Florida to Ohio - Can you successfully Overwinter Adult Sulcata

Hello all - While working as a wildlife biologist in the Florida panhandle I acquired an adult sulcata tortoise. With proper preparations overwintering him was relatively easy. He built a burrow and we insulated it with straw and covered it with a dog house to protect against the chill of the Florida winter.

Recently Ive relocated to Northern Ohio, Cleveland to be exact. We have just been up here since May so freezing temperatures haven't been an issue yet. I have a 10x10 shed I'm considering fixing up for him. The sides of the shed are insulated and If I were to do this I would insulated the floor as well. He currently resides in the shed for protection from the elements in the warm months but I'm concerned about keeping him out there in the winter- especially given the dampness of the snow and maintaining adequate temperature regulation. Ive seen lots of discussions on this site regarding if a sulcata can properly be kept outside in a northern winter or If I should fix up an smaller enclosed area for him inside. I have considerable experience working with headstarting North American tortoises however, I have never been responsible for maintaining a large (65lb) male sulcata in freezing temps. I'm not concerned about the money aspect of converting the shed . I just want to ensure that I'm making the most informed decision for my guy. I've looked through the enclosures forum and seen some interesting examples of outdoor enclosures however there still seems to be much debate. Best - Kelli

Welcome!

Id suggest you search around the Forum and locate @Tom ’s thread on Best Night Box for a Sulcata. Fully insulated wooden box, radiant heat panel in the roof, kane heat pad inside, as well as a mini oil heater.

Many people have built these, Tom has perfected it over the years. It gets COLD where you are, definitely will need the inside wooden box inside your shed.

Good luck! Welcome to The Forum.

Welcome!
@Tom has some great designs for heated night boxes. And @Maro2Bear and @Turtulas-Len keep sulcatas in Maryland winters. They could be of some assistance.
Would love to see a pic of your guy!

Thank you so much! Maro2Bear . I will look for Toms posts specifically. I already knew I would have to construct a night box however, as I said before I'm just trying to ensure my habitat is the best I can do . We do not plan on being in Ohio long or I would have looked for a more southern home for him

Here is my guy. His name is Betty... apparently I'm much better at sexing Gopher Tortoises as opposed to Sulcatas. He isn't usually allowed inside but we left the door open and he managed to make it in from the backyard.

Maro2Bear said:

Welcome!

Id suggest you search around the Forum and locate @Tom ’s thread on Best Night Box for a Sulcata. Fully insulated wooden box, radiant heat panel in the roof, kane heat pad inside, as well as a mini oil heater.

Many people have built these, Tom has perfected it over the years. It gets COLD where you are, definitely will need the inside wooden box inside your shed.

Good luck! Welcome to The Forum.

Click to expand...

Beat me to it! Lol

Just in case you have not yet found this link.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Nice pix...

Tom's night box is great, however it is supposed to be just what it says, a NIGHT box. Your 65lb sulcata can't spend the whole winter in a night box. However, he CAN have a night box in a corner of his well insulated shed. So insulate the shed, top, bottom, sides and all, add a light that comes on about 7a and goes off about 7p so he'll have what he thinks is the sun. He can come out of his night box in the a.m. and sit under his sun, then eat, try to figure out how to get out of the shed, climb the walls, dig in a corner, then go back into the night box. It's what they do.

@Turtulas-Len leaves his tortoise's door open so the tortoise decides whether or not to go out into the cold and snow. I also leave my tortoise's door open so he makes the decision. When he goes out and sees how cold it is, he usually goes back in on his own, but if I lock him in he digs and climbs and tries to break the door down.

Is it Florida or California - no, but it's doable.

Yes, it is very doable. Like mentioned, a heated shed. Don't really need the night box too if you heat the shed and make a basking spot. However, might be cheaper too heat the night box to the warmer temps and the shed a bit cooler.