Newbie from Fallbrook, CA

[FatsBrown]

Hi everyone. I'm a first time sulcata owner in Northern San Diego. 'Dozer is 60 pounds and living in a temporary pen on a lower lawn on our property. I've been soaking up the avalanche of info from a week of lurking. So happy to have found experienced keepers who are willing to share. Here's what I've learned in my short time here:

1) 'Dozer is a pretty common tortoise name.
2) Nightbox with heat is a necessity (this will be my first project).
3) This is a great online community!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome to you and Dozer. This is a great site for all the info you will need. In the search engine here. Put in outside enclosures. You will find many ideas. Check out @Tom enclosures. He has built many and has found what works for him.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Here are some night box ideas. You can go half this size for a single sulcata.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/h...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-youll-need-to-build-a-night-box.171435/

 

[FatsBrown]

Welcome to you and Dozer. This is a great site for all the info you will need. In the search engine here. Put in outside enclosures. You will find many ideas. Check out @Tom enclosures. He has built many and has found what works for him.

Thanks Ray. I have come across Tom's posts on enclosures - very informative.

 

[FatsBrown]

Hello and welcome.

Here are some night box ideas. You can go half this size for a single sulcata.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/h...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-youll-need-to-build-a-night-box.171435/

Thanks Tom. I've been reading your posts and studying your plans and pictures. Trying to also wrap my head around heating with Kane blanket and radiant heat panels...and how to control it all.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom. I've been reading your posts and studying your plans and pictures. Trying to also wrap my head around heating with Kane blanket and radiant heat panels...and how to control it all.

Easy to control it all with this: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller

The insulation and silicone sealing does the rest.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[BrookeB]

Welcome and I do have to say after 7+ years with frank, adult Sulcatas seem much easier to care for... that being said they have their own set of issues and needs. My only advice is to stay on this forum and ignore the rest of the internet.. including Facebook (I literally just made that mistake again after being here for like 5+ years) you think I’d know better

 

[FatsBrown]

This is Dozer. The site wouldn't let me post this pic when I introduced myself. I'm not sure how old he is but he's about 60 lbs. A friend took him in but it didn't work out, so he came to live with us. He's currently in a temporary pen while we're building out a larger long term home. We are working on a greenhouse that will house his heated night box. He'll have free access to the larger outside pen.

 

[Yvonne G]

Dozer's a beauty! Are you sure he's male? The gular is quite small for a 60lb male sulcata.

 

[FatsBrown]

Dozer's a beauty! Are you sure he's male? The gular is quite small for a 60lb male sulcata.

I had to look up gular, though I knew what you meant Here's a side shot. Having not seen a lot of sulcatas, I'm not sure what's large or small. Doze has been to a vet who specializes in reptiles, who also said he was male based on concave plastron, longer tail and shape of the plastron around his tail. While we were there he also had blood work done which showed some nutritional deficiencies including calcium. He's been getting grass, bermuda hay, Mazuri dusted with a calcium supplement, hibiscus and trumpet leaves and flowers and assorted dandelions, weeds and other grasses.

 

[MPappagallo]

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure you will find tons of great ideas for Dozer here!

 

[kanalomele]

Welcome to TFO and greeting from another Cali member. Dozer is very handsome