New Tortoise house

[spiderreyy]

My tortoise is hybernating in this right now, on my patio.

I just built this, still needs the cover for the door. The box is a 2 ' cube. Should I move him into it, or just leave him alone?

He is a full grown male ca desert tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

I would disconnect the light and stuff the blue house with shredded newspaper and leave him there until he wakes up on his own. If the blue house is on a patio or somewhat sheltered area where he can't freeze, its quite ok to leave him there.

 

[spiderreyy]

Its not a light, its a heater. So I should unplug it and load the blue tub with shreaded paper from my shreadder?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes on the paper, and you don't want a heater on a hibernating tortoise. They should be kept in a temperature range between 40 and 50 degrees. As long as they don't get down to the freezing area (32 and their eyes will freeze) they'll be ok. But up above 50 and they'll use up their fat reserves and maybe starve to death before they wake up.

 

[spiderreyy]

Heater off now.