Temporary indoor/winter enclosure

[AmandaMS]

Our Fig has an outdoor enclosure that he used all last summer but now has a heated house so we're going to try keeping him outside as much as possible now. When it does get extra cold and he comes inside essentially just to sleep, we have an area I'd like to use but wanted to get your thoughts. We have a "room" that we built for our dog that's essentially a converted closet with tile on the floor and halfway up the wall, with a half height thick wooden door. I'm thinking of using that as his overnight area on extra cold nights. I probably wouldn't put any dirt in there but could if needed. I honestly think he'll just sleep. When he free roams the house and he's had enough, he settles in a dog bed and would stay there forever if we didn't make him go back to his area. Does this sound like an ok plan? He's not terribly big yet. He's smaller than our dog and the space is fine for her.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

@ryan57 what do you do for your tortoises?

 

[Renee_H]

Our Fig has an outdoor enclosure that he used all last summer but now has a heated house so we're going to try keeping him outside as much as possible now. When it does get extra cold and he comes inside essentially just to sleep, we have an area I'd like to use but wanted to get your thoughts. We have a "room" that we built for our dog that's essentially a converted closet with tile on the floor and halfway up the wall, with a half height thick wooden door. I'm thinking of using that as his overnight area on extra cold nights. I probably wouldn't put any dirt in there but could if needed. I honestly think he'll just sleep. When he free roams the house and he's had enough, he settles in a dog bed and would stay there forever if we didn't make him go back to his area. Does this sound like an ok plan? He's not terribly big yet. He's smaller than our dog and the space is fine for her.

I’m not in this position but I’ll share my thoughts. First this group doesn’t advocate for house roaming as this can and does lead to accidental ingestion of foreign objects, is too cold and drafty and has led to injury and even death. So now that I got that point out of the way, I think that space could work but I’d build a platform to get your tortoise off the floor(insulate under it if possible and hang a radiant heat panel above him to keep him warm.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Our Fig has an outdoor enclosure that he used all last summer but now has a heated house so we're going to try keeping him outside as much as possible now. When it does get extra cold and he comes inside essentially just to sleep, we have an area I'd like to use but wanted to get your thoughts. We have a "room" that we built for our dog that's essentially a converted closet with tile on the floor and halfway up the wall, with a half height thick wooden door. I'm thinking of using that as his overnight area on extra cold nights. I probably wouldn't put any dirt in there but could if needed. I honestly think he'll just sleep. When he free roams the house and he's had enough, he settles in a dog bed and would stay there forever if we didn't make him go back to his area. Does this sound like an ok plan? He's not terribly big yet. He's smaller than our dog and the space is fine for her.

Have you considered building a night box indoors to keep the temperatures more stable?