Ideas for outdoor enclosure for sulcata in Missouri.

[shellibelli72]

Does anyone in or near to Missouri keep a sulcata? I have a hatchling, but am trying to get ideas for when he will be outdoors and if its even possible to keep him outdoors full time in a shed during winter when he is fully grown. Would love to hear ideas or even see your enclosure pics to get ideas.
Thanks!

 

[shellibelli72]

I already have an outdoor enclosure set up for good weather, my russian tort loves his area.
Just wondering if anyone out there from the great ole midwest has any input on this.

 

[wellington]

Yes when they are larger they can be house outside 24/7. It all depends on if you can afford to heat the outdoor enclosure and making it big enough that on the days they can't get outside, they don't go crazy in a small house. I live in Chicago. I have a leopard I will be house outside when he is an adult. I will have a 7x7 insulated and heated tort house attached to a green house. The green house I am using now to give a longer outdoor grazing time as the temps aren't getting so warm now but there is lots of sun to warm the greenhouse,

 

[shellibelli72]

Yes when they are larger they can be house outside 24/7. It all depends on if you can afford to heat the outdoor enclosure and making it big enough that on the days they can't get outside, they don't go crazy in a small house. I live in Chicago. I have a leopard I will be house outside when he is an adult. I will have a 7x7 insulated and heated tort house attached to a green house. The green house I am using now to give a longer outdoor grazing time as the temps aren't getting so warm now but there is lots of sun to warm the greenhouse,

So they can go outside in the middle of winter? As long as they have a warm house to retreat to? This is reassuring as I had gotten conflicting info, wasn't sure how to even go about it. Do you have any threads detailing or pics of your set up?
Thanks for the info!

 

[wellington]

I only have the greenhouse now. My leopard is only 19 months. I have a few more years yet before he will be out 24/7. However, I like to plan ahead, so already know how I want to build it. I am also looking into solar to heat it. If I can do the solar, I will be heating the greenhouse this winter on the days there isn't sun. You can see a pic of it here http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-TORTOISE-WINTER-GREENHOUSE#axzz27bzJF2dd

Yes, they can go outside in the winter. Many on here will lock them in the heated house at night. Then allow them to go outside if they choose during the day. As long as they have access to a heated house to get into when they want. Also, look on the enclosure thread for different ideas for building and heating.

 

[shellibelli72]

Great! Thanks!
Yeah, my Sulcata is still a hatchling, about a month and a half old, so I have a few years at least I am figuring. But I find myself continuously plottin and plannin my outdoor enclosure in my head....LOL

 

[lynnedit]

Good for you, too many larger tortoise owners don't plan ahead.

You can look at the enclosure thread (scroll through it), and also search the forum for 'sulcata and shed', etc.

 

[chairman]

I live in southern Indiana and have a 9' x 9' heated/insulated shed for my sulcata. Saltbox roof with normal shingles, 2x4 construction (should have done 2x6) and set on a concrete block foundation (floor is plywood). It is 6' tall in the front and 4' tall at the back; tall enough to work in, short enough to minimize the heating bill. It is heated with 2 radiator-style space heaters, both set on their lowest setting, and controlled with an external thermostat. I also have a basking area out in the open. Within the shed is a large hide, also 2x4 construction and insulated; half the floor space is covered by a pig blanket, the other is bare. I made the hide tall enough to install a CHE if need be. I don't have any great pictures of just it at the moment, though. Here's some of what I do have available at the moment.

 

[Laura]

look at Loafing shed designs. enclosed shed with a covered outdoor area.

 

[Spn785]

I live in central missouri and completely ruled out leopard and Sulcata tortoises because I didn't think I COULD keep them outside since it gets cold in winter and too hot in the summer. Thank you all for this information!

 

[SulcataSquirt]

In missouri the key to housing a sulcata outside is minimal height shed with the best insulation you can find, dont forget to insulate the floor also, this is the most inportant part. Pig blanket will be a sulcatas best friend, oil filled heaters like chairman said is the best way to go. also, you need to figure out what your sulcata can graze on that will live though the missouri winter because they will come out into the freezing cold to graze, it may be 30 degrees but the shell heats up from the winter sun. Summertime is no biggie as you have seen, as long as you have good shelter to get out of the heat at times missouri will never be too hot for a sulcata. Good luck looking at the size of your tort, im gonna be building one way b4 you! Im in St.Louis, what area are you in?

 

[shellibelli72]

In missouri the key to housing a sulcata outside is minimal height shed with the best insulation you can find, dont forget to insulate the floor also, this is the most inportant part. Pig blanket will be a sulcatas best friend, oil filled heaters like chairman said is the best way to go. also, you need to figure out what your sulcata can graze on that will live though the missouri winter because they will come out into the freezing cold to graze, it may be 30 degrees but the shell heats up from the winter sun. Summertime is no biggie as you have seen, as long as you have good shelter to get out of the heat at times missouri will never be too hot for a sulcata. Good luck looking at the size of your tort, im gonna be building one way b4 you! Im in St.Louis, what area are you in?

I am in Festus, out in the woods!

 

[Spn785]

In missouri the key to housing a sulcata outside is minimal height shed with the best insulation you can find, dont forget to insulate the floor also, this is the most inportant part. Pig blanket will be a sulcatas best friend, oil filled heaters like chairman said is the best way to go. also, you need to figure out what your sulcata can graze on that will live though the missouri winter because they will come out into the freezing cold to graze, it may be 30 degrees but the shell heats up from the winter sun. Summertime is no biggie as you have seen, as long as you have good shelter to get out of the heat at times missouri will never be too hot for a sulcata. Good luck looking at the size of your tort, im gonna be building one way b4 you! Im in St.Louis, what area are you in?

I'm in Columbia, but I get to St. Louis all the time!

 

[marcy4hope]

interesting thread. i'm right in between st. louis and columbia