Im back on

[Elyce]

Hello. Ive been on and off of the forum. My tortoise name is Sandy. A Sulcata from So Cal. Still only a palm size. Im Emily, I Sandy since 2014 from a pet store in North Cal. Im looking into research for building a habitat, so I relogged back on. Im looking into dimensions for a habitat that he could be in when winter happens.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Elyce, and welcome!

I like to try to keep our membership list sort of accurate, so if you'll tell me your previous username I can delete that account (or merge it with your new one, if you'd like).

 

[Elyce]

Im not sure. It could be EmilyVail42. I tried logging back on and it wouldnt let me. So I created a new account.

 

[Yvonne G]

It's emilyvail84. I'll combine the two accounts under Elyce.

 

[Elyce]

I had thought I posted a intro. Now Im not sure what I had posted. Im back on tgis forum researching dimensions and enclosures for a Sulcata Tortoise during winter . I live in So Cal, but it snows where I live. So the desert gets super cold. My guys name is Sandy. And Im currentky selling the old aquarium I had and building him a better permnant habitat. Hit me up for jokes, bad pics or good ones. And help me learn about Sulcatas.

 

[Hugo's Home]

I had thought I posted a intro. Now Im not sure what I had posted. Im back on tgis forum researching dimensions and enclosures for a Sulcata Tortoise during winter . I live in So Cal, but it snows where I live. So the desert gets super cold. My guys name is Sandy. And Im currentky selling the old aquarium I had and building him a better permnant habitat. Hit me up for jokes, bad pics or good ones. And help me learn about Sulcatas.

This probably won't apply to you for a few more yrs but hey. Check out the closed chambers that ppl have done. Some really good enclosures out there.

So what are your winters like? Does it dump feet of snow or is it pretty mild? What are your temps like in the winter? Days and night.
Where I'm at were at about 4600ft. We get snow but not feet of snow. Winter lows can get down to potentially 15F. Winter highs are around 40-50s.
My sulcata retreats to his 8x4 insulated night box similar to Tom's design which is inside a shed. There is a mini oil heater and a radiant heat panel in there. Stays above 80 in the winter.
His enclosure is about a 50ft round pen.

Check out some of my old threads for ideas and pics on building stuff if you feel like it.

You tort is still young but will be huge in a a fe yrs so it's great your planning ahead of time!

 

[Elyce]

Hi Hugo
Thanks for the response. It doesnt dump snow. More like flakes snow. Its low 40s to 30s here. About 30 mins away however you can ski and have snow ball fights. Hugo that pen sounds awesome. 50ft? Huge!! Im glad you had pics and away to see things. Im by far a visual person. Thank you for letting me know where I can also look.
With the winters low and cold and things not totally set up, last winter Sandy slept to much. So Im trying to just get it more cozy. Oil heater huh? I havent seen one of those. Did you buy parts from any specific online place or store?

 

[Hugo's Home]

Hi Hugo
Thanks for the response. It doesnt dump snow. More like flakes snow. Its low 40s to 30s here. About 30 mins away however you can ski and have snow ball fights. Hugo that pen sounds awesome. 50ft? Huge!! Im glad you had pics and away to see things. Im by far a visual person. Thank you for letting me know where I can also look.
With the winters low and cold and things not totally set up, last winter Sandy slept to much. So Im trying to just get it more cozy. Oil heater huh? I havent seen one of those. Did you buy parts from any specific online place or store?

Mini oil heater

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXEDAV2/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Radiant heat panel I use the 120 watt

http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels#

Both are put on the zilla 1000watt thermostat set to like 86f. Found on amazon.

Hugo would stay in his box for most of the day on the super cold days. But most every day he would come out and graze on the winter rye grass for an hour then go back in and warm up. Stayed pretty active. Days that it was snowing or raining and real cold I would lock him in his box. This last winter he had to stay In his box for 3 days.. i felt so bad..

 

[Elyce]

Ahh!! Perfect. Thank you for the links. I saw the thermostat link on your thread from amazon. I liked the idea alot. Oh the pond you made had me super curious hiw dud you do the pcp pipe drainage? I want to do something similar.

 

[Hugo's Home]

Ahh!! Perfect. Thank you for the links. I saw the thermostat link on your thread from amazon. I liked the idea alot. Oh the pond you made had me super curious hiw dud you do the pcp pipe drainage? I want to do something similar.

At home depot I bought a shower drain, one 2 inch elbow, a piece of 2 inch pvc, and a ball valve. Just glued all the pieces together making sure the drain slopes down.
I left a 2 inch space between the dirt and the top of the drain, covered the drain with tape then just poured the concrete.

A year later, no cracking yet but the concrete gets real slick with the alge growth. I really worked the concrete to get it nice and smooth since I thought It would be easier to clean. Which it is buttt it does get really slick.. gets taken care of easily with a wire brush but a con.. also it's too small for my liking. I thing Hugo likes it.. he uses it but it's getting small so I think I'm redoing it this summer with a large trash can lid or just making a larger concrete one. I got a really big lid but making all that work is going to be a task so idk haven't decided yet..

 

[Elyce]

What do you think of the kiddie pools people buy? And I said pcp.. lol. Sorry. I meant pvc* good to know that it gets super slick. And the Algea growth. Makes me wonder if theres something different use then cement. I still like the look and price of it.