Outside all the Time?

[BrookeB]

I Live in C.A. and want to leave my Sulcata Big Bertha outside at night but I don't have a heated outside home... What temp dose it have to be outside for her to be ok... she is 2.8LB 8 ¾ inches she has a dog house that I can close at night... I have been bringing her inside at night but it is getting hotter and hotter with each passing day and it would be better for her if she can just go out and not be carried in and out every day.

 

[Katherine]

I do not turn the heat on in my Sulcatas houses unless the temperature is dropping below 60 in the evening as long as the day time weather is nice enough to warm them up. Below 60 I ensure all of the younger tortoises (under 10") make it into their heated houses and I let the adults decide for themselves. Below 50 degrees and no one gets a choice, they all have to get in their warm houses : )

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Thought maybe I should add that I really just developed these temperature standards as I went (ie I did not pluck them from any scientific literature or peer reviewed journals) but I have been doing it like that for years and never had a problem. Have you thought about just adding a heat source to the existing dog house?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

We keep all of our tortoises at that size over 65f.

 

[Tom]

I'd set up a heat source if you are going to leave her outside full time. Sulcatas can tolerate a lot, but my preference is not to test what they can tolerate and instead give them what is best for them. In their wild burrows, I'm going to estimate that the temps hover around 80 given the night time lows and daytime highs in their range. During summer, when we have those same temps, my underground burrows hover right around 80 all summer with no electricity. I know they can survive temps in the 30's, but mine are much happier with night temps in their box in the high 70's or low 80's. I used to let mine stay quite a bit cooler and they survived that way for years. When I built their new box and warmed up the night temps, I saw a big difference in their activity level, appetite and they just seem healthier and more vigorous. It would not be hard to put a pig blanket and a CHE in the dog house and put them on a thermostat. If you want to come up, I'll show you how easy it is...

 

[BrookeB]

I cant run heat yet.. but i plan on it.. but right now I cant I don't have the wiring out to do it now... She comes in at night.. to a heated humid box... Thanks so she can stay out if it has been like 95 all day and 65-70 at night?

 

[DeanS]

Tonight is the second night that I let ALL my sulcata stay out all night! It gets down to the mid 50s...but they seem to be thriving ALL day! I still bring them in if temps are scheduled to drop below 50...but that won't be much longer.

 

[Katherine]

I cant run heat yet.. but i plan on it.. but right now I cant I don't have the wiring out to do it now... She comes in at night.. to a heated humid box... Thanks so she can stay out if it has been like 95 all day and 65-70 at night?

I'd say yes, I would be comfortable leaving my own in those temperatures.

 

[BrookeB]

ok cool thanks guys

 

[Tom]

Thanks so she can stay out if it has been like 95 all day and 65-70 at night?

I wouldn't. It is still too cool here at night. Extension cords are available and very easy to use.

 

[BrookeB]

I don't have a plug outside at all.. My father inlaw is going to run wiring through the wall to the outside... lol.. gotta love having a engineer in the family... we are also going to put a large tortiose run in the back yard.. the little one I built is for my sulcata hatchling and when she out grows it my leopard is going to live in it... its 9ft by 9ft

Thanks so she can stay out if it has been like 95 all day and 65-70 at night?

I wouldn't. It is still too cool here at night. Extension cords are available and very easy to use.