Indoor room for my large torts

dd33

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5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
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Sep 22, 2018
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Florida
So….after the torts have been living in the new enclosure for a little over a month, I have a few observations.
First, it is amazing that the moisture level in the room has barely dropped in over a month, and I have not added any water other than refilling the “pond” . The mulch was damp from being in the rain when I put it in and the humidity was 95% when it first went in. It is still 85-90% depending on where you test it, so I am pleased with the ability to retain the moisture levels. It is very air tight .
Second, the tortoises have been all over the room, in the houses, in the pond, but they sleep in what is the coolest corner of the enclosure @ 76 degrees at night, even though they could go anywhere else in the room where it is a little bit warmer. Some areas only gets down to 83 at night. So very interesting that they prefer the cooler area to sleep.
They have always spent their outside time together, but had separate enclosures while indoors. Now they are together all the time. They tend to do things together, when one gets up to go bask, the other one joins them. If one of them starts eating, then the other will soon join in . I have not seen any type of behavior that would be called “bullying” . When I have tried to see if it is one or the other that usually initiates the activity , it could be either one, so for now, they seem to be on a level playing field and enjoying the social interaction with each other
They have gotten used to the routine of me coming in a couple of times a day to feed/ clean up etc. and do not try to run or hide. They are starting to look big , they are @ 28 lbs now.
I was concerned that the all electric heat sources would be costly to operate, but My electric bill only went up about $75 last month, so I am happy that it seems like it is working pretty well . Heating a 560 sq ft room to 87 degrees and keeping it there, $75 seems pretty good . The money spent insulating and sealing the room was well spent.
So all in I am pleased with how it turned out , Jackson and General seem to like it, and I hope they can get a few years out of it before they outgrow this one too ! ?????
Looking good. How difficult would it be to heat the 76 degree area to 83 or more and see if they change their sleeping spot? I am curious to know if they want something cooler or if that is the spot they picked to sleep and they are going to stay there no matter what.

These guys do seem to get along well at this size. I have never once seen any aggression in ours either until Mazuri day comes around. In that case its a race to the feeding tray and the first one there climbs on top of the food pile. Then they all hiss at each other while they eat. Even when they are extra greedy like that they still don't push each other around. I am sure this will change a bit as they mature though
 

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