How big before Sulcatas are safe outdoors?

[cljohnson]

I was wondering at what size it is safe to put my Sullies outdoors unattended.
I have a screen covered box I put them out in every day it is warm enough.
I would rather let them roam their yard.
They are about 4 inches 200 grams now.
We have a lot of hawks in my area. Mostly Red Tails and Red Shouldered. That is my concern.

 

[Texastort]

I was wondering at what size it is safe to put my Sullies outdoors unattended.
I have a screen covered box I put them out in every day it is warm enough.
I would rather let them roam their yard.
They are about 4 inches 200 grams now.
We have a lot of hawks in my area. Mostly Red Tails and Red Shouldered. That is my concern.

I've always waited until about six inches. I think it would be hard for a bird of prey to get their talons around one that size. Though a that size there are a lot of crevices and holes they can get in to escape.

 

[Dizisdalife]

I kept mine covered all last summer in a 4' x 16' enclosure. The tortoise was about the same size as yours. This year he is getting more area without the cover and I am keeping my fingers crossed about the hawks. We feed wild birds and that means we have a pair of Coopers that visit the yard regularly. Sometimes a Red Tail will stop by to check out the yard. They don't just fly over. They perch in one of the peach trees waiting for prey. I don't think that my tortoise is in danger from Daytime predators (hawks). My concern is the racoons that roam at night getting into his night box.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have California Quail in my yard so there's a hawk who hangs out around there all the time so in looking at him and the size of his talons, I sure wouldn't take a chance on leaving anything smaller than about 6 inches and a pound. I have watched him hunt and it makes me very uncomfortable as I want to put my box turtles and small tortoises in their new habitats, if we ever have Spring.
I'm thinking about stopping feeding the Quail, as it seems I am just providing food for the hawk. I really want him to go hunt somewhere else and I throw rocks and holler at him trying to make it not so hospitable for him. Granted, he's beautiful, but he's big enough to pick up a full grown box turtle I'm sure, so I want him GONE!!!

 

[cljohnson]

I kept mine covered all last summer in a 4' x 16' enclosure. The tortoise was about the same size as yours. This year he is getting more area without the cover and I am keeping my fingers crossed about the hawks. We feed wild birds and that means we have a pair of Coopers that visit the yard regularly. Sometimes a Red Tail will stop by to check out the yard. They don't just fly over. They perch in one of the peach trees waiting for prey. I don't think that my tortoise is in danger from Daytime predators (hawks). My concern is the racoons that roam at night getting into his night box.

I have Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned as well but they feed mostly on birds. ( I call my wife's bird feeders hawk feeders).
I am most concerned with the Red-Tails.
At night I have Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks and Rats. One of the drawbacks of living in a wild canyon. I have a few years before I have to deal with them.
I love the wild critters (the rats not so much) but not as much as my torts.

 

[jojodesca]

i would say to not leave them unattended...but if you do i would build a huge pen that is covered...otherwise you risk a hawk swooping down and taking them...if the hawk can get them in its talons..then they can carry them away....hawks have been known to carry off rabbits small dogs and cats...so I would imagine a tortoise your sized would be easy..and plus they are slow and couldn't dodge the hawk or even try...I don't know how rare the case is but it's not worth it...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

If you cover them in order to protect them, any age as long as temps are good.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Chris - Here is a picture of the outdoor enclosure I have used for the past year. The night box is a recent addition. My sulcata went outside at 7:30 to 8:30 am everyday from late March (after those last rainy days) until Thanksgiving, when it started to get colder again. I would bring him inside after work, usually before dark. Never had a problem. The ground is flat so wasn't worried about him tipping over and it was covered, as you can see, so there was no danger from hawks or our 17 year old dog.

 

[Tom]

Nice enclosure Joe. I love the attached house.

Chris, this really depends on a lot of factors. I leave mine out with no cover at 3" or so, but me and several other people are milling around close by. I don't leave them unattended while uncovered until they are around 4-5". Things might be different in your area though. Generally, I think a 6" tortoise should be pretty safe from anything other than a domestic dog that might try to get them during the day. This also depends on your neighborhood and yard fencing. Night time is a different story. I don't like to let them sleep outside until they are around 10-12". I like the safety of the temps and humidity of the indoors for night time as well as safety from night predators while they are sleeping.

 

[jason g.]

Wow this is a factor I didn't calculate I'm glad I seen this cause in Indiana racoons are an issue and it don't matter what kinda fence you have!!!! How big before a coon wouldn't bother.them or is that a big fat never!!!

 

[tjwrnglr]

I've left my hatchlings outside since they were 2 months old, which is when I bought them. They stay outside 24/7, except for the 3 winter months we have here in Houston, Texas.

I keep them in a safe enclosure which is about 4'x10'. I have plenty of raccoons , birds, cats, and possums in the woods behind my house. Never had a problem.

 

[Lulu]

Chris,

We screen cover all of ours under about 6 inches during the day. NONE of our tortoises are uncovered at night. We lost a decent-sized sulcata and a russian tortoise to a skunk last year, out here in the La Mesa. If they don't have a screen top or a barn/shed/burrow to be shut into, they come in at night.

I just noticed a pair of Coopers living by our house the other day but again, they like birds. I am worried about ravens as well as they are smart enough to learn how to get food they might not normally handle. Red-tails and ravens are my big concerns during the day.

We used to have wide open uncovered enclosures, but we just don't risk that anymore. We do use dog kennels to open things up a little larger, because we can put hardware cloth over the top and still walk around.

 

[cljohnson]

Thanks so much for the input.
I knew it was still early. I was thinking 6 inches or more myself.
The way they're growing maybe mid summer.
I have such a nice yard for them it's a shame they can't use it yet.

Joe, thanks for the pic.
Looks like cinder blocks 2x4s and chicken-wire will be my solution for now.

Tom, thank you for your info. I wish I had the time you do to spend with my shell-children.
During the week before sunup I stuff their enclosure with weeds that I collect walking the dog. They wake up and every day is like Christmas. After work I see them for a couple hours and tuck them in.
Luckily my wife is home most of the day to spoil them. Despite her best efforts she has fallen in love with them.

 

[caknarr13]

If your Sulcata is big enough you can put it in a metal dog cage without the plastic bottom. This way you have protected your sulcata and can move him around your yard to graze. Also they cant dig out.

 

[Yvonne G]

If your Sulcata is big enough you can put it in a metal dog cage without the plastic bottom. This way you have protected your sulcata and can move him around your yard to graze. Also they cant dig out.

Hello caknarr13:

Won't you take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?

 

[Dizisdalife]

Joe, thanks for the pic.
Looks like cinder blocks 2x4s and chicken-wire will be my solution for now.

Chris, They grow so fast that whatever you build will need to be expanded in six months. Keep that in mind. I used a wire mesh with 1/2" squares. That's because I couldn't find bigger squares. It is stronger, but more difficult to work with.

 

[Weda737]

A Hawk almost took off with my big fat duck once. I never really knew what kind she was, she was a rescue, but she was pretty darn big. My sully is 351 grams now and I still don't leave him out unattended. I worry like that...

 

[cljohnson]

I have friends In North Carolina that breed water foul. I know they have huge pens covered with some kind of mesh.
I guess I need to ask them.
Thanks all

 

[johnboy95]

Hi I'm new to sulcatas and I just got a year old sulcata named Ted. My consern was that the people that had him before I fed him goat pellets and I believe they had hormones in them becuase he's about the size of an recycle ben I dont know if that is normal size but I need some ideas on a enclosure for him and about how big shall I make it.thanks

 

[Dizisdalife]

Hi I'm new to sulcatas and I just got a year old sulcata named Ted. My consern was that the people that had him before I fed him goat pellets and I believe they had hormones in them becuase he's about the size of an recycle ben I dont know if that is normal size but I need some ideas on a enclosure for him and about how big shall I make it.thanks

Welcome to The forum. You may want to start a new thread to discuss your specific needs. To offer you advice we will want to know a little bit about your tortoise and what part of world you live in. There is a section of this forum dedicated to enclosures that might give you some ideas to start with. And, of course, we would like to see some pictures of your tortoise.