southern cal temps

[TheCobbler]

I've been doing some reading on acceptable low temps for sulcatas for a while now. from what I've been reading the lowest temps vary from 60 down to 40 degrees. I live in LA and the lowest temp is around 45. I was wondering if there was anyone else nearby that keeps their sullies outdoors without heating and how they seem to handle it. I'll be moving to school for 2-3 years and might not be able to take momo with me. so he'd be staying in my parents backyard until I return.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Is there anyway they could have a hide to go in with heat lamps? They can get sick if they don't have a place to warm up.

 

[Tom]

They need night heat. An adult can survive an occasional dip into the forties, but it is not good for them and should be avoided. In the wild the temp dips into the 50's at night in the middle of their winter, BUT it warms up into the 90's or 100's every day, AND they are down in their burrows, where I am guessing the temp is around 80 every night given the daytime highs. They are not above ground experiencing temps in the 50's. Their winters are like my summers as far as temps go and my 3' deep man-made burrows stay 80 all summer long with no electricity. They drop down to the 50's in winter, if I do not keep them heated with heat panels, CHE's or heat mats.

 

[EricIvins]

I temped my Adults on a 35 degree night at the coldest point of the night, with no external heat out in the open, and core body temps were in the 50-60 Degree range........As long as temperatures come back up during the day, the animals are fine........They're built to handle that......

 

[TheCobbler]

sadly, a plugged in source of heat isn't possible. the outlet eight feet away from the enclosure and over concrete...so the cord would just be sitting in the middle of the backyard. I've been looking at ways to use solar power, but it's pretty complicated and i have no idea how to use solar panels and external batteries. that's why i was hoping a house with proper insulation would suffice.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Can it work, yes. But its definitely not ideal and I wouldn't recommend it. I'd try and figure out an electrical solution.

 

[Tom]

that's why i was hoping a house with proper insulation would suffice.

It won't suffice.

My night house is 80 feet from the outlet. I use an extension cord and use little wire hangers along two walls to keep it off the ground and out of the way. You could also run it inside some PVC to protect it and leave it on the ground. If you run a heat mat and a CHE or radiant heat panel on a thermostat, you can keep him warm all winter for about .25 cents a day in an insulated house. In summer and the warmer parts of spring and fall, you won't use any electricity at all.

If you can't provide him with a heated house, then give him to someone who can.

 

[cljohnson]

An extension cord doesn't have to lay on the ground. An outdoor rated cord could be strung overhead to power a ceramic heat bulb, oil filled radiator or pig blanket whichever works best for your tort house.

 

[elvis]

I live in So Cal. Nights temps can get pretty low here. I would never not provide a night heated hide. Ive been using an extension cord to run two ceramics heating bulbs and a heating pad for 5 years without any problems. Please don't leave him out in the cold !

 

[TheCobbler]

alright. thanks guys. I think I'll either bring him with me to school during the cold season and leave him at home during summer/spring or figure out an affective way to heat his house.

 

[Yvonne G]

Two of my outdoor pens get their electricity via extension cords. You buy the cord with the smallest number...for example 12 gauge is a larger gauged wire. You don't want a small gauge extension cord for permanent use like heating winter houses. The heavy gauge costs more, but is safer to use. I've had the same extension cords in use now for about 5 years. They are stapled either to a fence or along side the house, and up out of the way. They are starting to show a little fading from the sun, and its probably about time to start thinking about replacing them. Is it an ideal solution? No, but it works.

 

[ascott]

Well...if you can bring the power over to him...why not bring his winter house to the power...move his house near the plug and use an outdoor extension cord to run the heat source? This would solve your problem easily....also if you are concerned with concrete simply put a 3-4 inch barrier between his house and the concrete (pallet or 4x4s cut to size to lay on ground) ...just a thought

 

[jaizei]

Extension cords are not a suitable substitute for proper electrical wiring.

 

[Tom]

Well that depends on your definition of "suitable". I have been using them for decades with out a single problem. I use heavy gauge cords, route them carefully, and find them very suitable for my purposes.

 

[TheCobbler]

I think I may move his house closer to the outlet. but it's a bit complicated because his enclosure is 6-8 feet from the outlet. any ideas on where to get heating supplies?

 

[Tom]

Tyler is a forum member here and I know he sells the Kane heat mats. He might sell some of the other stuff too.

I like to use radiant heat panels for bigger ones and ceramic heating elements in ceramic fixtures for smaller ones. You can also use colored bulbs for night.

If you do a google search for each of the following, you will find all sorts of leads: Ceramic heating elements, pig blankets or Kane heat mats, radiant heat panels. And don't forget to put it all on a thermostat so it will shut itself off on warm days and not over heat or waste expensive electricity.

 

[jaizei]

Well that depends on your definition of "suitable". I have been using them for decades with out a single problem. I use heavy gauge cords, route them carefully, and find them very suitable for my purposes.

Extension cords are intended to be used temporarily, to temporarily extend a circuit for use somewhere there isn't one. To use them as an alternative to actually running conduit/wire is not their intended purpose, and can be dangerous. Which is probably why the NEC doesn't permit using cords in lieu of fixed wiring methods.

Installing an extension cord in conduit, stapling it to a fence or stringing it over head can make that cord being used improperly even more dangerous.