Anyone live where it gets cold in winter

krh11b23

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Hello I would like to see some winter houses some of u have for your torts. In about a year mine will have to more than likely go outside so I'm looking for some housing ideas. If u could post some pics. Thanks :0
 

wellington

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I do, I do, I do, :D. I have a hard time posting pics. But, if you look up my threads, you will see what I have. It's really just a closed off third stall if our garage. Insulated all around ceiling and floor too. Then they all have a CHE, a MVB and the building itself is heated with a portable oil filled radiator type heater. I use a ceiling fan on low, to push the rising heat back down to tort level.
 

bouaboua

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I do, I do, I do, :D. I have a hard time posting pics. But, if you look up my threads, you will see what I have. It's really just a closed off third stall if our garage. Insulated all around ceiling and floor too. Then they all have a CHE, a MVB and the building itself is heated with a portable oil filled radiator type heater. I use a ceiling fan on low, to push the rising heat back down to tort level.
Yes. You do.:D

She need to learn and copy your setup, she will have a pappy torts through out the year.
 

krh11b23

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I do, I do, I do, :D. I have a hard time posting pics. But, if you look up my threads, you will see what I have. It's really just a closed off third stall if our garage. Insulated all around ceiling and floor too. Then they all have a CHE, a MVB and the building itself is heated with a portable oil filled radiator type heater. I use a ceiling fan on low, to push the rising heat back down to tort level.
I don't have a big garage. I'm gonna have to either build something or get an insulated dog house
 

wellington

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A dog house is too small for a tort to live in all winter. Unless you live in a place that doesn't get as cold as me. I'm in Chicago, cold and snow. So, depending on where you live, build a shed.
 

krh11b23

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A dog house is too small for a tort to live in all winter. Unless you live in a place that doesn't get as cold as me. I'm in Chicago, cold and snow. So, depending on where you live, build a shed.
North Texas. We have some good weather in the winter and it only snows once or so a year so I was thinking a huge dog house then he can come out when it's warm
 

Jodie

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I am in Spokane WA, and bring my leopards into the house for winter. They have a bedroom. When the kids are gone and the torts bigger, they will get 2 bedrooms.
 

wellington

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Yea, that would probably work there. your thread, I thought you were actually in one of the northern cold states. You guys don't know cold and snow, until you live in the northern states.:p:D
Tom's night box thread might be of interest to you on building a heat box. He lives in CA, but they do get colder nights. It might work for you too.
 

Cowboy_Ken

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When you get a chance can you post a few pics for me please
You bet. I'd be happy to. Tom, I believe, has an entire thread on making them. I took his content and applied my own blend of “Redneckery" to it to make it my own...
 
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Cowboy_Ken

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North Texas, now I've got to look at a map and see if anyone I'd call my peeps lives in,“north Texas".
 

krh11b23

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You bet. I'd be happy to. Tom, I believe, has an entire thread on making them. I took his content and applied my own blend of “Redneckery" to it to make it my own...
Haha cool man thanks. So did u have to train your torts for them to realize the house is a warm up spot? How long did it take? Also what do u use as a heating source?
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Training was easy. For maybe two weeks at most I went out at sundown and collected tortoises to place in the house. Slowly but surely fewer needed to be put in. Eventually the routine became one of simply scanning their yard at nightfall with a flash light to make sure everyone was in when I'd lock them up. Understand that we'd like to believe that a tortoise knows what's best and wouldn't put themselves in a bad spot overnight but that simply isn't the case. Maybe in Africa or other native home lands they do, but certainly not in the artificial environment we've created for them. While I'm on this soapbox and everyone can still hear me, the same goes for foods. They will and do eat plants that are not good for them or even poisonous to them and so all efforts should be taken on our parts to ensure they are safe.
Ok, seems my time is up here on the soapbox, but I'd like you all to give your full attention to our next guest who, I see, reading off this card, has a toaster oven that will replace all countertop appliances in your kitchen and still have you cooking healthy foods for your family that they will all love all the way down to the pickiest eater!
 

Levi the Leopard

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I'm in southern Oregon. I have a single male leopard that lives outside all year long. He has a fully insulated, heated on a thermostat tort house. I built it myself following Tom's design. His "best night box yet" thread detailed it enough for me (a stay at home mom) to figure out. If I can do it, anyone can do it! It's really not as hard as you think.

I made it 2x4x2. I use the mini oil filled radiator and a hydrofarm digital thermostat. I also keep an AcuRite digital thermometer/hydrometer combo that reflects the highs and lows over a 24hr period.

It works well for us. Keeps my desired temps (80° in winter 73 or 75° in summer) all year long. :) and if you do it right (fully insulated, caulked, weather stripping, door flaps..) It's very energy efficient. I don't even have a change in my electric bill :cool:

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