Question on inside enclosure

[TSchadel]

Irwin is approximately 3 1/2 years old now. He weighs 25lbs and is roughly 22" long. He has been outside all summer (he absolutely LOVES being outside). But it's getting colder and he has been inside for the past 3 weeks or so. His inside enclosure is waaaayyyy too small for him. I'm getting ready to make him a bigger one. Here's my question:
Does he need to have a top to his new enclosure or can I just have the bottom and 4 sides? I will of course still put lights in the enclosure - but I was planning on just putting boards and running the lights on those. I thought I read somewhere that as they grow, they don't need as much humidity. His shell has very little pyramiding now and I wondered if I could not put a top on his new home. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JoesMum]

Irwin is approximately 3 1/2 years old now. He weighs 25lbs and is roughly 22" long. He has been outside all summer (he absolutely LOVES being outside). But it's getting colder and he has been inside for the past 3 weeks or so. His inside enclosure is waaaayyyy too small for him. I'm getting ready to make him a bigger one. Here's my question:
Does he need to have a top to his new enclosure or can I just have the bottom and 4 sides? I will of course still put lights in the enclosure - but I was planning on just putting boards and running the lights on those. I thought I read somewhere that as they grow, they don't need as much humidity. His shell has very little pyramiding now and I wondered if I could not put a top on his new home. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Have a look at Night Boxes in this section and in the enclosures section.

All Sulcatas get too big for indoors. This tortoise needs to be outside with properly heated outdoor accommodation now.

 

[TSchadel]

It was my intent to never have him outside in the winter. I live in Kansas and we get snow and very cold temps. I'm trying to make an indoor enclosure with a "night box" in the enclosure. He is currently in a 3/12x5 Plexiglas enclosure and he does not have much room to roam. My new enclosure is going to be made of treated plywood and is 8x8. It's the best I can do for him right now. My long-term goal is that my daughter will eventually take him back! She left him with me when she went to college when he was only like 7 months old.

 

[TSchadel]

Also - thank you on the advice - I did look at the night enclosures in this section. I just don't think Irwin will do well outside in our harsh winters! I think he needs to be indoors in the winter months.

 

[kevantheman35]

I recently made an indoor enclosure for my 50lb male through the Indiana winter.
I used a basement room that’s 12x22 foot, lines the room with 12” pine boards, tarp underneath, and brought in a truck load of cypress mulch, as well as some large flat rock. I’m heating currently with a radiator style heater and mercury vapor bulb over the flat rock pieces. He has only been in there a few days but so far it’s working out nicely. I have some adjusting of temperatures to do still.
Here’s a bad photo from my security camera

 

[TSchadel]

WOW - that's a big set-up! I wish I had that kind of room for mine. Yes - my biggest concern in leaving him outside is the very cold temps. Like today it hasn't even gotten out of the 50's! If I had a hide/heat box outside he would spend like 4-5 months cooped up in it! I'm hoping that the bigger area will suffice for at least this winter! Thanks for letting me see this!

 

[Big Charlie]

WOW - that's a big set-up! I wish I had that kind of room for mine. Yes - my biggest concern in leaving him outside is the very cold temps. Like today it hasn't even gotten out of the 50's! If I had a hide/heat box outside he would spend like 4-5 months cooped up in it! I'm hoping that the bigger area will suffice for at least this winter! Thanks for letting me see this!

My sulcata is fine outdoors when it is in the 50s. He'll graze and then come back to his heated nightbox to warm up.

 

[TSchadel]

Hey Big Charlie! Long time no talk! My fear is that it gets way colder than the 50's. Yesterday it was in the 70's but the days prior to that it was in the 40's. Fall in Kansas is very up and down. But winters are just plain COLD! I've noticed that if I put Irwin out on "cold" days - he will go straight to his house and not come out. In fact I had a scare this spring because I put him out too early. It was in the 60's and I thought he would love being outside. Nope. He staying in his house for like 5 days - didn't eat a darn thing. I brought him back in warmed him up and he ate right away.
So that's why I'm going to keep him in this winter. Aren't you in California? I don't think it gets as cold there as it does here.

 

[Big Charlie]

Hey Big Charlie! Long time no talk! My fear is that it gets way colder than the 50's. Yesterday it was in the 70's but the days prior to that it was in the 40's. Fall in Kansas is very up and down. But winters are just plain COLD! I've noticed that if I put Irwin out on "cold" days - he will go straight to his house and not come out. In fact I had a scare this spring because I put him out too early. It was in the 60's and I thought he would love being outside. Nope. He staying in his house for like 5 days - didn't eat a darn thing. I brought him back in warmed him up and he ate right away.
So that's why I'm going to keep him in this winter. Aren't you in California? I don't think it gets as cold there as it does here.

Hi there! Yes, I'm in California and it doesn't get as cold here. We usually get some nights below freezing here. On the coldest days it usually gets up in the 40s during the day. When I first built Charlie's night box, he stayed in it for nearly 2 months straight, not coming out at all! I believe that although it kept him warm enough to survive, it wasn't getting him warm enough to eat. After I added another heat panel, he started coming out every day. I would check the temperatures in his house to see if that might be the problem. Also, he may not like change, and that is why he didn't come out. Even if you can't have him outside all winter, if you can extend the time that he can be outside, I think that would be wonderful for both of you.

 

[TSchadel]

I absolutely agree 100% with everything you said. And I do try to get him outside when I think he will enjoy it. Someone on this forum told me that Sullys don't like anything below 65-70 - so that's what I've been basing his "outside days" on. Since I brought him back in the first part of October, he goes outside for the day approximately 4-6 days a week. He never stays outside because the nights have been dipping down in the low 40's. This winter I plan on keeping him inside. Next summer I will look into an outside NightBox or something. I just don't want him cooped up in a small box all winter

 

[Tom]

I see your dilemma. I don't have an easy answer. Outside is too cold. Locked in a little box for months doesn't work. Most people don't have enough room indoors…

8x8 feet is just not large enough for a 25 pound active tortoise. Its not fatal if the enclosure is too small, but they really need more room to move. Indoors is best for them in areas with frozen winters, but they really need an entire room or a large basement to be heated up for them.

Its a tough problem to solve. This is why I say I wouldn't keep a giant species of tortoise in that sort of climate. I don't know how people do it. Its just not practical. It can be done, its just not cheap or east to do it.

In any case, I wish you good luck, and you don't need a top on an enclosure for a 25 pounder.

 

[TSchadel]

Thanks Tom! I know an 8x8 area is not large enough - but it's the best I can do for this winter. I have another room in the basement that's quite large - but it doesn't have heat to it and I will have to do some renovations to it. I plan on doing this over time and hopefully by next winter I can put Irwin there. The area I have designated for his new home does have heat to it - and I will also use lights/CHEs as well.
I hear you on keeping this type of tort in this type of climate - but in my defense - I inherited Irwin from my daughter when she went off to college. He was just a lil tyke that her boyfriend got her for a birthday gift. Now - 3 years later - he's not so little - but he has stolen my heart and I'm trying to do the best I can for him!
Again - thanks for your input on my situation...