7 for the past 3 - 4 months. I am hoping to get one more year out of this night box before I have to build him a shed to live in. Probably will build just a bigger version of the box I have.

I'm going to build one like this! (Someone on the forum built this)

 

[mary t]

I'm going to build one like this! (Someone on the forum built this)

I don't know how old you are but you can do it, I have 14 year old twin boys who have been building skate ramps and boats that won't lost for years.. Just be careful and where there is a will. Honey there is a way!

 

[Biff Malibu]

you're 12 and your parents let you run a circular saw? lol....

building things and building them well are very different things. I would be very impressed if you built a insulated weatherproof structure with a proper foundation to the proper dimensions.

I also just said that a heat lamp outside is a fire hazard.

that hatchling enclosure you posted up with intentions to build is not the ideal setup.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

you're 12 and your parents let you run a circular saw? lol....

building things and building them well are very different things. I would be very impressed if you built a insulated weatherproof structure with a proper foundation to the proper dimensions.

I also just said that a heat lamp outside is a fire hazard.

that hatchling enclosure you posted up with intentions to build is not the ideal setup.

My dad is going to help me of course he's good with that stuff!