What’s the best outdoor setup for winter?!?

[DallysW]

Hi Everybody!! I live in East Texas which gets cold here,, Sometime snows!! I would like to know the best outdoor setup i can do for him?! I know a heating pad and a red light works... He’s around 35/40 pounds so I need a pretty good size idea! Thanks!! [emoji2][emoji217]

I would love to see pictures of your guys outdoor setups [emoji2]

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hi Everybody!! I live in East Texas which gets cold here,, Sometime snows!! I would like to know the best outdoor setup i can do for him?! I know a heating pad and a red light works... He’s around 35/40 pounds so I need a pretty good size idea! Thanks!! [emoji2][emoji217]

I would love to see pictures of your guys outdoor setups [emoji2]

Try taking a look through Tom’s nightime box threads. Remember...this is just to sleep in and stay warm overnight.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
Or
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

Red heat lamps are usually discouraged since they make everything look like edible food.

Good luck

 

[DallysW]

Try taking a look through Tom’s nightime box threads. Remember...this is just to sleep in and stay warm overnight.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
Or
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

Red heat lamps are usually discouraged since they make everything look like edible food.

Good luck

Thank you!! Should I get heat bulbs with no light instead of red light?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hey there.

You will read in the posts that what is used is a combo of three things....
1. A Kane heat pad (pig blanket) on the floor
2. A mini-oil heater inside and protected by a cage of sorts
3. A Radiant Heat Panel (RHP) on the roof.

Some ppl use all three or a combo of the above - all controlled by a good thermostat.

All of the bits are noted in those threads (above).

Good luck.

 

[Tom]

No over head bulbs of any kind for a tortoise that large. No red bulbs, black bulbs or CHEs. All will damage the top of the carapace and "slow burn" it. Use either a RHP (Radiant Heat Panel) over a Kane heat mat, or use a mini radiant oil heater. Examples of each are in the threads lined by Maro.

 

[DallysW]

Hey there.

You will read in the posts that what is used is a combo of three things....
1. A Kane heat pad (pig blanket) on the floor
2. A mini-oil heater inside and protected by a cage of sorts
3. A Radiant Heat Panel (RHP) on the roof.

Some ppl use all three or a combo of the above - all controlled by a good thermostat.

All of the bits are noted in those threads (above).

Good luck.

Thank you! I’ll definitely look into all of those! On the Kane heat pad. What size do you think he would need, and I would just put a blanket over it?!

I also heard hay is good for them so they can bury, But what do you guys think?

 

[wellington]

Thank you! I’ll definitely look into all of those! On the Kane heat pad. What size do you think he would need, and I would just put a blanket over it?!

I also heard hay is good for them so they can bury, But what do you guys think?

I think most get the 18x18. No blanket on it. I wouldn't use hay either, too drying for bedding and fire hazard. If the days and nights get too cold for a long period of time you may need a large shed so he has a large space to walk around while having too stay inside. Being in Texas though I doubt you would get that much snow or too many days of snow, not like here in Chicago.

 

[Tom]

Thank you! I’ll definitely look into all of those! On the Kane heat pad. What size do you think he would need, and I would just put a blanket over it?!

I also heard hay is good for them so they can bury, But what do you guys think?

I use the 18x28 Kane mats. Be aware that the Kane mat alone is not enough to maintain temps when winter sets in. I use a radiant heat panel over them, and this does the job in an insulated and sealed night box like the ones in the threads.

You should never put anything on top of a Kane mat. No hay and no blanket. If you want to use hay in your night box, then use the radiant oil heaters and keep the hay and the tortoise from touching it. I use grass hay in some of my boxes, but not in others. Each situation is different.

 

[CapnAwes0me]

Hey there. I live in North Texas and I’ve recently made an outdoor area for my Sulcata. Check this link out and let me know if you have questions.
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/It-is-built!!!-Thanks-Tom!.169220/

 

[DallysW]

Hey there. I live in North Texas and I’ve recently made an outdoor area for my Sulcata. Check this link out and let me know if you have questions.
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/It-is-built!!!-Thanks-Tom!.169220/

I really like this!! Thank you for sharing! Can I please see your setup of the inside of it, so I can kind of get a idea?

 

[CapnAwes0me]

I really like this!! Thank you for sharing! Can I please see your setup of the inside of it, so I can kind of get a idea?

Hey sorry had a crazy week! Here is the inside:

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqdV93rEFt3S73FKjyNFvag/videos​

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[DallysW]

Hey sorry had a crazy week! Here is the inside:
View attachment 255312

Wow thank you! This helps a lot! Is that just dirt by the heating pad?

 

[CapnAwes0me]

Wow thank you! This helps a lot! Is that just dirt by the heating pad?

Yep just dirt from my yard!

 

[Stuart S.]

What part of East Texas are you in?

 

[DallysW]

What part of East Texas are you in?

Longview tx.