Sulcata not coming out of his house

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Speedracer2580

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[/font]We have a sulcata that is a year old, maybe a little bit older, that we recently moved from an 80 gallon fish tank to a house out in the backyard. The tank had all of the proper lighting and heat lamps but Sherman was getting too big for that small of a space. His house in the backyard has the big red heat bulb (150w I think) for nighttime but we figured he wouldn't need anything else because he'd be out walking around during the day. We live in Arizona so the daytime temps are going up. However, he hasn't come out of his house for the past day or two. Could he be hybernating even though it really isn't winter anymore? Nighttime temps here are in the high 40's, slowly coming in to the low 50's and the temp in his house seems to stay right around 70-72 at night. Is that too cold? Could he be in shock from having a constant heat source to having to adjust to the colder temps at night? Any advice/suggestions would be awesome!
 

jeffbens0n

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I think yes, his temps need to be a little higher, he is still young. Have you tested his temps during the coldest parts of the night to make sure it is staying at 70? Is there drafts in his house at night?
 

Kristina

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He wouldn't be hibernating, because Sulcatas typically do not hibernate. But yes, temps are a bit low for him to be out and about.

Is there room in his house to feed and water him?
 

Tom

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I think he's too small to be outside all the time. Some people do it, but I don't think its optimal. One 150 watt light bulb for temps in the 40's does not sound adequate to me. Where in the tortoise house are you measuring? Try putting a remote probe on the ground right next to the tortoise or under the tortoise and see what you get. You might be surprised. Do you have a temp gun? Try going out and temping your tort at 6 am. Just curious.

I'd put him out during the day and make a bigger enclosure somewhere indoors for cold days and nights for another year or two.

Also, its my opinion (and I know some people disagree) that colored bulbs keep them up at night. I think heat mats or CHE's are a better way to go. When I move them outside, I like to have them heated from above and below in the winter. I usually start with an 18x18" heat mat and a 60watt CHE overhead. As they (and their houses) get bigger, I swap to 18x28" mats and 100 watt CHEs to cover a larger area. In the summer, when temps are in the 90's or 100's every day, I unplug ALL the heat and let them drop down into the 60's. This is, of course, for three year olds and up, AND there is NO humidity in the house at this time.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi "SpeedRacer2580":

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?


Be sure that there is enough room inside the house for the tortoise to get out from under the bulb. Personally, I use black light bulbs PLUS pig blankets for my outdoor houses.

You might consider just boxing him up in a plain, old cardboard box and cover him with shredded newspaper and bring him into the house at night. He'll just sleep all night, so there's no need to make a whole inside habitat. If you can't find a spot in the house where he can be 75 degrees or so at night, then you can put a CHE or black/red light over the box, but be careful its not too close to start a fire. Then you just do what I call the "ins and outs of Spring." Take him out in the a.m. and bring him in in the p.m. until the night temps are warm enough for him to stay out all the time.
 

Laura

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How big is he? one year old outside is a little prey animal.. he might feel very vulnerable as well as too cold.
 
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