Question about location

[volcom6981]

Hey I've been interested in the Burmese tortoise, but living in PA makes me wonder if I could keep one. Summer time would be no problem it gets very humid here, but during the winter months they would have to be in a heated shed. Would this work or not for this tortoise?

 

[Yvonne G]

The winter where I live is cold, but not snow type cold. Nights are average about 35, sometimes dipping down into the 20's, and days are average around 45, sometimes warmer, sometimes colder.

I have 3.2 Mep and 3.3 Mee. They share a 10'x10' shed which is divided in the middle for the species. Their doors are opened every morning, no matter how cold or hot it is outside, and closed every night with everyone inside the shed.

There are pig blankets on the walls at ground level, and a 250 watt red brooder light hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the shed. I also have a tort table on one wall for a couple babies, and their MVB causes the shed to warm up nicely.

The tortoises come and go on their own (there are vinyl strip doors over the door ways). If they get cold they come back inside.

For our hot summers (average around 100F) there are plenty of trees and shrubs, with a misting system hung from T-posts about 5' off the ground. The emitters are sprinklers that have about a 5' circumference spray and put out a very fine spray.

If one wants to spend the money, one can make almost anything work.

 

[volcom6981]

The winter where I live is cold, but not snow type cold. Nights are average about 35, sometimes dipping down into the 20's, and days are average around 45, sometimes warmer, sometimes colder.

I have 3.2 Mep and 3.3 Mee. They share a 10'x10' shed which is divided in the middle for the species. Their doors are opened every morning, no matter how cold or hot it is outside, and closed every night with everyone inside the shed.

There are pig blankets on the walls at ground level, and a 250 watt red brooder light hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the shed. I also have a tort table on one wall for a couple babies, and their MVB causes the shed to warm up nicely.

The tortoises come and go on their own (there are vinyl strip doors over the door ways). If they get cold they come back inside.

For our hot summers (average around 100F) there are plenty of trees and shrubs, with a misting system hung from T-posts about 5' off the ground. The emitters are sprinklers that have about a 5' circumference spray and put out a very fine spray.

If one wants to spend the money, one can make almost anything work.

Thanks for the quick response. I know the summers here will be ok, I was more worried about winters with them. It does get cold, and snowy here, but my other torts do good. I wanted to get a large tortoise to add to my little collection, and wanted something other then a Sulcata. These guys caught my eye, and I loved what I read. So you think during the winter months, they will be ok in my heated tortoise shed? Thanks again
I should mention that winters here very, like this year we got 4 inches of snow, but there has been times when it's been worse. Also temps very as well this year has been pretty cold, but last year was a warm winter.

 

[harris]

I live in a 3 bedroom house. I have a bedroom and my Mee's have the other two. It works out well for me because I am able to control seperate temps and humidity in their rooms. If you're going to keep them in an outdoor enclosure through the Winter months, be prepared to spend some $$$ to do it right, even if you build it yourself.

 

[volcom6981]

I live in a 3 bedroom house. I have a bedroom and my Mee's have the other two. It works out well for me because I am able to control seperate temps and humidity in their rooms. If you're going to keep them in an outdoor enclosure through the Winter months, be prepared to spend some $$$ to do it right, even if you build it yourself.

If the shed is insulated right, and you get one of those heaters that mount on the wall, it's not that bad. The cost of everything with the shed, and heater is pretty expensive, but in the long run its so worth it. The problem I have with the tortoise in the room would be there mess. I can do something in my heated basement for awhile, till they get to big.

 

[Millerlite]

Building a shed would probably be your best bet, they can handle pretty low temps if they have a warm area to go too to warm up, basement can work too, just feel like warming a basement would tke more energy then a shed, it's possible tho. I know a guy who had them in il and they did fine, he had a carport(garage) not attached to the house type of garage, well it was in his backyard so he converted the whole carport garage Into a heated greenhouse type room, he put skyline in the roof so sun got in , and in the winter he had heaters to warm up the room, and then in the wall of the garage he just made a tortoise door, and try tort can go in or out. Sometimes you will see snow on the ground and the mt tortoise would walk outside, eventually ending up in the garage greenhouse.