New owner: Advice on heating enclosure

[smatchell]

Hello! We just recently brought home a Sulcata tortoise named Sam, he is a long-term foster for a friend (about a year) and while we were initially thinking to bring him inside for the winter, over the last week it has become very apparent that that's not really going to work to do so, for him or for our house. He is a bulldozer! He seems a bit anxious, which is understandable considering all the recent changes he has been through, we are hoping that once he settles in a bit he will mellow.

So, we are planning to build him an outdoor shed. We live in the Portland area of the Pacific NW, winter temps can dip down to the 30's but are usually more in the 40's. We rarely get snow where we are (nearly sea level) but it does occasionally happen.

I originally thought that the idea of the pig mats seemed good, less chance of fire and more even heating, but after checking prices that's a bit more than we can swing right now.

I found these mats which are about 1/2 the price:

http://www.enasco.com/product/C26324N

We wouldn't have him in a DogLoo, but I don't necessarily think that matters.

Do we still need to have an overhead lamp too?

The person we got him from got him from a shelter and they guessed his age at around 5? We are guessing his weight at about 25 pounds, I've attached a picture of him getting "inspected" by our dogs.

Thanks in advance for any advice, we really want to take good care of him!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Smatchell:

Welcome to the forum!!

My sister lives in Corvallis and has an 80lb sulcata. Here's a thread where she shows his outside digs (scroll down to post #10):

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Bob-and-Tony-with-Santa

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Oh, and the pig blanket from Osborne Industries is comparable in price to what you are considering, but a bit bigger. But then you also should buy the controller, which is another $50 or so.

 

[chadk]

I live in Western WA. I build a simple 4x4x8(long) insluated tort shed.

I put in a simple space heater that keeps ambient temps no lower than 70 degrees. It is protected from direct contact from the tort and cords are up out of the way.

I then have a basking spot with a CHE that allows the tort to move to a warm spot if needed, or away to a less intense warm spot if he wants.

My torts have 24x7 access to a fully fenced in \ tort proof yard that supplies them with 99% of their diet needs just from the many weeds and grasses. During REALLY cold, wet, and snowy periods, I may put in some salad mix or mazuri pellets in the shed (room service?).

My torts do great at self managing their time out in the cold and rain. Sometimes they'll come for just a few minutes, but on those 50+ degree days with sun in the middle of winter, they will be out much longer grazing away or basking.

 

[smatchell]

Thanks both! That gives me some ideas to work with. We are totally open to upgrading it next year too as long as we can make him comfy through the winter.

 

[smatchell]

I put in a simple space heater that keeps ambient temps no lower than 70 degrees. It is protected from direct contact from the tort and cords are up out of the way.

Still working on setting up Sam's house, wanted some clarification on this-do you have a space heater that blows warm air, or like the oil-filled radiator style?

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Also, Sam had his first bath since he came today-he seemed to like it, drank a bunch, blew some bubbles, hung out for a bit then peed and was done!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24040260@N03/4984920634/in/photostream/

Also I got some more nice pics of him in the sunshine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24040260@N03/4984923844/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24040260@N03/4984323101/in/photostream/

 

[Yvonne G]

My sister used the deVilblis (spelling??) radiator, hot oil, electric heater.

 

[smatchell]

My sister used the deVilblis (spelling??) radiator, hot oil, electric heater.

Thanks-will look for that!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The name of the heater I use is...DeLonghi but I don't see how it would fit in a dogloo. I also think that a 25 pound tort is too small to just have a dogloo for protection thru the winter.
I am the sister Yvonne was talking about, please feel free to PM me if I can help you as Corvallis is only about 80 miles away from Portland

 

[smatchell]

The name of the heater I use is...DeLonghi but I don't see how it would fit in a dogloo. I also think that a 25 pound tort is too small to just have a dogloo for protection thru the winter.
I am the sister Yvonne was talking about, please feel free to PM me if I can help you as Corvallis is only about 80 miles away from Portland

PM'ed you! Thanks!

 

[smatchell]

Very excited-the enclosure turned out to be taller than I had anticipated (apparently she took it to heart when I said "No BIGGER!!") and we have room for an oil radiator in there AND I scored one off CL for $20!

I am thinking that it will still be a good idea to get the heat/UV light for the colder part of winter...