Locking tortoise up at night?

Rex1718

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Do you lock your tortoises in their night box at night year round, or only when the temps drop to low at night?
I check on my sulcata every night and lock the night box and open it the next morning. Planning a camping trip soon and would rather not have someone in my tortoise enclosure.
I’ve got a hot wire around the top of his enclosure to keep pest out.
 

Yvonne G

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I worry about night time marauders year round, so every evening I go around making sure all tortoises are in their shelters and I close the doors.
 
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Maro2Bear

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I don’t lock in our Sully at night. We’re lucky i guess, she’s at the 100 lb mark or so, and we don’t have any major night time marauders. A few years ago when we put Sully outside for the summer time, she would ram & ram & ram the Zen enclosure door. Id take the door off, regardless of time, out popped sully, a walk about then back in. She just likes the open door. And thats where we are today, no being “locked” up for the night.
 

Tom

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I lock all of my torts up every night. Not worth the risk, and night temps are too cold here anyway.

The only exception is when the big adult sulcatas are deep down in their burrows during the hot summer months. Its warmer down there over night, and no predator is going to get a sulcata in its burrow. The rest of the year, they are locked in at night.
 

Rex1718

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Ok thanks everyone. I will get someone to open and close his night box. My biggest fear is someone accidentally leaving the gate unlocked.
 

Skip K

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Sadly...I have bring my torts in every nite. I can build an enclosure that is winged and four legged predator proof...but not an enclosure strong enough to stop a determined two legged predator. I just won’t risk it
 

Rex1718

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Sadly...I have bring my torts in every nite. I can build an enclosure that is winged and four legged predator proof...but not an enclosure strong enough to stop a determined two legged predator. I just won’t risk it
I get that. Luckily I live out in the sticks. My tortoise pen can’t be seen from the front yard. And a watch dog that’s too bold for her own good lol.
 

KBeam

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I get that. Luckily I live out in the sticks. My tortoise pen can’t be seen from the front yard. And a watch dog that’s too bold for her own good lol.
My dog sitter that comes to my house was willing to care for my “shell folk” too, and she does a great job!
 
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