Outdoor enclosure questions

[KeithTheLeopard]

I’m sure this has been posted on here many times but I have a couple questions about building an outdoor insulated enclosure. What kind of heating do you use at night/in the winter (and also where to plug it in or how to put outlets in the enclosure)? Also, what kind of substrate should I put in? I’m planning on doing roughly an 8’x4’ enclosure with an outdoor fenced in pen for the summer months and maybe adding a little pool to cool off in. It’s going to be built from wood so I figured I would put tarps at the bottom to make cleaning easier and prevent rot. Lastly, what kind of insulation is best? Is the fiber glass insulation ok or is it dangerous? I have a 4 year old leopard tortoise that’s about 10” long right now.

 

[Tom]

Here are two examples showing how to build, what insulation to use, and how to heat them:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

I don't use substrate inside the boxes unless I need to maintain high humidity in my climate. I don't think this will be an issue for a large leopard outdoors in summer in your climate. Tarps won't work at all. Just keep some dry dirt in there from the surrounding area. I scrape it out with a flat head shovel as needed and replace it. You can build shelves with tubs of water if you like, to add some humidity. I do that here, but I have single digit humidity with 100 degree day all summer long.

 

[wellington]

A 4x8 for Michigan winters is quite small. With the cold and snow you get, like me here in Chicago, there will be many days your tort will have to be kept closed in. You should go bigger so he has room to roam on those cold winter days he can't go out. A 8x10 or 10x10 shed would be much better.

 

[Tom]

A 4x8 for Michigan winters is quite small. With the cold and snow you get, like me here in Chicago, there will be many days your tort will have to be kept closed in. You should go bigger so he has room to roam on those cold winter days he can't go out. A 8x10 or 10x10 shed would be much better.

These night boxes are for mild climates or mild weather in harsh climates. They are definitely not suitable for housing for cold snowy frozen winters.

Thanks for bringing that up. I was thinking the original poster intended to use this for the warmer months and not over the long MI winters.

 

[KeithTheLeopard]

These night boxes are for mild climates or mild weather in harsh climates. They are definitely not suitable for housing for cold snowy frozen winters.

Thanks for bringing that up. I was thinking the original poster intended to use this for the warmer months and not over the long MI winters.

Yes, the box will be moved in my garage in the winter time to prevent wind and snow from damaging the box and I’m insulating extra to keep it warm, he will also be inside to roam and stretch occasionally but with the cold weather my tortoise usually slows down and just wants to sleep and eat (almost like a partial hibernation). I do have some questions though as I have just begun building the night box. Is it necessary to have any humidity in the box since he’s a dessert tortoise and Michigan is typically humid? Also, the heater you recommend, does it need to be plugged in or is it battery operated? And for the winter time I don’t want it to be completely dark in the box since he obviously won’t be able to go outside, how could I incorporate some kind of light/ lamp and would I need UV?

 

[Tom]

Yes, the box will be moved in my garage in the winter time to prevent wind and snow from damaging the box and I’m insulating extra to keep it warm, he will also be inside to roam and stretch occasionally but with the cold weather my tortoise usually slows down and just wants to sleep and eat (almost like a partial hibernation). I do have some questions though as I have just begun building the night box. Is it necessary to have any humidity in the box since he’s a dessert tortoise and Michigan is typically humid? Also, the heater you recommend, does it need to be plugged in or is it battery operated? And for the winter time I don’t want it to be completely dark in the box since he obviously won’t be able to go outside, how could I incorporate some kind of light/ lamp and would I need UV?

If your tortoise is slowing down in winter there is a serious housing problem that needs to be solved. This is a tropical species that needs to be kept warm and well lit all year long. They do not hibernate.

Also, this is NOT a desert species. They come from forested areas and grasslands. They need humidity at all life stages.

These heaters draw way to much power to operate on batteries. They are all plug in types.

These boxes are not meant for "housing" tortoises. This is a night box to be attached to their outdoor enclosure, for them to take shelter in for protection from predators and so that they have the correct temperatures over night, or during the day. A tortoise cannot "live" in a box this small for months at a time over a frozen winter.

For a leopard tortoise in winter in your climate, you need a room sized enclosure that is kept warm and well lit all winter long. The night box will serve you well in spring, summer and early fall, but not for winter.