Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,

I live in Southern California and have setup a 140sq/ft outdoor enclosure for my adult tortoise. Before I can move him outside I need to construct a new hide box, and I was thinking that I'd build it out of a 2x4 frame, double layered, with 1.5" polystyrene in the middle for insulation. My question is, will this benefit my tortoise at all, or will it have negative affects on temperature?

A burrow is simply out of the question, and so is burying a box. The box will be located in a place that has shade all day long.

What are your opinions on this subject?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

I would say if the temps often get colder than your species ideal temperature range than an insulated box with, perhaps with a heat lamp in it or a heating pad, would be a good idea. If your area's temps are right in the ideal range then i wouldn't bother insulating it.

Temperatures in my area closely replicate temperatures the tortoise would experience in the wild. I wasn't sure what the temperature differences are IN DEN vs. SURFACE in a real life wild situation. Without insulation I'd figure the hide box temperature would very only slightly. I'll probably just go w/o the insulation.

Thanks!

why no burrowing? That would take all of the guess work out of it, as the tortoise would know where to find the right temperature. Plus, burrows are much more than temperature and security. They are much more humid than outside of the burrow, and tortoises use this in order to stay hydrated.

So I was just wondering why you thought your tortoise shouldn't burrow. It would save you a lot of time, money, and aggravation (when the tortoise decides to burrow anyways instead of using the box). Remember, a box is what it is... a box. A burrow is a completely different thing.

What species are we talking about?