Hello, My large male tortoise lives outside in his large insulated house with a heat lamp. Normally he is very active and walking around most of the day, grazing on the grass, being social with the tortoise next door, and eating the veges I give him. For the last several days he has wanted to stay in his house and not venture out. His eyes and nose are clear and he seems alert and active otherwise. I did give him a warm soak in the kiddie pool the other day but nothing has changed. It was colder last week so I am wondering if that is the issue? He weighs about 140 pounds and I am unsure of his age as he was a rescue. Any ideas or thoughts? The other tortoises are out in their own enclosure and are very active. " Speedy" has the run of the back yard and can go almost anywhere he wants but usually is basking in the sun or grazing. Thanks for any help. His house is always warm and his heating lamp comes on at dusk and the temperature inside is between 65-70 degrees.
Sulcatta wanting to stay in his house for several days
- Thread starter Robin V
- Start date
Greetings & Welcome.
Those 65-70 degree temps inside seem low. I would recommend you bumping up those temps if you can. Other than the heat lamp, do you have any other kind of heat (like a Kane heat mat?)
Those 65-70 degree temps inside seem low. I would recommend you bumping up those temps if you can. Other than the heat lamp, do you have any other kind of heat (like a Kane heat mat?)
That is WAY too cold for this tropical species. Sulcatas come from a part of Africa that is always hot. Every day. As a result, the ground temperatures, where wild sulcatas spend 95% of their lives, fluctuate between 80 and 85 degrees year round.
In practice, here in our climate, I set the thermostat at 80 in spring and fall when we have warm sunny days, but colder nights. I set it to 86 in winter when some days don't warm up enough and the sun is behind clouds. I set it down to about 70-75 in summer when the days are near 100, because the boxes are going to heat up each day.
You should not be using a heat lamp over a large tortoise. It will damage the carapace and it is also not an effective way to warm them, which is why you are having the problem you are having.
Here are two examples of night boxes with two different safe, effective, and efficient methods for heating them to the previously mentioned temperatures.
Single Tortoise Night Box
I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...
tortoiseforum.org
Double Door Night Box
As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...
tortoiseforum.org
Questions are welcome!
