Should i leave my sulcata's outdoors tonight??

[matt581]

It's in the 50s at night time now and 80's during the day both of them are sleeping in there dog house. I never let them stay outside at night but now I have a fenced in 3ft high with cinder blocks all around it. Should it be ok at night time? anything i have to worrie about with animals trying to mess with them?


Help please its getting dark...lol


It's 75 out still and its 9:15pm

 

[wellington]

Yes the Sulcata's you can. I would close them in their dog house so no critters can get to them.

 

[Tom]

I would bring them in until you have some heat on a thermostat out there for them and a door that can be closed.

 

[wellington]

Sorry, I would follow what Tom says, with the size they are, I thought they could be left out, without heat, you did say it's 75 right. A door for sure would be needed to close them in. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[alben909]

I agree with Tom. I turn on my heating lamp only about a half of the time. If its about in the 70s there fine. I would turn on a heating lamp or bring them in if it is colder than that.

 

[ascott]

If your night temps are 75 at 9:16pm you can likely expect the coldest time to reach as low as mid 50's...the coldest time os the two hours or so before sunrise....now I personally believe that a night or two at that temp would not hurt them...however...mix in cool night temps and humidity then you could run into problems.....if you are able to house them indoors I would do that until you can set up a heat source ....if you have a problem with raccoons, fox, rats or coyotes I would certainly set up a secure little house/bungalow for them especially for nighttime once they do reside outdoors full time....although I see you live in MI...do you have a master plan for when you are neck deep in snow???? Lol.

 

[matt581]

If your night temps are 75 at 9:16pm you can likely expect the coldest time to reach as low as mid 50's...the coldest time os the two hours or so before sunrise....now I personally believe that a night or two at that temp would not hurt them...however...mix in cool night temps and humidity then you could run into problems.....if you are able to house them indoors I would do that until you can set up a heat source ....if you have a problem with raccoons, fox, rats or coyotes I would certainly set up a secure little house/bungalow for them especially for nighttime once they do reside outdoors full time....although I see you live in MI...do you have a master plan for when you are neck deep in snow???? Lol.

IK MI sucks for the winter time they each have pens for night and winter time with great UVB lighting and what not. There great pets 1 is a little over 9inches the other 1 is 11inches long. Do you guys out west just let your sulcata's outdoors 24-7 all yr around? That would be nice if so. We put mine out in mornings and bring them in at 9 or so b4 dark. They love the outdoors and sun light all day

 

[Baoh]

Yours are large enough to be outside by themselves in your current weather. In the mornings, before it gets hotter, they will bask to charge up and then go on grazing/roaming/napping spurts. I have had mine out for months without ill effect.

 

[Tom]

Once mine hit around 8-10" they move outside 24/7, BUT, they all have some sort of temperature controlled shelter. For many years I've used above ground boxes with various heating elements, but lately I've been experimenting with, and really liking, underground boxes. Most summer days are right around 100 here, with nights usually dropping into the 60s. Since mine will definitely be able to warm up the next day, I usually unplug all my heating equipment at this time. If nights are getting much cooler than that or if the days were not getting warm enough, I plug all the heating stuff back in. It's usually all unplugged for 3-4 months a year.

I know that sulcatas can survive lower temps than that, but I'm am not interested in mere survival. I want to give them the best conditions possible. There is no time ever in their natural range where they would be exposed to temps lower than 60s, and I'm making an educated guess, based on observation of the temps in my burrows, during similar weather, that their burrows probably hover around 80 all year long.

 

[matt581]

Once mine hit around 8-10" they move outside 24/7, BUT, they all have some sort of temperature controlled shelter. For many years I've used above ground boxes with various heating elements, but lately I've been experimenting with, and really liking, underground boxes. Most summer days are right around 100 here, with nights usually dropping into the 60s. Since mine will definitely be able to warm up the next day, I usually unplug all my heating equipment at this time. If nights are getting much cooler than that or if the days were not getting warm enough, I plug all the heating stuff back in. It's usually all unplugged for 3-4 months a year.

I know that sulcatas can survive lower temps than that, but I'm am not interested in mere survival. I want to give them the best conditions possible. There is no time ever in their natural range where they would be exposed to temps lower than 60s, and I'm making an educated guess, based on observation of the temps in my burrows, during similar weather, that their burrows probably hover around 80 all year long.

Tom can u please post some pics of the adult Sulcata pen or pens your have?

thanks for info everyone