Thanks so much! I have no clue how I didn’t think of that haha
It's too early for a burrow. It's still too cold at night, and we are heading back into some cooler weather next week even though it's 90 right now. Late June is the tome for burrows, and only in some parts of CA. Very different advice for Blythe vs. Big Bear. Palm Springs vs. Pacific Palisades. Mammoth vs. Malibu, etc... We don't need and address but a general idea of the climate would help us to help you. Coastal, mountain, desert, mild inland suburb, etc... How about picking a random city somewhat near your city? For example, if you live in Sunland, you could say it's near Burbank. That would tell us what we need to know about your weather and temps, so that we could give you better help. There are too many climates in SoCal for general advice to be very helpful. If you live near the beach, or up in the mountains, you do not want a burrow. If you live in 29 Palms, you will absolutely NEED a burrow for summer time.
I’m thinking have the burrow for the daytime—I’ll have her inside until the night box is made during the night
You might be in an area that shouldn't use a burrow. Burrows are only needed in areas that get really hot.
It gets really hot in my area
Are we talking over 100 most summer days? If yes, then a burrow would be great for summer time. Some people think 80 degrees is hot. I grew up near the coast and I can remember thinking we were all going to fry when the temp climbed all the way up to 85 degrees on a very hot summer day. We didn't have AC because it was almost never needed.
Yeah then I may be overestimating how hot it gets here—it gets around 85 degrees on average and over 90 during heat waves. Is it bad for the tortoise to have a burrow or is it just unnecessary?
It's bad if it gets too cool too much of the time. It's unnecessary if the day time high isn't regularly topping 100 as it does in many parts of Southern CA. When the daytime high is at or over 100, the cooler nights don't make them sick down in a burrow. If its only 85, and then its a cool night, and you are close to the coast where is gets clammy and damp at night, then a burrow could be bad.
I take her inside during the nighttime as I don’t have a night box made yet and it is clammy and damp at night—I was thinking just having a pot on its side could provide good shade during hot days (mainly thinking about having deep shade because the summer is coming up)
Got it. Now I understand the weather you are dealing with. I grew up just a few miles south of SaMo. Your weather is very mild and pretty comfortable for most humans most of the time, but it's on the cool side for an African tortoise from a VERY hot climate. I would not recommend a burrow in that area of the world. You just don't need it and ground temps are never going to e warm enough there. Cool ground temps coupled with cool daytime highs even in summer (cool by African tortoise standards...) are likely to make your tortoise sick.
I have a heated enclosure for her indoors but it’s quite small so I only have her in it during the night time. Any recommendations to make her outdoor enclosure have warmer areas or just the night box?
Just the night box. And then you won't have to move the tortoise in and out every day, and she'll also have a warm retreat for those cooler days like what we are having this week, and for the May Gray and June Gloom.
got it!
