Our sulcata is about 3 years old and he has gotten far too large to keep indoors any longer. We live in Yucaipa, CA, which is mid-way between LA and Palm Springs. The weather is acceptable for him year-round, except he needs a little help in the winter months. We've converted a rubbermaid shed to house him, with a oil-filled radiator heater inside to keep it at a comfortable temperature. We were advised against pig blankets, as there is no auto shut-off mode for reptiles and he could potentially cook himself if it gets too hot. The problem is that we need a way to warm him from underneath without any risk of fire, obviously, or any risk of him burning himself. Right now the shed rests directly on the ground, but I'm wondering if we need to elevate it. It's been pretty cold and rainy over the last few weeks and noticed he was very lethargic and not eating much at all. We moved him back indoors, temporarily, just to get him warm again and see if we could get him eating, which seems to have worked. Unfortunately, I believe he may have a respiratory infection at this point and need to get him treated for that. I plan on calling one of the recommended doctors from this site. Ideally, we need to figure out how to configure his outdoor house so that it works for him even when its chilly and damp outside.
Long story short, does anyone have any suggestions for outdoor enclosure warmth? I can send photos of his outdoor space, if that would help. Thanks!
Long story short, does anyone have any suggestions for outdoor enclosure warmth? I can send photos of his outdoor space, if that would help. Thanks!