Jeffrey Jeffries
New Member
Hello!
I have seen great pics of winter habitats here but they range in intents and purposes and capacities -- from different regions and climates to different purposes (some keep the animal from estivating at all) and so I asked some specific questions precisely relevant to our intentions (provided our intentions are not somehow misguided).
Quick Background
My wife and I have always given our pets a forever home and do not want to break that for our long-lived buddies.
We have one 9-inch sulcata "Paul" (or Paulina) with gender TBA, but ...
...we also have a male "Bonsai" that is about 100 pounds.
We live in balmy Florida, so winters have been minimal.
The wee one comes inside when temps occasionally drop into or below 40's F, and the huge male has a stable burrow with tree roots and soil, so I put a direct-contact-protected thermostat-equipped heater at the entrance on those odd colds nights, and I insulate the entrance area a bit to keep some heat in and/or freezing air from pouring in.
They've been thriving and growing for years, and the big (rescued) one's newer skute areas and even, overall shell shape has been growing out more nicely under our care.
We'd like to move one day, though, where the heat does not aggravate my own thermoregulatory health issue.
It would not be economically practical to have a year-round, overly-heated outdoor winter habitat that effectively became an indoor petting zoo, merely forcing warm temps and always stimulating the animals to be fully active, feeding and roaming all winter.
I'd like to learn to keep them at low enough temps so they'd estivate and be relatively inactive and mostly fasting in a somewhat natural fashion in winter months (but keeping them from the fatal cold extremes).
I'm happy to build them a solid, insulated, little barn for this.
Moving to Where it Snows a Bit etc.
Pros:
I'm experienced in general animal husbandry including robust but economical habitat construction with carpentry, electricity, etc..
I'm confident I could provide an animal with what it needs in terms of monitored and controlled temps, humidity, and other basics, even in a snowy climate.
I already know all sorts of helpful things like how to keep a tortoise from coming into direct contact with reliable heat sources etc.
It's specific things that I find it hard to put my finger upon.
Basic care and all-around tips are not an issue, but data on professional-class facilitation and accommodation of true, seasonal estivation for sulcatas housed outdoors through hard winters is relatively challenging to find.
Cons:
The main problem is that I have no experience truly getting a sulcata to genuinely estivate for any substantial period in longer-lasting, colder temps.
I do not know if they 1) need some light like a vita-light when getting them to truly estivate for months (?)
I do not know 2) what temps at which to keep them for genuine, seasonal estivation; once I know, I can install a thermostat and monitor and maintain appropriate temp(s) or even regimens.
I do not know 3) if it's best they stay, static that way for months, or if I should bring them out of deeper dormancy it at times by temporarily increasing the heat, light, and food availability, or if that's neither necessary nor recommended by best keepers.
We really appreciate the advice.
Thank you!
Blessings --
Jeff, Tina, Bonsai, & Paul/Paulina(?)
I have seen great pics of winter habitats here but they range in intents and purposes and capacities -- from different regions and climates to different purposes (some keep the animal from estivating at all) and so I asked some specific questions precisely relevant to our intentions (provided our intentions are not somehow misguided).
Quick Background
My wife and I have always given our pets a forever home and do not want to break that for our long-lived buddies.
We have one 9-inch sulcata "Paul" (or Paulina) with gender TBA, but ...
...we also have a male "Bonsai" that is about 100 pounds.
We live in balmy Florida, so winters have been minimal.
The wee one comes inside when temps occasionally drop into or below 40's F, and the huge male has a stable burrow with tree roots and soil, so I put a direct-contact-protected thermostat-equipped heater at the entrance on those odd colds nights, and I insulate the entrance area a bit to keep some heat in and/or freezing air from pouring in.
They've been thriving and growing for years, and the big (rescued) one's newer skute areas and even, overall shell shape has been growing out more nicely under our care.
We'd like to move one day, though, where the heat does not aggravate my own thermoregulatory health issue.
It would not be economically practical to have a year-round, overly-heated outdoor winter habitat that effectively became an indoor petting zoo, merely forcing warm temps and always stimulating the animals to be fully active, feeding and roaming all winter.
I'd like to learn to keep them at low enough temps so they'd estivate and be relatively inactive and mostly fasting in a somewhat natural fashion in winter months (but keeping them from the fatal cold extremes).
I'm happy to build them a solid, insulated, little barn for this.
Moving to Where it Snows a Bit etc.
Pros:
I'm experienced in general animal husbandry including robust but economical habitat construction with carpentry, electricity, etc..
I'm confident I could provide an animal with what it needs in terms of monitored and controlled temps, humidity, and other basics, even in a snowy climate.
I already know all sorts of helpful things like how to keep a tortoise from coming into direct contact with reliable heat sources etc.
It's specific things that I find it hard to put my finger upon.
Basic care and all-around tips are not an issue, but data on professional-class facilitation and accommodation of true, seasonal estivation for sulcatas housed outdoors through hard winters is relatively challenging to find.
Cons:
The main problem is that I have no experience truly getting a sulcata to genuinely estivate for any substantial period in longer-lasting, colder temps.
I do not know if they 1) need some light like a vita-light when getting them to truly estivate for months (?)
I do not know 2) what temps at which to keep them for genuine, seasonal estivation; once I know, I can install a thermostat and monitor and maintain appropriate temp(s) or even regimens.
I do not know 3) if it's best they stay, static that way for months, or if I should bring them out of deeper dormancy it at times by temporarily increasing the heat, light, and food availability, or if that's neither necessary nor recommended by best keepers.
We really appreciate the advice.
Thank you!
Blessings --
Jeff, Tina, Bonsai, & Paul/Paulina(?)
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