Shelled Warriors Forums
 

Go Back   Shelled Warriors Forums > Tortoise Information > Non Med Species - Information & Questions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 18-08-2014, 02:58 AM   #1
Lane
Member
Hatched
 
Lane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 253
Default Prep for a big sully

I would like to rescue/adopt a sully and have a few questions.
How do you handle them in the winter? I was planning on insulating the shed for one but then I got thinking...
Do you close them in when its wild outside? Do they go mad? Would a heated shed and free range of the whole garden be enough? Or should it be people with barns that have them?
I have 4 Russians but would love to venture into life with a sully
Any advice welcome
Thanks
Lane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-08-2014, 09:53 AM   #2
Pussygalore
Senior Member
Adult
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 6,479
Default

I haven't had an adult one but would imagine that a decent size well insulated shed would be good enough with access outside through the day shut in at night. I know when we insulated ours for two Ibera a tubular heater the length of the shed kept it plenty warm enough at night and two suspended 160w combined bulbs did the job through the day. The shed was well insulated everywhere floor, roof and walls and lined over the insulation with boarding, the window was also 'double glazed' with perspex, ours had a opening cut into the door with a ramp and simple slot in piece of wood for nights. The size of the garden would need to be large and well fenced in although I've seen zoo's etc use posts set in the ground with gaps that the tort can't get through, they maybe stronger than just fencing as these torts dig. You wouldn't have much of a garden left so no planted borders etc unless you could fence them in and that they seem to prefer short rather than long grass. As for handling they obvioulsy get to a size where you can't lift them and I know members that keep them need a wheelbarrow or trolly to move them so vet visits would be hard and a vet that comes out maybe the only option with an adult. I don't think they are any harder to look after than a smaller tort but its just their size and strength that causes any problems. With a good heated building they'd probably come outside for a short while in most weathers and simply go back in when cold, one member in the USA showed photos of his outside in the snow so they'd be fine untill they got cold and an adult would stay warm for enough time to have a wander, and I'm sure theyd be fine if they had to be shut inside I doubt they behave any differently from any other tort if they had enough space to stretch their legs so the shed would need to be big enough. If money and space wasn't an object then a green house or covered run attached to the shed would be ideal with the outside access going from that, that way they'd always have somewhere to come out or at least that would be my idea of something ideal.

Last edited by Pussygalore; 18-08-2014 at 09:59 AM.
Pussygalore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-04-2016, 03:02 PM   #3
Tarab
Junior Member
Egg
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Default

Hiya. I have a 10yo Sully and she lives in the house with access to outdoors still. She will stay like that until she is too big to live inside with us. She has her own sleeping area where her heat/UV is and where she sleeps. The rest of the time she takes herself outside or wonders round inside. Whatever she prefers. Our garden is a sun trap and south facing so has very warm spots from early in the day so she can come and go as she pleases. In and out. This is how she has always lived as I am paranoid about her being taken and kind of don't see the point in sleeping outside when there is space and heat inside and I can keep an eye on her
Tarab is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:39 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.