How big is your sully and what do you keep it in

[swatsx]

Well as the topic says how big is your sulcata tortoise and what do you keep it in in winter summer pics would make it better

 

[Tom]

My bigger ones live outside in a 7000 square foot enclosure with a 4x8' night box. My juveniles from about 8-12" live in a 30x30' enclosure with a 4x4' underground heated night box. My smaller ones live in a 4x8' closed chamber, but have a 10-15x45' enclosure that they run around in all day, weather permitting. I start hatchlings in a 4x4' closed chamber.

 

[swatsx]

Where do u live tom

 

[ra94131]

Here are a couple pictures of my sulcata's outdoor home. He spends all day out here and just goes into his indoor bin at night. Once I finish his insulated hide, he'll be out here full-time.

As he grows he will get access to the full yard on an increasing basis. (I still need to "tortoise proof" the borders first, but I still have plenty of time.)

At present he is exactly one tear old, 6" in carapace length, and 2 lbs in weight.

 

[swatsx]

I think I just need to move as Michigan is not going to work

 

[Laura]

Michigan will make it very hard to house in the winter...

mine live outdoors 24/7. heated in the winter.. but they can still come out if they want.. no snow...

 

[sworthen20]

Zoo med tortoise house

 

[jensgotfaith]

My big guy Tex Wasabi and my middle one Captain Jack live outdoors full time. Tex is roughly about 85 pounds and Jack just recently weighed in at 24 pounds. My little Lola is outdoors when it's warm enough and indoors at night. I haven't weighed her in a little while but I would guess she's maybe a couple of pounds.

 

[Livingstone]

Michigan is going to pose a serious challenge... However, if you have a lot of money then the temperature problem can be overcome by building a serious indoor enclosure (think national zoo). It really gets expensive running mercury vapor bulbs all day along with humidifier's, and heat lamps at night. It takes about 2 years for a sulcata to reach a size where there are no longer commercially available houses that give enough room, and you have to begin your foray into construction engineering. And even if you are an adept engineer, nothing makes these guys happier than being outside.

This is for 5 months a year, it's 10x20', he grudgingly accepts it.

 

[tiff3grl]

I live in AZ and Buddy lives outside 24/7. In the picture you will see 2 tortoises but I recently had to re-home my female due to aggression issues. Buddy has the whole backyard to roam and a "tortoise house" to sleep in during the colder months. I also have a heat lamp inside connected to a shelf that is out of reach from the tortoise. The blanket is no longer there but the ramp remains. In this picture Buddy is 50+ lbs and Skipper was 60+lbs.

 

[J REED]

Re: RE: How big is your sully and what do you keep it in

My bigger ones live outside in a 7000 square foot enclosure with a 4x8' night box. My juveniles from about 8-12" live in a 30x30' enclosure with a 4x4' underground heated night box. My smaller ones live in a 4x8' closed chamber, but have a 10-15x45' enclosure that they run around in all day, weather permitting. I start hatchlings in a 4x4' closed chamber.

So for our little guys.... its ok to just be humid at night ?

Jeremy

 

[Tom]

How little?

I only put hatchlings out for about an hour a day. Once they are about 3-4" long I leave them out for 2-3 hours depending on the weather. By the time they reach 6-8", and they are still smooth, I leave them out all day and bring them in at night. It is very dry here, so I soak them on the way in each time. If I lived somewhere with high humidity, I might leave them out longer than this, but really there is no need for it.

---

Zoo med tortoise house

Just wanted to let you know, those houses are not a good way to house a hatchling sulcata. The closed part is way too big, and the open part is way too dry. If all goes well your tortoise will outgrow it pretty quickly too. However they do grow slower when they are kept dry like that.

Click the links in my signature for more info on this.

 

[Sh3wulf]

Livingstone, I hear that about the climate issue. ON is giving me the same heart palpitations, since when I originally got my tort I was totally educated the wrong way and now have to contend with "how do I do this right in my climate?"
I have a friend (architect) helping me design a room in a storage area that is 20'x16' in my basement that will imitate the African wet season without moulding my entire house up.
I plan to run the plans through the folks here on the forum for approval
Nice thing for me is I have a baby, so I have some time before his 5'x3' enclosure is outgrown. Good thing too or the husband would divorce my pet loving butt. I have to work him up to a whole "tortoise room" lol


Two kids, One husband, One Hines57, One Leopard Tortoise, and a room at the sanitarium lol

 

[N2TORTS]

Here from a few years back ...." Harley " and his lil mate Rita'. He was a good size boy up over 100#'s ....if ya look close there is a couple of adult cherries that were out and about for some pictures as well ... you can get a good size comparison ....
Rita was about half his size but nonetheless soul mates.....





Here you can see the smaller Sullie ....Harley's mate " Rita"


JD~

 

[cemmons12]

Cooper is 18 inches long, around 31 pounds, and is 29 months old. He spends about 5 hours a day in his home. But the majority of the time he is running around in the living room. Although normally he will just get on his heating pad and chill out there all while being covered up by his heating blanket. And yes he also gets outdoors time too.

 

[erica anne]

Cooper is 18 inches long, around 31 pounds, and is 29 months old. He spends about 5 hours a day in his home. But the majority of the time he is running around in the living room. Although normally he will just get on his heating pad and chill out there all while being covered up by his heating blanket. And yes he also gets outdoors time too.

That is one big 2 year old!! It's cute that he likes being covered up

 

[Evy]

I have 3 sulcatas Penny, Donatello, and Charlie. The pet store said that they were about 3 months last month and their actual size now is 3", 2 2/3, and 2 1/2. Does that make sense or it's correct?
Their inside pin is 25X25 and their outside pin is 8X8. We live in San Diego so when we are home we let them be outside till the temperature is about 72 or so.

 

[yazzy1012]

My Henry is nearly 120 pounds and he takes up the entire backyard.

 

[mrspatti]

My lil sulcata is close to 3 years old, and she is living in a temporary plastic organizer box, with the lid not on it. So far she seems to like it. I named her Flower, Im just hoping her doesnt end up being a him, lol poor guy ,with the name flower.

 

[alysciaingram]

This is my first tortoise, Bowser. She lives in this!