Outdoor winter enclosure

KatJ

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Hi! I need all of the help I can get.

Husband and I have had two 30 ish pound sulcatas for about a year and a half now, and we are attempting to build them an outdoor enclosure that they can live in year round.

We live in southern Virginia, where it gets below freezing during the winter, but maybe only snows once or twice.

I was thinking we would build them a 16x8 enclosure with one 8x8 section of it covered and insulated and heated, with a little door for them to go in and out from. However I have no idea how to insulate or what materials I would use, etc. I am not a carpenter and neither is my husband!

Additionally, I am afraid about them burrowing out. How does one combat that?

Please help and give all suggestions and pictures! I would like to get this built within a month.
 

legan52

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Let me preface by saying I'm a novice keeper so far but from everything I've read it's not good to keep two together. Also, that seems like it would be too small, especially if you plan to turn half of it into a hide.
 
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Jodie

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Search for night box. Tom has done several great how to threads on night boxes.
 

wellington

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I agree, two should not be housed together. If it hasn't started already, one could and probably will bully the other into illness or death. I would build each their own area, as locked up in a small area would be a good way to bring out the bully in one of them. Tom's night box thread will help or make them a larger shed area for those cold days they want to stay in. Insulate floor, walls and ceiling. Use a 60 watt incandescent bulb for a basking spot or a mercury vapor bulb. Use a portable oil filled heater for over all heat and I would put that on a thermostat.
 

Len B

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To keep them warm I use some type of bottom heat that doesn't get hot enough to hurt them. Insulating the floor is as important as insulating the walls and roof. Think of the house you build as a burrow for them to get warm and feel secure while in it. inside walkers house.jpg This is what the inside of Walkers house looks like. It's a simple setup that has worked for years. A 3x4 ft stanfield mat controlled using a rheostate lower right just inside the door, an oil filled radiater type heater in the back left corner behind a plywood barrier and a che hung in the center as a form of extra heat if needed. I put a light socket inside above the door but found that interior light isn't necessary. His door is always open so he can come and go as he pleases. This is the cold weather setup with the extra vinyl flaps and smaller door opening in place.Walkers repaired house 2.jpg I'm north of you in Colonial Beach
 

Len B

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For 2 30 pound sulcatas a 3 x 5 ft house would work for this coming winter. Use a piece of concrete board for the floor base it is sold in 3 x5 ft pieces., build around that size as a starter. the easiest insulation that will not be affected by the elements is the 1/2 inch thick sold by 4 x 8 ft pieces of urethane with the foil backing. It cost between $10 and $13 a sheet, you cut it with a razor knife and tape the pieces together with aluminum tape.To strengthen the walls and corner edges use metal corner bead taped to all edges and corners (inside and outside) Since the foil covered urethane is soft you will need to protect the lower walls from the tortoises. Luan is usually sufficient for this.I hope some of this makes sense to you .
 

KatJ

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Thanks! How do you all deal with burrowing? I assume they are able to walk around outside during the winter, and will more than likely go back to their box for warmth in the evening?
 

Len B

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They don't burrow to escape, Walker has a short burrow under his house on the back side that I block off access to in the fall. Walker is big and has a large body mass and he has lived outside for 8 or 9 winters now He has that cold air and cold ground thing figured out pretty good. I still keep a close watch over him when it's cold. For the past 3 winters I had 3 females and another male that all lived outside and they did fine going in and out keep to body temps up. When you first put yours out with the new house keep the enclosure area small until you are sure that they will go into the house when they start getting chilly. After 20 years with Walker I have found sulcatas to be quite intelligent.
 

KatJ

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Good advice. I very much appreciate it all. We are going to put their initial enclosure very near to the house so we can glance out at them through the windows.

Should I keep my two entirely separate? I.e. Separate houses, separate fenced areas, everything?
 

JoesMum

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Good advice. I very much appreciate it all. We are going to put their initial enclosure very near to the house so we can glance out at them through the windows.

Should I keep my two entirely separate? I.e. Separate houses, separate fenced areas, everything?
Basically, yes. Time-sharing outdoor space gets complicated, especially if the weather is poor.
 

Len B

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Good advice. I very much appreciate it all. We are going to put their initial enclosure very near to the house so we can glance out at them through the windows.

Should I keep my two entirely separate? I.e. Separate houses, separate fenced areas, everything?
Hard to say, normally 2 alone don't get along, but I have kept 2 females together without problems. I had 2 males and 3 females together, I moved the 3 females and 1 of the males to a new home and after the move the oldest female attacked the other 3 to the point that she had to be separated from them. She had lived peacefully with before the move.
 

JustinGrattan

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I live in Virginia too, let's see your set up! I, about done with mine and will post my finished product here soon!
 

JustinGrattan

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To keep them warm I use some type of bottom heat that doesn't get hot enough to hurt them. Insulating the floor is as important as insulating the walls and roof. Think of the house you build as a burrow for them to get warm and feel secure while in it. View attachment 186705 This is what the inside of Walkers house looks like. It's a simple setup that has worked for years. A 3x4 ft stanfield mat controlled using a rheostate lower right just inside the door, an oil filled radiater type heater in the back left corner behind a plywood barrier and a che hung in the center as a form of extra heat if needed. I put a light socket inside above the door but found that interior light isn't necessary. His door is always open so he can come and go as he pleases. This is the cold weather setup with the extra vinyl flaps and smaller door opening in place.View attachment 186707 I'm north of you in Colonial Beach
Do you have any substrate down in the winter? And what do you feed yours during the cold months? Sorry, this will be my first winter with my guy outside.... Kinda nervous!
 

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