Arizona cold

[Harley]

Just wondering if there is anyone else in Arizona. And if your tortoise is outside what are u doing about this cold? I still have a baby so he is still inside. But I'm curious what people do when the tortoise is to big to be inside and the temps drop.

 

[Neal]

I'm bringing them all in. They would probably be fine in their heated outdoor houses, but just in case.

 

[immayo]

I'm in AZ as well, but like you my tortoise is still too small to be outside. Luck us!

 

[erinnco22]

I'm in AZ! We are up in Mohave Valley. I have 2 baby sonorans and they are inside now..my husband will be starting their outside enclosure here soon for the warmer months where are you in AZ? What kind of tortoise do you have?

 

[Harley]

I'm in AZ! We are up in Mohave Valley. I have 2 baby sonorans and they are inside now..my husband will be starting their outside enclosure here soon for the warmer months where are you in AZ? What kind of tortoise do you have?

I live in the east valley. I have a sulcata. What do u have?

 

[danielle]

We are in the west valley and mine are outside. They are 3 1/2 years old and one is just under 20 lbs and the other is just over 20 lbs. We added a third CHE to their house and covered up the door with a blanket. We have been able to keep the house at 66* or above. I think alot of being able to keep the house at 66* or above is where we have it postioned. Alot of thought went into where we put their house and it may not be the prettiest veiw from our patio but with this cold snap we are having it was the right spot. With all that being said if we would have not been able to maintain the temp they would have been sleeping in the bath tub.

 

[Hauntmom]

I'm in the east valley also, two sullys, ages 2 and 1 1/2 years and both are inside in a big storage tub. I thought they would be fine in the house we keep it at 70° but they were not eating or moving much so I put their heat lamp back on them and they are much happier. Can't wait till it warms up do they can go back outside. Can't believe how cold its been. Crazy!

 

[Neal]

Well it's over, or so they say.

Time to go thaw out some ice tortoises.

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

Mine are still too young to be outside but we are planning on building their heated hides inside our laundry room/shed. They will their own tortoise doors and everything

 

[AZtortMom]

I'm in AZ too! I live in Phoenix and my babies are 1 1/2. They don't live outside, so they are not experiencing the cold right now. Unfortunately, they don't get to spend as much time outside though for now they get to run around the house for exercise

 

[mainey34]

Mine is in for the winter, but on sunny days like today she goes out. Yes, they say we are going to warm back up...Im not complaining..It was cold!

 

[yazzy1012]

I have 100+ pound make sulcata that obviously lives outside. He stayed out there all winter just as he always does. The best way to keep the enclosures warm is to have layers of blankets and then have a top layer to protect against the blankets getting wet. I had a heater on most nights, but even some nights that it wasn't on the enclosure would stay around 60 degrees.

 

[Urtle]

Im just curious for an adult sulcata living outdoors, should humidity be a concern? I live in Southern California and it does not get too humid especially where I am located.

 

[yazzy1012]

My adult tortoise is outside year round and I have never worried about the humidity levels and I am sure the humidity is lower in Arizona then where you are. As long as they have a place to soak or drink water then they should be fine.

 

[ainfalt]

I have 100+ pound make sulcata that obviously lives outside. He stayed out there all winter just as he always does. The best way to keep the enclosures warm is to have layers of blankets and then have a top layer to protect against the blankets getting wet. I had a heater on most nights, but even some nights that it wasn't on the enclosure would stay around 60 degrees.

Hello, I had a question about the blankets that you were talking about. Do you layer the blankets on the ground inside the enclosure with the waterproof one on top? I'm in the east valley & am new to this. It's going to be low 50s later this week & I want to make sure I warm it up enough for him. He is about 30 pounds. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

Im just curious for an adult sulcata living outdoors, should humidity be a concern? I live in Southern California and it does not get too humid especially where I am located.

Doesn't matter for adults. They adapt either way.

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Just wondering if there is anyone else in Arizona. And if your tortoise is outside what are u doing about this cold? I still have a baby so he is still inside. But I'm curious what people do when the tortoise is to big to be inside and the temps drop.

I'm in the SoCal Desert. You guys are usually a little warmer than us for most of the year. We are near freezing most winter nights. Here is what I do. I have a similar box for my sulcatas.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html

My best effort ever for sulcatas is detailed in a thread called "Daisy's New Enclosure". I can't seem to get my search feature to work and favorites are gone right now too. Can someone else post a link to this thread for me?

 

[Thalatte]

Here is the link to Daisy's new Enclosure: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-28662.html

 

[yazzy1012]

Hello, I had a question about the blankets that you were talking about. Do you layer the blankets on the ground inside the enclosure with the waterproof one on top? I'm in the east valley & am new to this. It's going to be low 50s later this week & I want to make sure I warm it up enough for him. He is about 30 pounds. Thanks!

Hello,
The way that I have it is concrete bricks stacked up like 4 high on two sides then my brick wall of my back yard is the back of his house. I then have a piece of thick wood cut to fit perfectly against the wall as the roof. The inside is just regular dirt. There is a pretty large opening for him to be able to get in and out. I have a regular sheet as the first layer on the roof next is a camping style blanket or if you've been in the military it's an old woobie as they are referred to then the waterproof one on top. At night I spread them down, so that they cover the opening. The thing that you is key is making it the right size for your tort. Mine is rather large because my tort is huge, but yours should be smaller. They should feel like they are in a nice enclosed space this will keep them from burrowing down as much because they already feel surrounded. He will still burrow some I'm sure though. Then on cold nights I just go out with a thermometer to ensure his house stays at least about 50 degrees preferably 60 degrees. Even during those freezing nights that we recently have had his house was about 60 degrees because its very tightly enclosed. Can always get a heater too. Does this help?

 

[ainfalt]

Wow! You really have some great ideas! Yes, that was very helpful, thank you.

 

[Urtle]

My adult tortoise is outside year round and I have never worried about the humidity levels and I am sure the humidity is lower in Arizona then where you are. As long as they have a place to soak or drink water then they should be fine.

Thank you. I will be at ease now