Terrarium for sleeping, will this suffice?

aztortoisegal

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So I didn't get to build the enclosure I wanted to with a heating element, and tunnels, other stuff got in the way and now I won't be able to tackle that project for a few months. In the meantime, I have done the following and want your opinion as to whether it will be good enough for the next four months, until temps start getting around to about high sixties all day and night.

Glass terrarium, mesh top. Leaf litter substrate. Small heating pad stuck on side of terrarium, on the outside. Thermometer inside close to heating pad.

I put him in there in the late afternoon when he has already retired to his sleeping spot, and put him back out mid morning.

So, since he's just sleeping during that time anyways, is it ok that he doesn't have a lot of room in the terrarium? He's just snuggled into his leaf pile like he does outside. So far, the average temp over the last 48 hours has been 75 degrees in the terrarium.

Thoughts about this arrangement for the next few months? He's outside from about 11am to 5pm, as long as it's sunny, which is every day basically.
 

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Yellow Turtle01

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I this is just for sleeping, it's okay :)
Is he a sulcata? I think 80 would be slightly better :D!
 

Tom

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What size is your baby? Length and weight in grams? What age? Can we see a profile pic?

I ask because this matters for how you house him over night.
 

Levi the Leopard

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If I remember correctly this is a juvenile, right?

The smaller space for only sleeping is fine.

I don't know about those heading pads cuz I've never used them... but if you can accurately gauge the temps and it does the job, then I guess that's fine, too.

(75F is ok in a dry sleeping spot, you push it up to 80F if you keep the hide humid)
 

aztortoisegal

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Thanks all! Yes, little guy is approximately a year old. Sorry, there was nothing for you to judge his size by. And you bet, sleeping only! When he's awake, he has a big area to roam, and plenty of sun, or shade, whatever he wants at any time.
 

aztortoisegal

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I think I'll buy another pad, stick it on the opposite side of the enclosure, and put THAT one on a timer, and figure out a way for it to come on and off just to maintain closer to 80. I'll keep a close watch though and make sure it doesn't get tooooo warm.
 

Tom

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He looks small and pyramided. A pic and a weight would tell me more.

Living outside in dry air all day is not good for little ones, even though big ones tolerate it just fine. I would suggest a large indoor closed chamber and only put him outside for an hour or two a day until he gets bigger. These are not desert animals. They are grassland animals. Gotta have a substantial amount of annual rain to support grass, tree and shrub growth. There is a dry season over there, but they are underground during this time and not exposed to the hot dry air, like what you have there in AZ and I have here. What we don't have here in the U.S. is a hot rainy season like what they get over there in the wild. Babies hatch in the rainy season over there. There are puddles and marshes everywhere and its super hot and humid every day. Simulating this raining seasons yields the best results in our captive environments.

Despite what is often heard and repeated, "they" don't do better outside. Not babies anyway. I think your little guy needs to spend most of his time indoors with good humidity and hydration. The outdoor enclosure is great for a short amount of time, but not for 6 or more hours a day with a baby. I don't move mine outside full time until they reach 10+ inches, which usually takes about a year and a half to two years.
 
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