My tortoise hates his new home

[erica anne]

This will be Franklin's first winter spent outside. I bought a Medium-sized doghouse, (made of heavy duty plastic) because he is only 8 inches long I thought this would be a good start. I spread some Timothy hay on the floor and hung his heat lamp about 12 to 14 inches off the ground. So far he absolutely refuses to stay in it! He has his old tarp that he wants to hang out in but when I go and pick him up he is absolutely freezing. Any idea why he may be rejecting his new home?

 

[sibi]

Yeah. It's a strange environment to him. He's still cold because when he's put outside in the doghouse, the heat above doesn't warm him at all. All the heat rises and goes out. Also, when you put a tort outside, you need to make his environment as warm as he had it before. Did you check, with a temp gun, the temp inside the dog house when it's cold outside? What stat do you live in? How cold is it outside at night? If you don't want a sick tort on your hands, you need to get a heating blanket or pad for him. You need to put some water in a pan so the heat doesn't dry him out. You need to make sure it's warm inside. Maybe, it will help to put his tarp inside with him so there's something familiar to him. You can do it! Make your tort warm and happy! Btw, what species of tort do you have?

 

[erica anne]

Thank you for the suggestions! Any particular heating pad that you would recommend?

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I have a sulcata...

 

[WillTort2]

When using his old tarp is he on the ground? He may like the feel of dirt under his body.

Bury the base of your new dog house and put dirt inside along with the timothy hay. Or pile up the dirt leading to the dog house and inside so he doesn't feel the plastic. You could also put the tarp in the doghouse by folding it.

Good luck.

 

[sibi]

If you live on AZ, doesn't it get real cold during winter months? If temps go below 60 outside, unless you gets heated shed or enclosure, your sully will need to spend winters inside. I'm currently fixing my shed with electricity, heating blankets, water pans, ceramic heat emitters, and a portable heater. It's totally enclosed, and I put a cork flooring. My sullies will have hay to cuddle up to, in addition to a trane heating blanket (purchased online). And, i live in Florida! Sorry, but you'll need to make the doghouse a lot warmer if you intend to keep your tortoise outside for the winter. Other tortoises can take the cold because they hibernate during winter months, but sulcatas can't thrive in cold winter months without good heat. They will either get sick and die, or if they survive, they will not thrive. Please, please don't keep your sully outside at night. Besides, 8" is still too small to have him outside by himself. He should be at least 2 years old before fixing an outdoor enclosure for him.

 

[erica anne]

He is actually almost three years old! His first year i raised him dry and thought overfeeding caused pyramiding. When I learned how to properly care for him (here of course) he really started growing. Maybe I need to bring him in at night but it still can be quite chilly during the day in winter. I guess I still have some more work to do. I am not very handy and don't really have anyone to help build this so I thought that this might be an option for now. I want what is best for Franklin and definitely don't want him getting sick!

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The tarp is actually on the concrete patio! It was in the shade and for some reason this was his chosen spot. I kept the doghouse on the patio too but he certainly isn't fooled!

 

[TigsMom]

I searched on Stanfield Pig Blanket which is recommended on a lot of posts I've read on the forum. Here's just one of the threads: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-21709.html


Here's the link to the pig blanket: http://www.osbornelivestockequipmen...eld-nursery-heat-pads/stanfield-heat-pad-s203.

If you search on craigslist or online classifieds, you may find the heat blanket used and perhaps a shed or large wood dog house that you could insulate yourself to help keep the heat in as well.

Hope this helps

 

[sibi]

Yeah, it just could be a matter of familiarity that Franklin is attracted to. Listen, I know how tough getting it right is. I've been working on the outdoor enclosure for monthe now. I had to save money to get an electrician to put in power into the shed ($1,000). I had to save to buy two heating blankets ($900 each). I spent a couple of hundred dollars on odd and ends to make this enclosure just right. There will be heat of about 75 degrees all winter long. There's gonna be constant heat in the winter months. And when it's nice enough to go out, they'll go out to eat and graze, weather permitting.

Just plan it right, and if I can help you to get what you need, pm me. I'd be glad to give you tips and know-how.

 

[TigsMom]

Here's a thorough discussion of Pig Blankets (heating pad): http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-41857.html

 

[Tom]

Dog houses usually don't work well. The door hole is much too big and they just aren't well insulate enough. Depends on the design, but most of them are pretty drafty too.

You gotta be real careful with over head heat in a situation like this. It's very easy to damage and dry out the top of the carapace, while still not providing enough heat to the rest of the body. Many sulcata carapaces get burned this way. My preference is for a well designed, well insulated wooden box. I use a fold down door as a ramp by day, and lockable door by night. In smaller boxes I like to use a radiant heat panel over head and a Kane heat mat on bottom, all on one thermostat. I adjust the temp depending on the seasons. I go 70-75 in summer when the days are super hot every day, and I set it at 80-85 in winter when they days just aren't warming up much out of the 60s. In bigger houses, I just use a radiant oil filled mini heater.

Here's an example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Erica Anne:

Put Franklin in the dog house and after a few minutes put a thermometer on his back and read the temp. This way you can be sure the light isn't hanging too low and making him too hot. What is the 'heat lamp'? Is it a CHE?

Once you're sure that the heat is fine and not too hot/cold, then you get a piece of plywood that is a little bigger than the doorway, and stand it up to cover the door. Then lean a big cinder block on the plywood to hold it in place. Most tortoises have to be blocked into their new house until they get used to it. Covering the door also keeps him safe at night.

 

[Tom]

Hi Erica Anne:

Put Franklin in the dog house and after a few minutes put a thermometer on his back and read the temp. This way you can be sure the light isn't hanging too low and making him too hot. What is the 'heat lamp'? Is it a CHE?

Once you're sure that the heat is fine and not too hot/cold, then you get a piece of plywood that is a little bigger than the doorway, and stand it up to cover the door. Then lean a big cinder block on the plywood to hold it in place. Most tortoises have to be blocked into their new house until they get used to it. Covering the door also keeps him safe at night.

Very good suggestions from Yvonne! Who is almost always right about everything!

One more from me: I have also had much better success with this when I put the enclosure where the tortoise wants to be, instead of trying to make the tortoise go where I want the enclosure. They have a sense about where they want to be at night, and its easier if you don't fight their "tortoises sense".

 

[Yvonne G]

Very good suggestions from Yvonne! Who is almost always right about everything!

It's a difficult hat to wear...but I try!

 

[erica anne]

I searched on Stanfield Pig Blanket which is recommended on a lot of posts I've read on the forum. Here's just one of the threads: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-21709.html


Here's the link to the pig blanket: http://www.osbornelivestockequipmen...eld-nursery-heat-pads/stanfield-heat-pad-s203.

If you search on craigslist or online classifieds, you may find the heat blanket used and perhaps a shed or large wood dog house that you could insulate yourself to help keep the heat in as well.

Hope this helps

Thank you for the information! I will begin the research today.

---

Hi Erica Anne:

Put Franklin in the dog house and after a few minutes put a thermometer on his back and read the temp. This way you can be sure the light isn't hanging too low and making him too hot. What is the 'heat lamp'? Is it a CHE?

Once you're sure that the heat is fine and not too hot/cold, then you get a piece of plywood that is a little bigger than the doorway, and stand it up to cover the door. Then lean a big cinder block on the plywood to hold it in place. Most tortoises have to be blocked into their new house until they get used to it. Covering the door also keeps him safe at night.

Thanks Yvonne, this will really help me until I get a better enclosure built. I have a CHE in there right now. When I put a thermometer on his shell it read 80 degrees. Is that warm enough?

---

Dog houses usually don't work well. The door hole is much too big and they just aren't well insulate enough. Depends on the design, but most of them are pretty drafty too.

You gotta be real careful with over head heat in a situation like this. It's very easy to damage and dry out the top of the carapace, while still not providing enough heat to the rest of the body. Many sulcata carapaces get burned this way. My preference is for a well designed, well insulated wooden box. I use a fold down door as a ramp by day, and lockable door by night. In smaller boxes I like to use a radiant heat panel over head and a Kane heat mat on bottom, all on one thermostat. I adjust the temp depending on the seasons. I go 70-75 in summer when the days are super hot every day, and I set it at 80-85 in winter when they days just aren't warming up much out of the 60s. In bigger houses, I just use a radiant oil filled mini heater.

Here's an example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html

That is an amazing enclosure! Now I have got to rope someone I know onto helping me build it lol. What is a good estimate as far as cost for this type of enclosure?

 

[Saleama]

Home depot won't do skill cuts but they will do enough cuts to an 8 x 4 piece of plywood that you can fashion a pretty neat little house for an 8" Sully. Follow Tom's advice for heat, humidity and closing the door and then explore different means of insulating if you, like me, are not talented enough to duplicate what Tom has in that thread. I plan on wrapping my house in a thick blanket or using a foam insulator on the top...