Housing a Sulcata outside year-round.

[dakotanivens]

Okay, I'm sure you guys get this a lot, but I'm kindly freaking out.

We went to the expo yesterday, and bought one. Yes. We bought the 3rd largest species of tortoise in the world.

I live in SW Florida, and I was wondering, could I keep him outside year-round? My patio is about 12-14 feet long, and 8-9 feet wide. I have him in a decent sized tub with the grain pellets, I think that's what they call it.. a decent sized water bowl in which he gets in pretty good. I plan to just keep him in the back-patio when he gets a little bigger.

I would LOVE to keep him outside year-round 24/7.. but I have no read anywhere where people keep babies outside? He weighs 54 grams.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. First, get rid of the pellets. Second he looks very dry. Read Toms threads below and get him set up with the humidity and correct temps. Soak him in warm water every day for 20-30 minutes, give him one now if you haven't yet.

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Oh and if you can get him set up like in Toms threads and him not over heat because he's on your porch, then yes you could keep him out there. I would suggest keeping him inside and let him out for some sunshine every day until he is around 8 inches.

 

[Wewt]

You can't really keep them outside year round until they are quite a bit older, and even then they need a lot of special care. They are super cute, but babies are really particular. You need the right temperatures, humidity levels, foods, water, exercise, etc. It gets a bit easier (from what I understand) after about two years.

I just got myself an older one so I wouldn't have to worry about baby maintenance, haha!

Best of luck! Like Wellington said, Tom is the guy you need to read on if you want your baby to do really well.

 

[dakotanivens]

Get rid of the pellets? I read that pellets were good? ..and any type of wood shaving isn't.

Okay, could you answer this for me? What is a good cold-side ambient temperature? If kept in my room, it would be at the coolest 83 during the day.. if kept in livingroom around 78. I read that around 100 is a good basking spot for a baby? ..and up to 120 for an outside adult? If kept outside the ambient is around 85 degrees, 75 or so at night.

Is there any way possible to keep him outside and him be healthy?

Also, if I soak him everyday, would he need a water bowl?

 

[dakotanivens]

So there is no way in the world to keep him outside? Even if I could manage to give him correct temperatures?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Dakota, and welcome to the Forum!

In my opinion, once the baby is past that critical first year he can go outside (I'm talking about Florida here, folks!) 24/7. You just have to be careful he doesn't get too cold. You can position a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) over the habitat if your night time temp is going to be cool. But you don't have to worry about that for a year or so. Keep him indoors for now with a good UVB light and maybe a CHE for night time and read, read, read.

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Yes, if you can protect him from predators and keep his temp's up, yes, he can live on the patio.

 

[dakotanivens]

What is so different from baby and adult? They live in the same enviroment, just babies need more humidity, right? Since they stay buried in leaves and stuff.

 

[ShreksMom]

Welcome and good luck with your baby.

 

[dakotanivens]

I cannot find anywhere where I can find good temperatures.. what are some good ambient cold side temperatures? Good basking temperature? I read 100 or so for that, but just making sure. :shy:

Sorry for being so ignorant, I'm just a Blue-Tongued Skink breeder, and this is a whole new world for me.

 

[dakotanivens]

If I manage to get a basking spot, could I just take him outside everyday for him to get natural UV?

 

[wellington]

For a baby they need more even temps. Too cold and they get RI and or die. Too hot, they over heat and they also can die. Babies are much more delicate then adults. Get the humidity to 80 and temps, day and night no lower then 80. Water available 24/7 and soaking every day. Yes, if you can get him some natural uv for 3-4 days a week, every day would be better, then you don't need artificial uv. A good indoor substrate is coconut coir. Holds humidity really well and won't mold.

 

[dakotanivens]

Okay, my room is always 83.. which will be great. With the temperature like that, will he still need a basking spot in his tub or can I just let him bask when I let him roam on the patio?

 

[wellington]

They do need to bask and get their body temp upto 95+ to properly digest their food. A regular 60 watt house bulb may be all you need. He really should have one for when he is inside so he can choose when he wants to bask.

 

[dakotanivens]

Okay, thanks a lot everyone!

 

[mainey34]

It depends on where you live on when you can start your tort on 24/7 outdoors. Warmer climate after their first year is good. Cocoir is not the best for sulcatas, its a personal preference. There are other things you can use. Cypress mulch for one. It also doesn't mold, and holds moisture. Your ambient temp. Needs to be 80* and above. Your basking spot 100* to 110* you also need to keep humidity levels at 80% and above. You should keep a uva/uvb bulb for days that you will not be able to get out in the sun, winter, cold spells. Otherwise i would take him out daily. A che will regulate your nighttime temps.

 

[wellington]

They live in SW Florida. If they can get them out most days into the sun, they don't need a UVB for the days they can't. It wouldn't hurt, but not needed, many don't. Also, a warm climate is needed the first year also, not after the first year. Can be confusing for a newbie.
Also, to remind you again, please read Toms threads below in my post.

 

[Tom]

I will directly answer some of your questions, but then I ask for you to do some reading and get caught up to speed so we can have a more meaningful exchange. After reading your answers, just click on the links in my signature and read through some of those.

Ambient temp should be no lower than 80 day or night. 83 is fine. I let mine creep up to high 80 or low 90s on hot summer days. Basking spot of 100 is fine. Pellets are no good and neither are shavings because you need to be simulating the African rainy season that babies hatch into, and not a desert. Your substrate needs to be damp, in other words.

The difference between a 50 gram baby and a 5000 gram juvenile is body mass and room for error. A 50 gram baby is going to cool, overheat, or dehydrate much faster than a tortoise of the same species, in the same conditions, but with a larger body mass. This also relates to why most of us won't recommend 24/7 outdoor housing for a baby. Outdoor temps are too variable and unpredictable. Enclosure parameters are much more stable and controllable indoors. What about in the wild, you might ask? I offer two answers: 1. You don't live in the Sahel. 2. Somewhere between 300 and 3000 die for everyone that makes it to adulthood in the wild. Those are not odds I want to go up against in my yard in a country that is foreign to them. These odds do not even include the human interference factor in the wild.

When they get older and bigger, outside 24/7 in a warm climate like yours is fantastic for them. You'll just need some sort of temperature controlled, dry shelter for cold days and nights and rain. For hatchlings, mine get about an hour a day outdoors in the sunshine. This way their UV needs are met and I don't have to use any artificial UV bulbs. As they gain size I leave them out longer and longer. By the time they hit 6" (about 1 year) I'm usually leaving them outside all day everyday in a large planted enclosure with grass, weeds and bushes to hide under for shade, but they still sleep inside at night for a while. I move mine outside full time when they hit about 8-10".

Finally, yes, you need a water bowl AND daily soaks for a tiny hatchling in my opinion. In your climate with the correct enclosure, skipping a day now and then won't be a big deal. Once they hit 4" or so, I usually cut back to every other day or so, depending on the heat and weather. It is VERY dry here, so with all your rain, puddles and humidity, you can probably get away with a little less if need be, but daily still won't hurt anything and it WILL insure good hydration.

Okay. There are some direct answers for you. Now please read some of the threads in my signature for more info, and then come back with all the questions when you have a better understanding of where we are all coming from.

 

[dakotanivens]

Oh wow-- very awesome! I'm a stickler of getting everything perfect when it comes to reptiles. I thought I read enough to get one (Actually it is my Dad's girlfriends, but I'll take care of it.) This is A LOT harder than I thought it was going to be. Please please please excuse my ignorance, I'm just trying to get knowledgeable.

Somethings I would like to ask:

Is Spring Mix good as a staple? I have heard a lot of good things about it, and my Dad's friend says he just feeds grass and hay, and that Spring Mix cause pooping to be runny.

How often do they eat? My baby has not ate yet. :|

Could I just leave the tortoise outside during the day when it is 80-90 ambient, and let it sleep in my room when it is 83-5 ambient? We have 9 heating sources coming from my room, and my Merauke Blue-Tongued Skinks don't need too much more heat. Opinions please.

I'm sure I'm going to think of some more questions over-time.

 

[Tom]

Your Dad's friend is right. Grass and weeds should be the majority of their diet. Spring mix is okay, but not the best option.

If he is not eating, you have a problem. Most often this is due to temps being too low. Your ambient temp is fine but they still need to be able to warm up to around 100 under a basking light, or in the sunshine. They thermoregulate by moving in and out of the heat sources, just like your BTs. Post pics of your set up and maybe we will see the problem. How cool does it get at night?

BTW, I have a Northern BTS. Cool lizards. Love them.

 

[mainey34]

They live in SW Florida. If they can get them out most days into the sun, they don't need a UVB for the days they can't. It wouldn't hurt, but not needed, many don't. Also, a warm climate is needed the first year also, not after the first year. Can be confusing for a newbie.
Also, to remind you again, please read Toms threads below in my post.

I think you are the one that got confused. Try reading it again.