Heat for big tortoises

l like tortoises

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Joined
Nov 20, 2019
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Sweden
Hello my name is Sven I got a sulcata about 46kg

Was wondering how u guys warm your big tortoises ?

Do u heat from above or from sides or floor? Or all three?

I currently heat just with a basking bulb in a ceramic dome from above (not a spot light) and radiators

I live in Sweden and my sully lives in the basement 60m2 room and outside during summer with heated greenhouse
I heat with two room radiators room get to about 25°c currently outside temperature is -7°c under the light it gets to 36°c at shell mid level but he so big he doesn't fit all under lamp should I maybe hang 4 domes directly together with like 4x60 watts or how do u guys heat big tortoise?

Sorry for my English
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Sven, and welcome to the Forum! Please don't ever apologize for your English. We have people here on the Forum from all over the world and you are doing just fine!

There are many ways to keep a sulcata warm in the winter, but be very careful of overhead heat. I've seen many sulcatas with burned carapaces from having lights or heat units too close to their shell.

Here's how I keep my sulcata year round:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/dudleys-rebuild.111350/

This thread shows that I mounted the pig blanket on the wall. I wasn't happy with that, and soon changed it to the floor. So Dudley's shed is heated with the pig blanket on the floor, that he sits on, and a 250 watt brooder light hanging from the ceiling. Since my ceiling is over 5' tall, I'm able to hang the light so it's nowhere near the top of the tortoise's shell. The light is on a timer and comes on about 10p and goes off at 8a. Because it's such high wattage, it heats up the air inside the shed quite nicely.

Please read some of our member Tom's threads showing his arrangements for closed chambers. That might work better for you in the basement.
 

Tom

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I prefer a Kane heat mat under them and a radiant heat panel over head. This arrangement is safe, efficient and effective. I maintain ambient temps with radiant oil-filled heaters.
 

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