Cold outside!

Tank'sMom

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I have a question for those of you who are used to keeping your large torts outdoors in cold weather. This is my first winter experience with this issue.
I have a heated garage prepared for Tank.
However, we had a "cold front" come in last night. It's about 48-52F. He has retreated to his burrow. He's far down there and I can't see him. According to my temp gun as far as I can shoot, it's 55 degrees down there.
I placed a fan blown ceramic heater at the burrow entrance set to HIGH & HOT this morning. I'm hoping it will help warm the burrow. I'm going back out to check soon.
How protected is he by the burrow? Is this weather very dangerous for him?
 

bouaboua

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I had that problem with my big guy Bowser last winter... I sat outside with a blow dryer (for hair) with it I it's highest and hottest setting for about 30 minutes. He made his way out and i brought him inside
Work better then food right.

Bless you heart and a very smart way to get him out.
 

Tank'sMom

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My husband says the ground is still warm. In the burrow. I would try the water hose thing to get him out but I'm scared it will do more harm than good if he's too cold to move much, I don't need him wet too.
The heater is essentially the same as the blow dryer deal, it has a fan that blows the hot air into the hole.
And yes, he's got a natural burrow in my yard.
So up north, what's the cut off temp to force the tort out of the burrow??
 

turtlelady80

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Ok. So NO, I wouldn't spray water. Your right, that could do more harm than good.
I don't let my adult sulcatas stay out if it's in the low 50s. Where do you live? What type of soil is it burrowed in? I'm sure Tank is fine but the main thing is that he comes OUT. He needs to come out before it gets too cold. How long does he normally stay in his burrow?
 

Tank'sMom

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He's still down there and this cold snap is lasting 2-3 days. By tomorrow it should be 67F.
My husband is convinced that the ground down there is still warm. We live in South Texas. The days prior to this it was 80-90'sF.
I'm hoping he's ok til tomorrow. His burrow is deep. He doesn't come out every day. Especially when it's too hot. This is our first experience with too cold.
It'll be difficult to know when to grab him and put him in the shed. Especially when he's in his burrow. Our weather changes very quickly here! And he's a big boy!
 

Tom

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I start watching the weather closely starting in September, while its still hot. When I see cooler weather coming on that 10 day forecast, I start getting ready. I make a divider to keep my tortoises out of the lower section where the burrow is, and then I wait to catch them above ground and move them over the divider. Their heated night box is just inside the divider, so as they try to walk back to their burrow area where they've been sleeping at night all summer, they come to the wall and just turn into their heated night box. Works like a charm. I will let them get back into this routine for two or three weeks, during which time I cover the burrow entrance with a sheet of plywood. I bury the edges and put blocks around the edges too. In time, I take down the dividing wall and let them have the whole enclosure with the burrow entrance covered. Then in June, when I see a hot spell coming on that 10 day forecast, I uncover the burrow entrance and let them live underground for the summer.

I think it is too cold down in your burrow right now. You will need to catch him above ground and either fill in the burrow, or block it off somehow. Now is the time to get him used to using a heated night box. With a big one like him, you'll need some help getting him into his heated box every night. Hopefully, he learns to go in on his own quickly! :D
 

Tank'sMom

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You know how he has that she'd thingy over the burrow? I'll post a pic. After putting the heater in there yesterday, I figured it wasn't doing much good with all the draft freezing air. So I put an old mattress in front of the door. It blocks the wind and the heater is inside. I just checked and my temp gun says it's now 65F in there. 48F out here.
Still no sign of him.
This "cold front" according to the 10 day forecast was only supposed to drop to low 60's.
I will have to block off the burrow and get him into the shed. Blocking off the burrow is easy enough. Getting him into the shed, willingly, is gonna be a whole different story!
I am thankful that by blocking the entrance and placing the heater inside its warmer.. I'm just crazy scared I hope it's not too late! :(ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1415890845.392929.jpg
 

Tom

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Big ones can tolerate a lot. Don't worry. Even though they can survive colder temps, its not "good" for them, so just do your best to keep it to a minimum. He'll be fine once you get him up and using the warm shed over winter.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Mine ditched her burrow when it started going below 50 at night, and instead bunked in her house.
Smart idea with the mattress, but I'm a little worried that if he tries to come out, seeing it blocked will discourage him?? Do you know how deep his burrow is? It may read 65 at the beginning, but the warmth may not be reaching him yet.
 

Tank'sMom

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Mine ditched her burrow when it started going below 50 at night, and instead bunked in her house.
Smart idea with the mattress, but I'm a little worried that if he tries to come out, seeing it blocked will discourage him?? Do you know how deep his burrow is? It may read 65 at the beginning, but the warmth may not be reaching him yet.
Well, I'm not sure how he will react to the door being blocked by the mattress, but I'd rather he be mad than frozen! He is quite capable of knocking it over when he is ready.
I realize it may still be cold down there. I don't know how far in the burrow goes for sure, but I estimate this one is 8-10ft in. I am just glad that the chilly air is not blowing in on him. I'll take 65 over 48!
 

Tank'sMom

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Mine ditched her burrow when it started going below 50 at night, and instead bunked in her house.
Smart idea with the mattress, but I'm a little worried that if he tries to come out, seeing it blocked will discourage him?? Do you know how deep his burrow is? It may read 65 at the beginning, but the warmth may not be reaching him yet.

He has a garage/shed ready for winter that is heated, but he has never gone in there willingly. On a warmer night I will try blocking the burrow to see if I can get him to use it.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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He has a garage/shed ready for winter that is heated, but he has never gone in there willingly. On a warmer night I will try blocking the burrow to see if I can get him to use it.
Try putting something yummy in there to get him to go in. A lovely treat, maybe :D
 

Tank'sMom

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Great news!!!! Tank is ok!!! I just went out to check the shed/burrow and he was coming up a bit! And it is nice and toasty warm inside now. Feels like a heated room.
I would love to get him out and take him to the garage, but yes he is too big for me to move by myself. Way too big. He weighs almost as much as I do. And I'm home alone for a few more hours.
So I'm leaving him in there for now. Hoping he doesn't think it's warm out and decide to knock down the mattress and come out! I'll be watching closely!
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1415904493.884083.jpg
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Yay! I hope he can be moved successfully :p Maybe lure him out and use a dolly ( o_O ) to get him yo the shed.
 
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