Percy's house

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janiedough

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I got a dog house, took the bottom and turned it upside down and put it on the sidewalk in my backyard. I am thinking of putting the top in the grass somewhere. Percy has stayed outside a few times at night (when I couldn't find him). Sometimes, when it rains while I am at work he is stuck outside until I get off to bring him in. Basically, through fault and trials, he has survived outside without much of a shelter before.

He is almost 8". I still don't know his weight since the scale I bought is too small to weigh him - I just have to save and get a bigger one.

Now I have this doghouse for him, so he has shelter outside. I live in South Louisiana - it does not go lower than 80* at night, and the area is well drained (doesn't flood). Is there any problem with him staying outside all night?

Please bring up all possible issues so I can address them or decide to still bring him in. My main worries are a balanced diet, hydration and him getting lost or sick. Thanks!
 

janiedough

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anyone????

humidity? should i put a heat light even though it is hot out? what if he stays in his house and doesn't eat? should i put his water in his house?
should i not set the house on cement?
 

jlyoncc1

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Mine like to dig in their hides. So, I don't know if I would put it on cement. Also, do you have any predators that could get him at night? Mine are secured. I don't think you will need a light.
 

janiedough

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he isn't secured but since we have dogs going in and out the only animals I have seen are possums and cats...are possums a danger?

my worry about putting it on ground is that it rains constantly - i am scared it will flood or get too muddy
 

Yvonne G

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If you don't mind a tunnel that goes to China (or at least to the Center-Of-The-Earth), then by all means, take out the bottom of the dog house! Sulcatas love to burrow...and their burrows go wa-a-a-a-ay down and around. If you place the dog house in the shade so it will be cooler than the rest of his yard, he doesn't need to burrow, and I would leave the bottom in the dog house. He will still dig, but will not be able to dig to hell. However, if the dog house isn't cooler than his yard, you need to allow him to burrow. They have to be able to cool down from the heat of the day. That's what a burrow is all about...well that and protection. I block the doors of all my tortoise houses at night so that predators can't get to the animals. With a dog house, I'm not sure you can sufficiently block the doorway. A persistent coyote might just tip the dog house over trying to get inside.

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janiedough

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thanks for clearing the burrow/heat thing up!

100_5450.jpg


100_5451.jpg
 

warpling

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Aww adorable photos with the leg in the air, haha. Our sulcata sleeps and basically lives outside here in San Diego, Ca. We keep a heat-lamp in the house on all the time (too many issues with schedulers), but the house is big enough that it barely affects the temperature with the front wide open.
 

JaredP

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Just a thought, if you're worried about rain/mud, how about creating a bed of hay/sand/dirt on the cement and raise the house up a little bit. I have a hatchling that only likes to burrow a few inches to get comfortable. I don't know about larger torts. By the way I love the house, it looks like he is indeed king :)

Jared
0.0.1 Sucata
 

janiedough

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Thanks! So I moved the house three days ago??? And he doesn't like it.

He stays on the cement in the corner where his house used to be. Which he did before I put his house there, which is why I had put it there. (that and I didn't think it would flood on the cement)

But the fact that it needs to be cooler makes sense although he is not a fan of burrowing - at least not yet.

The only time I have seen him burrow is when I gave him a soak and he got water in his nose so I freaked out and built up his aspen bedding higher/closer to the light. I set him on the "hill" in his little container, and he sat there for a few minutes, and then started to burrow - he was too hot that close to the light.

But he has never done it outside - infact I think he really likes the hot cement.

So I am thinking of moving his house back to the cement = that and maybe tracking down the other half of his dog house and putting one on the cement and one in the grass. I will give it another day or two though and keep yall updated!
 

Crazy1

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Janiedough, I love the pics. I have a dog house split in two and both are down for my DT. It sits on dirt and they did start to dig when the heat went up to 111. I put a shade cloth over the house they prefer and use. they have three to chose from and one is intact with hay in it. Once I put the shadecloth over the house they stoped digging. I do think rain may saturate the brick you might concider placing a pan like a baking pan inside with hay in it during more rainy weather and put the plastic strips to keep the rain and wind out over the doors. Just some quick fixes and suggestions.
 

janiedough

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thanks crazy! I put his house back on the cement because he didn't go in it when it was in the dirt - he would stay in that corner by the gate (on the cement). He is ALWAYS in there. I wonder if he doesn't like the big open yard - he doesn't come out for very long when he does come out. Or maybe he is just lazy???

I like to still bring him in at night at least twice a week because I think he likes the small closeness of his indoor container. That and I usually treat him indoors with hibiscuses covered in calcium. His previous owner kept him in a really small container with dirt - no heat or water - that or the previous owner would let him wander around the bedroom. So I think he might have issues with wide open spaces? Do other torts have this?

His shell has white (new growth) all over it, so I guess I am doing something right.
 
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