"Northern" sulcatas - roll call?

[vladimir]

Obviously northern climates aren't ideal for sulcatas, but I get the impression there's more than a few of us who love the little guys and make it work.

I'm in Pennsylvania and it's currently 10 degrees Fahrenheit!

Who else has sulcatas up north? I'm especially interested in hearing about experiences with larger ones. Anyone have any tips or hints for new sulcata owners in colder climates?

Vlad is only 10 pounds now, but I'm making plans to build him a permanent indoor enclosure this winter, followed by a permanent outdoor enclosure for when the weather isn't bitter cold. It seems that a lot of the larger sulcatas don't mind the cold temps in small doses?

 

[Len B]

I been doing it for years, I am located about halfway between Baltimore Md and Richmond Va, east of Washington DC. Walker my sulcata is 21 years old and has lived outside full time for several years. In the colder climates I suggest a house of at least 8x8 ft. doing this gives the tortoise enough room to maneuver and find a comfortable area for him to rest in. I use 3 heat sources, Heat mat, oil filled radiator, and a 150 watt che. Don't usually need all 3 on at the same time. He has free access to the outside and he usually comes out every day for food and water, Yesterday our high temp was 24F he only stayed out for about 25 minutes This morning it got down to 12 F, he hasn't come out yet. Right now it's 21 F. I use 3 temperature sending units inside the house to track the temps they are reading between 79 to 89 F now. The biggest problem I've had over the years is deep snows, I have to shovel paths and areas for him to wander.

 

[SULCY]

I live in NY and I have 2 enclosures for mine the one outside is 72'x36' and I just finished my indoor one and it is 8'x16'. As long as I can take him in during the winter I feel better especially since the last couple of days have been near 0.

 

[Hutsie B]

I am in mid North Carolina, not a Northern state but we get the cold temps too. My sulcattas are not yet big enough to be outside in the winter, but we are planning to build a large outdoor warm house in their enclosure in the near by future to be ready. It helps to read what others are doing. Thanks for the thread.

 

[vladimir]

yeah the recent cold spell is what prompted me to make the thread. Do you have any pictures of your indoor enclosure? I'm planning my indoor upgrade now.

 

[Hutsie B]

oh, ours are separated so we will have to build two

 

[Hutsie B]

We have ours in rubbermade stock tubs. They each have their own and are small enough to fit in them. We hang the ceramic heating bulbs in their basking area that they dig in and have a UVB light hanging in there a little farther away. We have them in a small room and a room humidifier in there also. The temp of the room is 80 and the basking areas are about 90 degrees. They are eating well and resting under their ceramic lamps.They are on a cypress substrate.

 

[Yvonne G]

One reason I prefer an actual shed to a heated night box is because there are days when the weather doesn't permit the tortoise to go outside. On those days, if he's inside a larger shed, like Walker in Turtulas-Len's post, he still has enough room to move around, he has a light, and you can feed him in the shed. But it works out much better for the tortoise if he's allowed to go outside on his own and see/feel the weather, then make the decision on his own, to go back inside where it's warm. If you just block the door and don't let him out, he's going to ram the walls, scratch at the door, and be one upset little puppy.

 

[vladimir]

Interesting points, Yvonne. I wonder what the largest night box anyone has made is? I saw one of Tom's threads where he made an artificial heated burrow which I thought was really cool.

While Vlad is still small, I'm going to tackle a permanent indoor enclosure for the harshest days of winter, then move on to constructing a proper outside setup for him. Ideally once he's gotten to be a decent size, we can keep him in his outdoor home as much as possible and just bring him inside when it's really frigid out.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[AlbertH]

I live in Virginia Beach and I bring my guy in when it gets below 60. I’m currently working on a heated night box for him to live outside semi-permanently.

 

[wellington]

I live in Chicago. No sulcata, but leopards. Build a insulated heated shed of a large size. Then you never have to worry about bringing them in. My shed is my leopards winter home and it's there summer sleeping home.
Once your sulcatas are big enough to live outside 24/7 then there's no need to ever bring them inside your house with a heated shed.

 

[Amanda8653]

We have 2 young sulcatas and we live in Michigan where it is now 4 degrees! Ours have a large indoor enclosure on our insulated and carpeted sunroom. We built so we could have lights hang from the ceiling.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Details: Our Sully is here in Maryland. Three and a half years old, female, about 65 pounds. Lives outside all summer, once it got cold, mid-October, we bring her inside. Inside we have a dedicated sunroom where we have Sully’s heated shed (overhead radiant panel), an oil-filled radiator, humidifier, as well as ducts from the house heating system. I have a basking daylight bulb on a timer as well that hangs vertically down. Checked the inside temp yesterday, a warm and comfy 90. Outside was 15F.

Daily routine: Sully sleeps in....sticks head out for a bit...strolls over to the food bowel and chows down on some grass, mazuri, dandelion....walks about....back inside til around 1400. Then, back out...walks about, now has a late lunch, takes a nice bask under the light, continues nibbling on the mazuri or leftover greens. We provide Head and shell rubs....then more eating... then back inside the heated hut for an afternoon siesta. Often, Sully will come back out for a later stroll, and a late evening snack before snuggling into the heated, warm shed. Rinse...repeat next morning.

Looking out from the shed’s entrance.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Last year my sulcatas moved from a heated hide to an 8 x10 heated shed In our weather they do get to go out most days but all the same I really like the shed better they can move around and its much easyer for me to check on them

 

[Stuart S.]

Spur lived in Alaska for a year before we recently transplanted back to Texas. Definitely couldn’t have a full grown Sulcata in the Last Frontier, but a yearling did just fine @Alaskamike had some up there as well.

 

[Stuart S.]

 

[vladimir]

Aww it looks like he was enjoying the view of the road

 

[Racheolive]

Obviously northern climates aren't ideal for sulcatas, but I get the impression there's more than a few of us who love the little guys and make it work.

I'm in Pennsylvania and it's currently 10 degrees Fahrenheit!

Who else has sulcatas up north? I'm especially interested in hearing about experiences with larger ones. Anyone have any tips or hints for new sulcata owners in colder climates?

Vlad is only 10 pounds now, but I'm making plans to build him a permanent indoor enclosure this winter, followed by a permanent outdoor enclosure for when the weather isn't bitter cold. It seems that a lot of the larger sulcatas don't mind the cold temps in small doses?

I’m also in PA but my guy is only a hatchling just yet, but I have already starting putting money aside for his future winter enclosure

 

[Shaif]

Is anyone in/near Pittsburgh (PA)? I have just small Testudo, but would Love to meet a Sully or two!

 

[Racheolive]

I am closer to Philly