Ya know? It may be important to keep young sulcatas warm, but I'm seeing more and more sulcatas that have not been kept warm in the winter, that have been left to fend for themselves in their burrow over the winter, and they come out of it just fine.
Here's the case of a hatchling sulcata bought at a pet store years (?) ago, kept by a young college student until he couldn't keep it anymore, given to his friend who kept it for a while, then given to his parents. The parents live on the outskirts of a small farming community just south of Fresno, CA and the tortoise lived in their back yard. He dug a burrow. The burrow went very deep and turned after about 10' so they couldn't see the bottom of it. The people had no idea how to care for this animal and just let him do his thing in the back yard. They gave him lots of romaine lettuce. In fact, they bought three or four cases of it at a time.
The winters here in the Central Valley of California average about 40F during the day (sometimes warmer, sometimes colder), and about 30F at night...occasionally dipping down into the lower 20'sF. This sulcata had no heat. He lived in his burrow during those cold times just fine.
My sulcata, Dudley, weighs about 110lbs and this sulcata, Buddy, is ever so slightly bigger than Dudley. I'm guessing maybe 120lbs or so. He's up for local adoption pending yard inspection, and there is no fee.
Here's the case of a hatchling sulcata bought at a pet store years (?) ago, kept by a young college student until he couldn't keep it anymore, given to his friend who kept it for a while, then given to his parents. The parents live on the outskirts of a small farming community just south of Fresno, CA and the tortoise lived in their back yard. He dug a burrow. The burrow went very deep and turned after about 10' so they couldn't see the bottom of it. The people had no idea how to care for this animal and just let him do his thing in the back yard. They gave him lots of romaine lettuce. In fact, they bought three or four cases of it at a time.
The winters here in the Central Valley of California average about 40F during the day (sometimes warmer, sometimes colder), and about 30F at night...occasionally dipping down into the lower 20'sF. This sulcata had no heat. He lived in his burrow during those cold times just fine.
My sulcata, Dudley, weighs about 110lbs and this sulcata, Buddy, is ever so slightly bigger than Dudley. I'm guessing maybe 120lbs or so. He's up for local adoption pending yard inspection, and there is no fee.
