Outdoor DIY Sulcata Tortoise Housing In Cooler Climates
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- Join me on a tour of our outdoor heated sulcata home and enclosure for our two big sulcata tortoises! Feel free to ask any questions you might have.
House Information:
Type of Shed Used: Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/slide...
Heat sources used in our tortoise house:
250 watt Ceramic Heat Emitter www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
Large Heating Pad
www.amazon.com/dp/B000PSRN20/...
Exo terra repti glow 10.0 UVB desert terrarium light, 30 watt, 36 inches
(we no longer use this)
Exo terra Sun glo 150 watt daylight spot
(we no longer use this)
Exo terra Night glow 40 watt moonlight lamp
Thermometer Unit: La Crosse Technology WS-9160U-IT Digital Thermometer with Indoor/Outdoor Temperaturewww.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
***Since publishing this video, we have made a few improvements to adjust to the cool climate:
-We swapped out the nightlight for another 250 watt ceramic bulb
-During the warmer months, we would only have the heating pad and ceramic bulbs on at night. Now since it's much colder, we keep the ceramics and heating pad on 24 hours a day. The day lights (UV, UVB, spot lamps) are still only kept on for about 7 hours a day.
-The temperature was getting down below freezing and the inside of the house dipped too low, so we added an extra layer of carpet liner to the door. Instead of cutting 4 inch sections like before, we only have one split in the runner for them to come in and out. Adding this has constantly kept the temperature about 5-10 degrees warmer at all times! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF IN A COLD CLIMATE.
The fact that you guys adjusted your home/life for these guys you committed to 20 years ago as ‘pingpong balls’ just shows
how much you care for these animals. I live in Australia and we are only allowed to keep native animals under permit and unfortunately, we have no native Tortoise species. They are my dream animal to own and watching this video was a treat (:
wow that's amazing. after reading this, i appreciate my tortoise a bit more. didn't realize how special they are until I found one. they're not turtles.
Hey thanks for the ideas! And glad to see another tort laying with it's legs strait behind him, my baby girl sleeps like thar! All 4 legs sticking out, spread eagle LOL
Mine too
It’s so cute! Love our Waylon and he does this all the time. Makes me feel like he loves his home and is relaxing and chillin 😎
I have watched this video numerous times. It is helping me prepare for the next steps in properly taking care of my 5 year old sulcata. I live in northern california. Winters are very cold for this creature. Presently my baby is outside during the warmer months but indoors for the winter. Since these guys do not hibernate they require year around attention. He is getting too big to move in and out so it will be important to have a proper outdoor house. Thank you for this video. Much love to your family.
The Tortoise is So Cute 😀 God bless you for taking care of it
Thank you so much for the information! I've been trying to figure out how to make an outside home for my Spur thigh tortoise. This house is perfect!! I'm so excited to get started making mine. So thoughtful of you to share your ideas so that other tortoises can have wonderful homes built by tortoise parents.
Great video
Big turtle
God bless him
Many more yrs of life
Thank you
lot of work. cute healthy sulcatas
I have a semi big Salcata. 50pounds, love what you did with this design. Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for all the wonderful information and suggestions.
Excellent video, You went above and beyond to care for your tortoise. Awesome!
Thanks! And yes, we love our torts! :)
Thank you for the help! Wonderful set up and information.
wow! they have a very nice house & a loving home. thanks for caring so well of these tortoises & for posting such a great idea 🐢
Thanks Kathryn. We love them very much and thanks for watching and taking the time to comment :)
Thanks. Frankie just turned two ans is growing fast! Exploring my options.
How kind of you to share your knowledge with others!! Excellent video and great husbandry for those lucky torts!!
Thanks so much @piscesmind. Great appreciate the kind words. :)
Wow Stephanie! This is a great setup. And nice tutorial!😉
Thanks for watching :)
I am so happy you posted this video! Our tort is 15 and in need of a full time outdoor solution and there is not much online to help as far as DIY goes. I'm excited to get started!
Excellent video! extremely thorough and helpful! thank you!
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the idea on an outdoor enclosure when mine gets too big to bring indoors! Love you pair and setup btw!
Love this enclosure, thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Hey, wonderful layout!! Mine is similar, but I sandwiched the foam between two thin layers of plywood. I never thought about using a mini-shed as my base. Very Very nice set up. Thanks!!
I used your ideas and built a nice she'd for the winter here in Washington. I also put heat lamps with step stones under the heat lamps to retain the heat. Have a nice animal heat pad in the other corner so he has the option to use. Every day I would check on him to make sure he was alright and he was very happy. Dexter is of course a male Salcota and he is about 85 lbs. We enjoy him a lot. Every day is a joy for use and for him!
Hows Winter when it snows?
Do anything different when it gets down in to the teens and or snow?
This was very interesting and very helpful. Ours is still a little guy but it won't be long before he's going to be big enough to need something similar to this! Thanks for the video, and your torts are gorgeous!!
Thanks David! I appreciate that and I am glad it was helpful.
Could really tell how much you guys love those torts
This is amazing information, well done on the innovation to meet the needs of these gentle giants. We are about to rescue our neighbors neglected Sulcata, and really appreciate having resources like your you tube video - THANK YOU!
Awesome video with great tortoise cameos! Though I have to admit my favorite part was when you said "nubbins"
Thank you very much for taking the time to share this! I have to start thinking of an outdoor habitat for my baby and this is extremely helpful. THANK YOU
So glad it's helped! Happy tortoise keeping and enjoy them while they are babies. They grow up so fast :)
Omg thank you for this! My tortoise is about 90lbs. This so helpful.
Great setup, an ideal way to do it, especially for folks who live in California.
i just got two large sulcatas from a friend and this is beyond helpful thank you
Thanks from sweden.😊
Thank you so much for all the information and making this video :) it really helped us out so much.
Very nice setup.👍
Helpful video and good ideas. Thank you.
Found this video very helpful and got some great ideas for mine. I like how you put everything in simple terms and don't rush too quickly! Thank you :)
Thanks so much Anna! I am glad it's helping so many people and tortoises. There were so few resources out there on how to do this sort of thing. Again, just glad that it's helping others. :)
Love the video and learning about your tortoises!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Looks great! Gives me some ideas to help our little guy. Thanks so much
Thanks for watching :)
Thank you so much!
Love from the Central Valley California
Thanks Vicky! Have a great weekend, stay cool :)
You have been the biggest inspiration for me! My 4-yr old tortie Dora will be happy, we're going to make this next weekend!
aww thanks so much for the kind comment Clint. I am also seeing this comment 4 months late so I hope your house is up and running!
Very cool work, great video!
Thanks for watching!
Very healthy looking pair! Great idea for a heat house also. Just be careful with bypassing your grounds on all those plugs. Especially outdoors. They sell outdoor timers that have the ground plug in them and outdoor extension cords. Great video!
I love the video you gave me so many ideas I have a 14yr old sulcata I did an outside enclosure but your it's awesome I am going to use some of your tips for sure!! Thank you
That's wonderful! Thanks so much for the feedback :)
Great ideas! I have a hatchling coming tomorrow, will be indoors until I can keep outside for summer months, live in Nebraska. Will be in 2 car garage when bigger for winter months.
Just starting on my 2 sulcata (6yrs) forever home. I live in Northern California, mostly below snow line. Although it does get into the 20’s. I am making a permanent move close by and can build their forever cottage. Super excited with your video so I do it right the first time. THANK YOU 🐢 🐢
Great video! 🐢❤️👍
Thank you for this! My sulcata is only 2, however I live in PA and this would be something great to do in the spring through summer months out side!
I live in Delaware and I have been trying to figure out a setup for outdoors for mine. It's hard here on the east coast. How big is yours and what kind of setup do you have?
Great video! Thanks for the info 👍🐢❤️
This is awesome- well done.
Your video has been the most helpful. You talked about lights, heating and clever tricks to insulate and protect the tortoise and house vice versa. Ive got to make mine before this summers end! I really enjoyed it.
Thanks Eduardo! I am glad it was helpful :)
Thank you for posting. Just what i needed.
Glad it helped!
gorgeous animals. thanks for the wonderful video
Thanks Baraka for the kind moment :) Much appreciated.
Thank you so much!! This was EXACTLY what I was looking to find to help with ideas for my Sulcatas!! Just bought a dog house, going to insulate and heat it and its nice to see how well yours looks and works for you! I'm on the Right track! Thanks for the helpful video!!! Your tortoises are so cool! Mine are 4 and 8lbs right now growing fast!! Wish me luck!! 🙌🏼🐢🏡👍🏼
I am so glad that you got some useful tips from my video. It's always a work in progress and I am always looking to improve. Enjoy your babies while they are small, I really think mine have grown faster once put outside full time. I miss the days when I could pick them up by myself. haha
They make good pets.
Trying to learn what it takes to take care of a sulcata in the winter months. Lots of great ideas here. I would add dirt as others mentioned but yea building itself lights heat great.
Thanks for this. We are coastal Orange County. This year is cooler than usual and I am concerned to keep our 75 lb girl warm. We have had no problems in the past. We noticed her moving in the evening and started looking at options.
What a really informative video! I really enjoyed it. Now I'll know what to do to set mine up. Great job!
Thank you for the feedback :)
Thank goodness for your video on this topic of winterizing giant sulcatas. I bring mine inside every winter and hate that. I even thought of rehoming him except I'd worry about him so I'm stuck with this big monster.
I am building a shelter for him tomorrow under my porch and I have one of those large heat pads and can get the heat lamps. He loves going under the porch and sleeps there most of the time. I live near the bay area and this should be fine as it stays dry and will be somewhat draft free. Thank you. Hate smelling big tortoise poops in my space.
Awesome advice. Thanks.
Great work
thank you!!!! love it. this will help me.
You thought of everything. I am going to do the same thing for my Bubba.
wow so they 26 ytears old now... no new videos? very cool tortoise house. only thing i can improve upon is rather than a timer, you can use a dual thermostat controller. they use them in growing pot. it has a sensor to control the temp during the day and a seperate sensor for the night. so you can control equipment to come on or off during different temps . it's amazing. if you need the model number of what i am using, let me know and i'll get it today for you. great idea you gave me with the insulation. thank you immensely .
Thank you so much, I'm trying to build a home for a tordas, and adopted him. I had no idea
You're welcome! Best of luck. They are wonderful pets but there's definitely a learning curve. Reach out if you have any questions.
I just want to say I'm from Tracy Ca and I just bought a 5 month old baby sulcata and I can't wait too build him a home like yours has! Great job! Love the ideas!
Oh nice, you guys get lots of hot weather up there! perfect for these guys. Happy herping!
We are also in Alamo - we have a desert tortoise (Yoshi) and need to outfit him in a safe warm place in our backyard. Thank you for all of the tips. Your video will really help us to get it started. Good Job!!
Hi fellow Alamo tortoise pal! I hope you and Yoshi are doing well. That's so cool you have a desert tort. Beautiful creatures and I love that they hibernate. I wish mine took the winter off. haha. Take care and sorry my reply is so late.
Nice setup
Thank you help me so much and I lived in Northern California two
👍great advice I own 4 sulcatas there my babies ❤
This is awesome!! It’s a lot of work tho... I wish I could just hire you guys to build this for my tortoise once I buy my home lol.
There are not alot of places to buy "Tortoises Houses" but I did locate a place here in California that does ship these amazing homes. bowwowdoghouses.com/dog-houses/
Me tooo!!!
@@TERRYROBNETT I clicked on the link but it said not found😕
@@tommybragalone7943 oh no 😳 that’s too bad. So sorry
Great video!
Great idea!
Nice love the ingenuity.
thanks so much RW!
Very useful video!!! Thanks
Big like thanks for sharing 💚👌👍
wow amazing...great job
Thank you! We try :)
Just came across your , this vid... looks great but just how cool is your cool in winter. Thank you.
We are in Alamo, California in the Bay Area. I would recommend looking it up and comping it to your winters. Overall, we get a fair amount of rain and it will go below freezing during the night. However it will very rarely dip into the 20s. If your area gets colder you could beef up the lights and insulation but if it gets really cold where you are, I would throughly test the temperature through a few nights to make sure it's staying warm enough before your torts use it just to be safe.
This video was super helpful! I am looking into getting a sulcata and my biggest reason to not was that we experience cold winters here, but this is giving me hope!
You can do it! As long as you don't mind a higher electricity bill :)
Thank you so much for sharing this. I live in AZ, and am inheriting a sulcata because his/her owner is moving to Idaho. I needed some hints for what all I needed for an evening house. Mine will be a little different than yours, but functionally the same. You are awesome!
that's fantastic to hear! I am glad this is giving ideas so so many other tortoise owners. Feel free to share any tips or tricks you figured out for yours. This is always a work in progress and I am always looking for ways to improve. Happy tortoise keeping!
Thank you for this! I live in Ohio so I was trying to figure out how to make something to keep my Sulcata warm all year around outside.
Tank loves you!!!
Excellent
Awesome video
thanks for watching! @raymond torres
This is awesome, you have given me the perfect idea for my torts so I can leave them outside without worry until fall. I have everything for the heat but where did you get your thermometer?
Great job!
Thank you, thanks for watching.
Nice setup. 👌🏾
One of my sulcatas’ name is tank as well
thanks! well Tank is such a fitting name, good choice!
I have a similar enclosure in our garage for the winter months. Our sulcata is 12 years and 55 pounds. I have my design for the next enclosure outdoors which will be built once we move (1-2 years). We live in coastal Georgia which allows our guy to stay outside from March to Oct. very social reptiles. Great post and great care, G.
Thanks! It sounds like you guys have a great set up as well. Happy tortoising :)
Thank You , This Really Helped Me. I Got My Sulcata very Small. And I agree I Had No Idea He Would Get So Big, But I Im learning everyday, This video Tells me exactly what to do, Thank You..
It's such a learning process, isn't it? Happy tortoise keeping :)
Finally, a great idea!
Very helpful Thank you
Thanks for watching :)
Great informative video.
Thanks for watching!
Great video
Thanks for watching!
Great video....thank you..
For the love of god thank you finally
No one cares about the tortoises and I have no idea how to take care of them because there’s nothing like online for bigger ones
Thank you, that is why I made this video and I am so happy that it's helping other tort owners.
Stephanie Kong could you please upload more on your tortoises unless you got rid of them because I don’t see many people with big spur thighed tortoises
@@sewlfn Dude search up Kamp Kenan dude is amazing
@@sewlfn Yes, definitely look up Kama Kenan. He's great and offers so much tortoise information (he is based in Florida). I got some of my ideas from him. I will upload an updated video this spring. I still have the tortoises and they are bigger and stronger than in the video! They seem to be loving their house after the few improvements we made that I want to share since they could help others. But I agree, there are not too many resources out there for tortoise keepers in more temperate climates which is why I made this video!
Stephanie Kong yeah, I’ve watched Kamp Kennan for 3 years I decided not to get a tort yet and got an iguana but yeah kamp kennan is good
Thank you for this video! Tank looks very happy! My sulfate is also named Tank, lol
haha, they really live up to their names don't they?
We have two Sulcutas and live in Northern CO. Habitat has been difficult due to our winters. Currently, we have to keep them separate because we didn't know you have to own them in odd numbers due to submission (the dominating guy attacks the other). We have talked about getting one more so they can be housed together yet 3 would be too much at this time. anyway, we built two different indoor pens as well so when the weather isn't permitting they come inside yet as they grow indoor options are becoming less. Both of ours love to dig so we have deep large holes in yard. I like your habitat idea; I was actually looking at that to convert and seeing yours does offer options. I appreciate you sharing cause you're correct not a lot of care info for these special shell babies... I totally welcome fellow Sulcuta owners to keep in contact with me, id love to hear about yours, suggestions... etc
Thanks Jennifer! Oh man, yeah we had to fence them once they started trying dig under the house. That was the line. haha. I would ideally keep mine separate since one is bigger and can push the smaller one around. Luckily they spend most of their time minding their own business but I have noticed in recent years they bug each other more. I hope it doesn't get to the point that they need to be separated so fingers crossed. Same to you! There should be a sulcutta fan page. haha. reach out if you ever want to bounce ideas off someone! Have a great weekend.
You have provided very well for your animals . I suspect that Shelly is also a male because of the fork in his plasteron under his head and neck. You should be rightfully proud of doing so well and sharing with us. Most of us caring for these animals would make fatal mistakes!
thanks so much! yes, as you suspected, we confirmed Shelly is a male. We love them very much and we are so lucky to have made it with them all these years :)
Hmong Mgtow Meng John Lee they should rename it sheldon I suppose haha
hahah, no renaming at this point. I think he will forever be Mr. Shelly :p . Sheldon is a good idea though
Explains why they fight and need to be separated sometimes!
Pretty darn good video. I’m in Phoenix and the winters around here can get chilly. Sometimes even under 40°F at night. So I’m looking for ideas for a shelter. I’m also hoping to prevent digging.
Thank you! Best of luck in your winters. Our winters get down to the 30's and this house has held up wonderfully. It makes keeping large tortoises so much easier.
Awesome video and enclosure our Sulcata is only about 2” now so I’ll have plenty of time to build one of these! 😂
haha, yes plenty of time to plan your tortoise empire :)
It goes by fast! In 5 years ours went from 1 inch to 1 foot long
I have a tortoise named Charlie. He will be turning 7 years old in a few days. My dad built Charlie a outdoor enclosure made from hog wire fencing. I think Charlie is a Sulcata tortoise. Charlie is shooting around 40 to 45 pounds!!
We might be able to Google "freezer flaps" or "cool door flaps" , "vertical flaps for freezers" , ect. I'm going to look into that when I order my supplies! Thanks for posting this!
Thank You for the very helpful video, I live close to San Francisco,My tortoise lives outside, I need to upgrade my Myrtle is 45 lbs ,love the housing, my thoughts on humidity…