outdoor tortoise house

[Jun Aison]

I just assembled a rubbermaid shed to make it as an outdoor tortoise house for my Sulcatas (4 year olds) and leopards (3 years old). I just need to some suggestions on what size should the opening be? Can I just cut half of one of the the door? I am planning to hang 2 ceramic heater inside for the cold winter (sometimes it does get cold here in Southern Nevada lol).

 

[Tom]

Hi Jun. I can tell you from past experience that those sheds will not work. They are too tall, too drafty, and not insulated well enough. I've tried to use them here, and my winter climate is milder than yours.

Additionally, two CHEs will not be enough to keep these tropical tortoises warm enough over winter, AND CHEs over large tortoises in a cold shed will "slow burn" their carapaces. Once this damage is done, it is permanent. Please don't learn this the hard way.

Over a couple of decades of trial and many errors, I've figured out better ways to do it. Please have a look at these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/


You didn't say how many of each species you have, but the double door box linked above can easily hold 6-8 leopards, and 4-6 smaller young sulcatas. The 4x4 box is large enough for one large male or two large females.

I make my sulcata doors 18" tall and 26" wide, because I don't want to have to rebuild them in a few years. That size will accommodate all but the very largest adult males.

 

[Jun Aison]

If I use an oil heater and put some insulation inside, would that work somehow? What size heater should I get? I have 2 4 year old female sulcatas and 3 3 year old leopards. Any suggestions on how to make do of what I have? Tom, I wish I am as handy as you. Very nice outdoor house there.

 

[Tom]

If I use an oil heater and put some insulation inside, would that work somehow? What size heater should I get? I have 2 4 year old female sulcatas and 3 3 year old leopards. Any suggestions on how to make do of what I have? Tom, I wish I am as handy as you. Very nice outdoor house there.

I tried insulating one of those sheds, and it just doesn't work. I spent more time fitting the insulation and the plywood to cover it than it takes to build a new box that is the correct dimensions. My efforts to insulate it still failed because they are too tall inside and they allow too much airflow.

You can try to use an oil heater, but I don't think it will keep things warm enough even if it runs all night long. The shed is too tall so you are heating all that air over their heads for nothing. And because the seams and roof on your shed are not sealed, they will allow that cold night air in and your heated air out.

I know its a bummer, but better to find out now, than after your tortoises get sick from being too cold.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi @Jun Aison and a very warm welcome to the forum.

Any pics of your torts?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome.

I'll be the voice of doom. You really should think about separating the two species. Eventually the sulcatas will harm the smaller leopard tortoises.

 

[Yvonne G]

I use cinderblocks, because, like you, I'm not a carpenter and thus not that handy with tools.

On the carport, where it's sheltered from the weather, and up against a wall, I place a sheet of plywood on the floor. Then I build walls with cinderblocks. I made them three bricks tall so that I could gain the height I need for the lights to not burn the shells. Next I lined it with rigid foam, then plywood to protect the foam. You can leave a space open for a doorway. I didn't because these are for tortoises that don't go outside during the winter.

 

[Jun Aison]

Thank you all for the replies.

 

[Jun Aison]

Hi @Jun Aison and a very warm welcome to the forum.

Any pics of your torts?

 

[Jun Aison]

I wish I would have found out about this site years ago. I could probably have prevented my torts pyramiding.

 

[Jun Aison]

Great job on your enclosure Yvonne.

 

[Gillian M]

I wish I would have found out about this site years ago. I could probably have prevented my torts pyramiding.

Better late than never!

Please give your torts daily soaks in warm water, and make sure there's enough humidity, so as to avoid the pyramiding from getting worse.

Don't worry: you'll get the help you need, here.

 

[Longacre]

Hi Jun. I can tell you from past experience that those sheds will not work. They are too tall, too drafty, and not insulated well enough. I've tried to use them here, and my winter climate is milder than yours.

Additionally, two CHEs will not be enough to keep these tropical tortoises warm enough over winter, AND CHEs over large tortoises in a cold shed will "slow burn" their carapaces. Once this damage is done, it is permanent. Please don't learn this the hard way.

Over a couple of decades of trial and many errors, I've figured out better ways to do it. Please have a look at these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/


You didn't say how many of each species you have, but the double door box linked above can easily hold 6-8 leopards, and 4-6 smaller young sulcatas. The 4x4 box is large enough for one large male or two large females.

I make my sulcata doors 18" tall and 26" wide, because I don't want to have to rebuild them in a few years. That size will accommodate all but the very largest adult males.

 

[Longacre]

This isn’t really a reply, I have a question and I don’t know how to start a new question. So please forgive me. My name is Ann and I just started to build one of the outside houses. Work is going good, boy is it ever heavy. How long should I leave the house outside to weather before I can put my two-year-old sulcata outside to live there. I’m hoping for April. Will that be enough time? I live in southern Virginia (Newport News). Winters aren’t usually too severe here.

 

[Tom]

This isn’t really a reply, I have a question and I don’t know how to start a new question. So please forgive me. My name is Ann and I just started to build one of the outside houses. Work is going good, boy is it ever heavy. How long should I leave the house outside to weather before I can put my two-year-old sulcata outside to live there. I’m hoping for April. Will that be enough time? I live in southern Virginia (Newport News). Winters aren’t usually too severe here.

Hello and welcome.

What size is your tortoise?

I start using my boxes as soon as I finish the build. Did you paint the inside or something? I'm trying to figure out why your box would need to weather...

 

[Longacre]

This isn’t really a reply, I have a question and I don’t know how to start a new question. So please forgive me. My name is Ann and I just started to build one of the outside houses. Work is going good, boy is it ever heavy. How long should I leave the house outside to weather before I can put my two-year-old sulcata outside to live there. I’m hoping for April. Will that be enough time? I live in southern Virginia (Newport News). Winters aren’t usually too severe here.

Hello and welcome.

What size is your tortoise?

I start using my boxes as soon as I finish the build. Did you paint the inside or something? I'm trying to figure out why your box would need to weather...

It is seasoned wood and I thought it needed to air out or something so the fumes would of the wood would not harm the tortoise. The last time I measured her (in June) she was 7 1/2” long and 5 1/2” wide. She grown a little since then, but I haven’t measured her again. Right now she has full run of a bedroom with a Zoo Med tortoise house in it for warmth and sleeping. She eats like a horse! I feed her Mazuri pellets, Timothy/orchard grass, and greens. Everything is readily accessible except the greens, those are fed once a day. Fresh water and a soaking dish is also available. Any additional advice?

 

[Tom]

It is seasoned wood and I thought it needed to air out or something so the fumes would of the wood would not harm the tortoise. The last time I measured her (in June) she was 7 1/2” long and 5 1/2” wide. She grown a little since then, but I haven’t measured her again. Right now she has full run of a bedroom with a Zoo Med tortoise house in it for warmth and sleeping. She eats like a horse! I feed her Mazuri pellets, Timothy/orchard grass, and greens. Everything is readily accessible except the greens, those are fed once a day. Fresh water and a soaking dish is also available. Any additional advice?

Seasoned wood? Do you mean the wood is older and being re-used? Or do you mean pressure treated wood with all the chemicals to prevent rot?

What is the temperature on the floor in the tortoises bedroom? Do you have a temp gun? Floor temps in a normal house are usually around 10-15 degrees cooler than the air temp at adult human head height. Ordinarily letting them roam the house is a disaster waiting to happen and we all try to warn against it, but if this bedroom is dedicated to the tortoise and not used by people, then in effect, it becomes a large tortoise enclosure. This can work as long as temps, heating and lighting are done correctly. I did something like this in my living room years ago when I lived at a ranch house and didn't have a wife or kid and a "normal" house.

 

[Longacre]

Seasoned wood? Do you mean the wood is older and being re-used? Or do you mean pressure treated wood with all the chemicals to prevent rot?

What is the temperature on the floor in the tortoises bedroom? Do you have a temp gun? Floor temps in a normal house are usually around 10-15 degrees cooler than the air temp at adult human head height. Ordinarily letting them roam the house is a disaster waiting to happen and we all try to warn against it, but if this bedroom is dedicated to the tortoise and not used by people, then in effect, it becomes a large tortoise enclosure. This can work as long as temps, heating and lighting are done correctly. I did something like this in my living room years ago when I lived at a ranch house and didn't have a wife or kid and a "normal" house.

I do mean pressure treated wood. Even though she has freedom of the entire room, she spends most of her time in the tortoise house. She does, however, make a lap around the room. I have no idea what the floor temperature is. She is on the second floor of our house. We have a baby gate up with duck tape on the lower part of the door. Hoping she will try not to climb over. So far,so good. Her outside enclosure is 10’x20’ with netting over the top held up and surrounded by PVC pipes. It’s about 5’ around the perimeter and 7’ in the middle. The barrier I use is paving blocks and it’s about a foot high. I know I will have to build it higher, but it worked fine last summer. This is the first time I have ever had something as large as a Sulcata. So until I found your forum, I was flying by the seat of my pants. I do have a heating lamp and a ceramic light.

 

[Tom]

I do mean pressure treated wood. Even though she has freedom of the entire room, she spends most of her time in the tortoise house. She does, however, make a lap around the room. I have no idea what the floor temperature is. She is on the second floor of our house. We have a baby gate up with duck tape on the lower part of the door. Hoping she will try not to climb over. So far,so good. Her outside enclosure is 10’x20’ with netting over the top held up and surrounded by PVC pipes. It’s about 5’ around the perimeter and 7’ in the middle. The barrier I use is paving blocks and it’s about a foot high. I know I will have to build it higher, but it worked fine last summer. This is the first time I have ever had something as large as a Sulcata. So until I found your forum, I was flying by the seat of my pants. I do have a heating lamp and a ceramic light.

I would not use pressure treated wood for a tortoise box. Pressure treated wood is fine in open application with good ventilation, but I would not use it for a closed, heated box. I know it is a pain, but I would rebuild your outdoor box without the pressure treated wood. Imagine finding your tortoise dead from the fumes. Its just not worth the risk, even though re-doing it is a huge hassle.

You have a species of tortoise that comes from the tropics. They are not adapted to "cold" temperatures. A cold day where they come from is in the high 80s, and most days are near 100. Letting them walk around on a cold floor can make them sick. You need to know the floor temp and the air temp in the room, and it needs to be warm. If you look around the internet, you will find people who let them get colder, but I can't even count how many I've seen die from people not heating them properly here in our North American winters. Those people don't post anything on the internet about their dead tortoise.

Read these for housing tips, diet and temperature info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Longacre]

I would not use pressure treated wood for a tortoise box. Pressure treated wood is fine in open application with good ventilation, but I would not use it for a closed, heated box. I know it is a pain, but I would rebuild your outdoor box without the pressure treated wood. Imagine finding your tortoise dead from the fumes. Its just not worth the risk, even though re-doing it is a huge hassle.

You have a species of tortoise that comes from the tropics. They are not adapted to "cold" temperatures. A cold day where they come from is in the high 80s, and most days are near 100. Letting them walk around on a cold floor can make them sick. You need to know the floor temp and the air temp in the room, and it needs to be warm. If you look around the internet, you will find people who let them get colder, but I can't even count how many I've seen die from people not heating them properly here in our North American winters. Those people don't post anything on the internet about their dead tortoise.

Read these for housing tips, diet and temperature info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Will the treated wood lose the fumes if left outside for a few months or six, before putting the Sulcata in there.