When is a baby no longer a baby?

[wellington]

Please follow Tom and Markw84 advice. Sulcata should not be kept at temps below 80.
Also be sure he can get off the heat mat but still be able to sleep in the hide.

 

[zovick]

Actually sulcata should not be kept in temps below 80. Same with leopards.

You may be interested to learn that I had the first two breeding pairs of sulcata in the US back in the 1970's, at which time I lived in the northwestern CT mountains. I kept the sulcatas outdoors 24/7 from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The daytime temperatures in the summer rarely get over 85 degrees, and at night, the temps drop into the mid-50's and sometimes lower. One year, we even had a frost all 12 months of the year. One particular morning, I went outside to check on them as the temperature had gotten unusually cold the night before, and the largest male was out sitting in a sunny spot in the grass with FROST on his back.

Those tortoises did not have deep burrows in CT but used shallow pallets which they dug at the base of trees and they were exposed to surface temps in the 50's regularly and never had any problems, PLUS they produced the first CB sulcata babies in the country in 1977 so obviously were in good condition.

I am not trying to be argumentative, just pointing out the facts to explain why I disagree with some of the other posters' temp requirement statements. The sulcata tortoises are extremely good at thermoregulation and can manage to survive and be successful at lower temps if/when given the chance.

 

[wellington]

You may be interested to learn that I had the first two breeding pairs of sulcata in the US back in the 1970's, at which time I lived in the northwestern CT mountains. I kept the sulcatas outdoors 24/7 from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The daytime temperatures in the summer rarely get over 85 degrees, and at night, the temps drop into the mid-50's and sometimes lower. One year, we even had a frost all 12 months of the year. One particular morning, I went outside to check on them as the temperature had gotten unusually cold the night before, and the largest male was out sitting in a sunny spot in the grass with FROST on his back.

Those tortoises did not have deep burrows in CT but used shallow pallets which they dug at the base of trees and they were exposed to surface temps in the 50's regularly and never had any problems, PLUS they produced the first CB sulcata babies in the country in 1977 so obviously were in good condition.

I am not trying to be argumentative, just pointing out the facts to explain why I disagree with some of the other posters' temp requirement statements. The sulcata tortoises are extremely good at thermoregulation and can manage to survive and be successful at lower temps if/when given the chance.

I do believe, as I have seen on here, sulcata adults going out and roaming in the snow. Howeber, they have a warm hide of 80 or more to go into to warm up.
I also know a few years back an adult sully died from being too cold. I can't remember the member that had it. I guess if ones willing to take the chance. However, more and better is known now compared to back in the day and with the area they come from never getting that cold, I wouldn't chance it, specially a young one.