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Bluedahlia   RepticTay   J&C  
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 #2001925


Bluedahlia
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 Outdoor enclosure for sulcata questions

first off i want to say i live in Colorado, i hear of people keeping sulcatas outside during the summer but i would like more opinions.

my guy is about 6 inches straight length, is he big enough to live outside?

i have a 30’ X 5’ garden (fenced above and below ground) that he would live in would daily watering of the garden be a problem?

if i make him a heated hide box in one corner of the garden would he know to get inside it before the sun goes down? (it can get in the low 60’s some nights during summer).

we don’t have raccoons where i live but a lot of hawks, would they get him?

is there anything else i need to know about?

thank you
05/10/09  04:07pm

 #2002244


RepticTay
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   Message To: Bluedahlia   In reference to Message Id: 2001925


 Outdoor enclosure for sulcata questions

maybe living outside during the summer but not year round. And always bring in at night being that small.

cannot answer your other q’s as im a UK resident and do not know how it works in the US for sullys. Sorry.

Also quickly - never let a 6-12inch tortoise free roam a big garden, make a 6ft by 4ft enclosure for now, and when he is an adult he should be safe to free roam until then keep him penned up with a predator proof top to the enclosure.
05/11/09  06:09am

 #2002329


J&C
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   Message To: RepticTay   In reference to Message Id: 2002244


 Outdoor enclosure for sulcata questions

What do you plan on growing in your garden? Most of the things I can think of are NOT good for a sulcata...
and you probably wont have too many veggies even grow because he will eat and eat and eat before they really have a chance to grow
A hawk will for sure be able to carry your tort away... plus there are other predators such as coyate(sp?) that would try your scully out for a tasty treat..
I would make a 4x6 foot enclosure outside for him... with metal grate on the top... maybe like a lid that you can open up can lock also
THey will know to go were its warm at night though.. so if it was COMPLETELY predator proof, then yes he could be out at night if you have a warm hide maybe with a ceramic heat emitter in it
Also... it needs a cool spot hide also because sometimes they get too hot in the sun and need to cool off...
oh and just remember that scully’s can dig VERY deep burrows so you would need something underground maybe a foot or two to prevent him from digging out
Good luck, Jackie:)
05/11/09  10:10am


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