Question For Those Using Tom's Night Box

Archie's mom

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Joined
Aug 13, 2019
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36
Location (City and/or State)
Groveland ny
My Russian Archie ran away and was gone for 9 days this fall...I found him in a tiny patch of sun in our woods....when I called his name he immediately started to turn and run the other way...they do like their freedom. Someone mentioned on the forum about putting a sticky florescent post it tag on him and that works great....Now because of the cold weather (I live in upstate NY also) he is in the house but when he's awake he wants out of his box and if its sunny and we have the door open he heads straight for the door and wants to go out....I'm sure your guy will be fine...those Russians seem to be quite the survivors....someone else said theirs ran off and they found him in the spring....send prayers and good wishes for him (I will too).... keep us posted
 

Maggie3fan

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Jun 30, 2018
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PacificNorthWest
Being from the metro Phx area on farm land, we have 3 adult sulcatas outside. We have a heated LARGE house for them for the nights. We go out every evening, ensure they are all inside, shut the doors, and turn on the radiant heater. Keeps temps about 80-85 in there. I keep it on until outside temps hit at least 65 & sunny. Each morning I go out and open the doors so they have access if they want to go out. Our days typically get from the mid 60s to mid 70s all winter but the nights do get cold....into the 30s and 40s. We made the tortoise house big enough that if they are stuck "inside" for a couple days, they have room to stretch their legs. It's a "process" each morning and evening going out and opening/closing doors and such, but it's worth it for them. For our other, younger tortoises (galaps, stars) we put them outside in their pens when the sun is out and 'warm', but before sunset we bring them in. We have a large box for each species w/ lights, heat, substrate, and hide box. AZ climate is fortunate to be sunny and typically warm enough for a few hours each day to get outside. I feel bad for the colder states....I'm sure it's hard!
Well, that's how we do it in AZ...….... :)

I would LOVE that. And I'm sure so would my tortoises and box turtles...
 

AzDesert

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Feb 6, 2019
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Location (City and/or State)
metro Phx, AZ
I don't complain until we have 90+ days straight of over 100 degrees and no rain for that whole time. (typical desert summer!) Torts will come out in the mornings and evenings and we have plenty of shade, sprinklers, and the 'house' to keep em cool.
 

Sue Ann

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Mar 19, 2019
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436
Location (City and/or State)
chapin , South Carolina
It gets cold, below freezing, with plenty of snowstorms here in Maryland. Our Summer ends about 1 October and summertime warm temps start in early May. During these “frozen times” our Sully has his own heated indoor room, about 400 sq feet, with a heated night box kind of like Toms, but not double walled. Night box has a kane heat pad on the floor, RHP in the ceiling connected into a thermostat. Out in the larger enclosure I also have a space heater, misc lights. Grazing area, some slate pieces under a basking light. A few large terra cotta food dishes.

Here’s a quick pix of the night box before moved into “Sullys” room. Night box size 6x3x2 feet.
View attachment 283320


Hope that answers a few questions.

I think @vladimir up in Pennsylvania has a similar arrangement.
Do you put the night box in your garage or an actual room in your house?
 

klawran1

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Jun 21, 2013
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186
Location (City and/or State)
Acworth, GA
I love the night box design. My leopard spends a lot of time in hers in the winter. I'm in north Georgia so we do get some warm winter days where she can be outside, but mostly she has to sleep in there and exercise/eat in my house under uva/uva bulbs.

The one year it snowed, not that it would ever snow enough to trap her in, she came inside just to be safe. I'm glad I did that since we lost power. So she was in front of the gas fire place with me and the pups waiting it out.
 
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