Sulcata in alaska

[Colton Belson]

So I have a redfooted tortoise and I am thinking about getting a sulcata tortoise because I have been wanting one for a long time I want to get a baby but when it gets big I need to know how to house him because here in alaska we only have 4 months of summer before it gets cold. So what's a good way to house a bigger sulcata for 4-5 months besides outside.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Do you have land? How about a lot of resources "$"?

My first thoughts are: If you can build a large, insulated barn and keep it properly heated (not cheap and needs space) then you could probably keep an adult Sulcata content in your climate.

Go too small, or cheaply insulate and could have an extra large electric bill with an extra large, unhappy tortoise.

 

[Colton Belson]

Thanks I was reading about those I was also wandering how much they grow a year and about how big they will be at 5

 

[argus333]

ya it can be done,,, just insulate ,insulate , insulate! my 5 yr old is about 13 inch shell. u won't have to put them outside permanently till about this size.

 

[Colton Belson]

Thanks for the information and how should I insulat the shed

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I used that spray foam foam stuff, and just let it air out for a few days before screwing plywood on top. I have a large plastic shed I keep mine in, and with insulation in works well at keeping heat.

 

[argus333]

ud have to build it like a small house, i also use a attached green house. 30 outside 75 inside .

 

[argus333]

look here it is

 

[Colton Belson]

Thanks but I won't have to do that until he is about 5 years old right like for now I can a baby sulcata In a tortoise table right?

 

[JHamer]

Year one might be okay year round
Year two you should probably have a bigger enclosure than a table (unless your table is huge)
Year three you're probably gonna want to start transitioning to outside full time unless you have a basement you can give up.
Years 4 and 5 are major growth years and if you haven't up-scaled your digs yet you're probably going to be playing catch up and have an angry tortoise living in their own version of an efficiency apartment with no doors or windows.

 

[Tom]

No one here is familiar with keeping such a large tortoise in THAT cold of a climate. You will need something like another 1000 square foot, insulated and heated house to do what you are considering, and even then, what kind of life will this tortoise have? How many months of the year see daytime highs above 80 degrees there? If you need to ask "How do I insulate it?", then this is beyond what you are capable of.

Tables are not a good way to raise sulcatas. Unless the entire room is very humid all the time, it will be much too dry. You need to be simulating the African rainy season, not the Sahara desert. If you raise them right and get a good one, it will hit 8-10" within 12-18 months and need a room sized enclosure.

They are a cool species. Probably my favorite on most days, but they are not for everyone. Any species can be kept anywhere in the world with enough time money and effort, but to do this right in your area would ridiculously expensive and difficult. From what I am reading, this does not sound like a good idea for you, or for your potential sulcata.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[JennBell0725]

Gah. I just thinking about my trip to Alaska in the summer and it only got above 80 once and that was an anomaly for them. Not to mention the gas heating really dries out the air. Alaska is not humid at all so not only will you need a large heated space you will also need a large humidifier and probably a grow house to keep it in food. Your looking at a lot of money. Not to mention a back up plan for power outages and or furnace issues.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You'll need to keep the temp at 85 during the day and maybe 80 at night. I used the pink fluffy stuff. All winter my shed stays at 85 degrees. Build him a big enough area that he can walk off his energy. He needs a lot of room. A box to sleep in with a pig blanket, 200 watt UVB bulb. Add a pile of hay and about twice a week I run the humidifier....I keep Bob warm in Oregon's winters...not that hard,....

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He will need a large area to walk in, they have more energy than you can imagine. Get an oil-filled DeLonghie heater, they are the best. A 200 watt UVB bulb costs about $100. He'll also need a pig blanket to sleep on and a small box to sleep in. My 150 pound Sulcata still goes to bed every night on that mat. He also has a sleeping box he goes into nightly. In fact, you can set your watch for 6:45PM every night as that's when he goes to bed.
Please don't think I am trying to be disrespectful, but I have seen Bob long about the 4th month of winter when he starts to get a little antsy. He goes out, rain, hail, snow or ice. I figure he is big enough to know if he's cold. But we also have 6 months of summer. I am just not exactly sure Alaska is a good place for Sulcata.
I have a friend in Montana who has several Sulcata and numerous other reptiles. They live in a barn that was prepared just for them. Then in the summer they walk about her whole property. But they still don't get to be out a lot. I'm starting to think I'm not doing Bob any favors by keeping him the way I do. He seems happy, but who knows?
Why don't you consider building a kewl torttable and get a Hermanni or a Pancake or a Spider that can live inside year round.The longer I have Sulcata in the PacificNorthWest, the more I think they need sun not rain...and I'm not being fair to Bob....

 

[Colton Belson]

Yea maybe I should just stick to my redfoot I just liked the idea of a sulcata but the more I hear the more I think there to for me thanks for the advice everyone.