You’ll think I’m crazy! Need Cold weather help!

[Carolina Vivariums]

Hey everybody! New to the forum. I live in Greenville, SC where the summers reach 100+ and the winter can reach 0 with all the temperatures in between! Right now we are at 70 for the high and 35 for the lows. I got a message yesterday from a friend who had a sulcata that needed to be rescued. I have a lot of experience with reptiles have my own assortment or frogs, turtles, and geckos. I also have been an intern at the local zoo for 2 years now mostly working with reptiles. I have a passion for these animals and saving them. The previous owner had found this male outside in the woods over the summer (I assume it was an escapee but could have been dumped there) and they kept it in the fenced in yard all summer but as the temperatures are dropping they knew they couldn’t keep it anymore and were trying to re home it. So I offered to take it for them knowing not to many people around here would take it in the start at winter...I forgot to mention this guy is starting to get on the big side. He is about 30lbs and 18in in carapace length (and gonna get a lot bigger I know) So I need help figuring out how to house him over the winter. My initial thought was to house him in the 4ft x 6ft closet in my animal room that stays warm. For the time being he is in there I put a ply wood floor down then a tarp then cypress mulch along with his lighting needs but I know this is only temporary. I am thinking about building a 6ft x 6ft concrete insulated shelter outside with a greenhouse style run attach for the warmer parts of the winter to get some freedom. Do you think this will work? I need any and all tips and advice on this because I want to care for him the way he deserves! I’m building a greenhouse next year and I will be planning to househim in a large pin attached to the greenhouse next winter so I just have to get through this winter! Thanks all hopefully the comments aren’t to harsh (ps: the pen in the picture isn’t the full size it’s gonna be 2ft longer and that is only the temporary home)

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

That's not nearly big enough. Most of us with large sulcatas have turned over the garage to them (insulated and heated), or built them an outdoor shed with access to outside even in cold weather. They know enough to go back in when they get cold.

It's not just the size, but sulcatas do a lot of digging. That tarp will be destroyed in no time.

 

[Carolina Vivariums]

Hi, and welcome!

That's not nearly big enough. Most of us with large sulcatas have turned over the garage to them (insulated and heated), or built them an outdoor shed with access to outside even in cold weather. They know enough to go back in when they get cold.

It's not just the size, but sulcatas do a lot of digging. That tarp will be destroyed in no time.

Thanks for the advice yea I figured this is really just because I needed a place to put him tonight. Unfortunately I do not have a garage or outdoor shed right now so I wanted to build the outdoor insulated concrete “bunker”

 

[waretrop]

I have posted this many times in the past...and will continue doing so.

This house is build with sheet rock on brick. Beware, this took my Alice about 2 days to rip through this sheet rock....Now I didn't care and we made it through our winter but keep it in mind what powerhouses they can be....When she did this she was about the same size as your is now....That is not allot of space.... they can be in cold weather for 10 minutes or so which will passify them till the next day...Be on guard....they like exercise...

 

[Carolina Vivariums]

I have posted this many times in the past...and will continue doing so.
View attachment 221662
This house is build with sheet rock on brick. Beware, this took my Alice about 2 days to rip through this sheet rock....Now I didn't care and we made it through our winter but keep it in mind what powerhouses they can be....When she did this she was about the same size as your is now....That is not allot of space.... they can be in cold weather for 10 minutes or so which will passify them till the next day...Be on guard....they like exercise...

Thanks for the heads up I’m hoping to have in a 8x8 shelter outside with a run in about two weeks I put plywood on the walls to help buffer the damage but I’m prepared for that to happen lol this was a real spur of the moment rescue because I knew the temps were gonna be cold out and he could not be with his previous owner another night!

 

[teresaf]

Sure he's a he? He has a weird shell pattern that shows extra schutes. ALOT of these torts with extra schutes are female...he also shows a bit of mbd. Are you supplementing his diet weekly with calcium and have proper lighting? It's not really bad so no worries.

 

[Tom]

I realize you are doing your best on short notice here, but I want to warm you to be very careful with the over head lamp. Overhead lamps are good for smaller tortoises, but larger tortoises in cooler areas tend to get the tops of their carapace slow burned by that sort of heat. Be very careful to check the temperate under the lamp at tortoise height and be sure he isn't sitting under it for too long.

@Turtulas-Len is north of you in Virginia. I hope he'll share some tips about housing a tortoise in your type of climate.

 

[Carolina Vivariums]

Sure he's a he? He has a weird shell pattern that shows extra schutes. ALOT of these torts with extra schutes are female...he also shows a bit of mbd. Are you supplementing his diet weekly with calcium and have proper lighting? It's not really bad so no worries.

I think it is a male but could be wrong it has pretty good indentation on the bottom side! He was basically on a diet of just grass from is previous owner I just got him yesterday a real spur of the moment rescue!

 

[Carolina Vivariums]

I realize you are doing your best on short notice here, but I want to warm you to be very careful with the over head lamp. Overhead lamps are good for smaller tortoises, but larger tortoises in cooler areas tend to get the tops of their carapace slow burned by that sort of heat. Be very careful to check the temperate under the lamp at tortoise height and be sure he isn't sitting under it for too long.

@Turtulas-Len is north of you in Virginia. I hope he'll share some tips about housing a tortoise in your type of climate.

Thanks Tom! I already have been putting the pieces together to start getting ready to build a 8x8x4 shelter outside with greenhouse style run and then I can bring him in on the coldest nights! I’m gonna fix up his indoor much more I woke up Sunday with a message asking If I could take him and got him that day so it was real short notice but everyone on here has been so helpful I love this community already! I’ll will check his light so far he’s been hunkering down in the opposite corner so not getting burned! Thanks for the input! I would love to hear from someone in Virginia that would be HUGE help because this is definitely gonna be an undertaking!

 

[Len B]

Hello, Concrete is a heat thief so I wouldn't advise using it. Also I have tried using green houses for torts and tender cactus and haven't found a good design that works for either one. you don't get any benefits as the glass or plastic stops the uv rays from getting through and the ground stays cold while the upper air does heat up nice. I built an 8x8 house with 6 inch walls and floor with plenty of insulation. It is heated with a 3x4 ft stanfield heat mat, a 150 watt che and an oil filled heater. I don't use the che and oil heater at the same time. When it gets real cold and the che and heat mat don't produce enough heat I turn the che off and turn the oil heater on. the heat mat stays on all winter, I have it set so it is using 170 watts constantly. I adjust the wattage of the che depending on the outside air temps. Last week the heat mat was all that was needed to keep the house warm and cozy. Now we are in the 40 to mid 60 degree range I have the che on at 150 watts and this keeps the house at 30 to 35 degrees above the outside air temps Here's the front of Walkers house. and the inside Unless we are expecting very nasty weather his door stays open for him to come and go as he pleases.

 

[Carolina Vivariums]

Hello, Concrete is a heat thief so I wouldn't advise using it. Also I have tried using green houses for torts and tender cactus and haven't found a good design that works for either one. you don't get any benefits as the glass or plastic stops the uv rays from getting through and the ground stays cold while the upper air does heat up nice. I built an 8x8 house with 6 inch walls and floor with plenty of insulation. It is heated with a 3x4 ft stanfield heat mat, a 150 watt che and an oil filled heater. I don't use the che and oil heater at the same time. When it gets real cold and the che and heat mat don't produce enough heat I turn the che off and turn the oil heater on. the heat mat stays on all winter, I have it set so it is using 170 watts constantly. I adjust the wattage of the che depending on the outside air temps. Last week the heat mat was all that was needed to keep the house warm and cozy. Now we are in the 40 to mid 60 degree range I have the che on at 150 watts and this keeps the house at 30 to 35 degrees above the outside air temps Here's the front of Walkers house.View attachment 221679 and the insideView attachment 221678 Unless we are expecting very nasty weather his door stays open for him to come and go as he pleases.

Thank you so much for your advice! It’s really nice to see this is doable in our climate! I plan to bring him inside on the real cold nights! So you let him roam on days that it’s around 40-55 degrees outside?

 

[Len B]

Thank you so much for your advice! It’s really nice to see this is doable in our climate! I plan to bring him inside on the real cold nights! So you let him roam on days that it’s around 40-55 degrees outside?

He comes out for a while no matter how cold it is, even in the teens and with snow on the ground. I've raised him for 21 years and he has lived outside full time for quit a while now.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Where I live we don't get many days (I can't remember any) in the 40's, but certainly when it is 55° and sunny my sulcata will be outside, maybe. He does surprise me at times. Several days last winter when it was rainy and 55-60° he was out munching on new growth. Another time it was a sunny 65° and he stayed in his house all day.

 

[Speedy-1]

I built Speedy a night box with a hinged door , that serves as a ramp . I lock him in at night , open it in the morning and he is in and out as he pleases !

 

[gr8danelover]

I built Speedy a night box with a hinged door , that serves as a ramp . I lock him in at night , open it in the morning and he is in and out as he pleases !

View attachment 221725

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I have heard some people say they will fall asleep outside and then get too cold and not go inside.

 

[Len B]

I have heard some people say they will fall asleep outside and then get too cold and not go inside.

That is very much a possibility, you have to watch them closely when the temps are low. In time they should learn to go into the heated house to warm up though. Sulcatas are quick learners, I never had one stay out in the cold so long that it couldn't make back to the heat.

 

[Big Charlie]

I have heard some people say they will fall asleep outside and then get too cold and not go inside.

That has happened to Charlie a few times. Usually, it's not so cold that he can't survive the night out, and the next night he is sure to use his night box. We usually only have this problem at the beginning of the cold weather. Once he gets into the habit of using the night box every night, he is very good about it. There was a problem last year once when I believe the door to his night box was blocked when he wanted to go in so he ended up in the corner of my yard. Then I had to get people to help me move him. Once we got him next to the entrance, he walked into the night box himself.

 

[teresaf]

I think it is a male but could be wrong it has pretty good indentation on the bottom side! He was basically on a diet of just grass from is previous owner I just got him yesterday a real spur of the moment rescue!

Flip him over and get a couple plastron shots if you want a confirmation. Get a good shot of his tail. A side shot to show any concavity of the plastron too...

 

[gr8danelover]

That has happened to Charlie a few times. Usually, it's not so cold that he can't survive the night out, and the next night he is sure to use his night box. We usually only have this problem at the beginning of the cold weather. Once he gets into the habit of using the night box every night, he is very good about it. There was a problem last year once when I believe the door to his night box was blocked when he wanted to go in so he ended up in the corner of my yard. Then I had to get people to help me move him. Once we got him next to the entrance, he walked into the night box himself.

Thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

I have heard some people say they will fall asleep outside and then get too cold and not go inside.

You have to go out in the evening and make sure the tortoise is inside his shelter every night. If he's not, you put him in there. After being put inside a couple times he'll get the message and start going in on his own.