Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live about two hundred yards from the beach in Palm Beach florida. I am in a 10b USDA Zone with lows of about 40dgrees.
I have lately been concerned about whether it is necessary to bring in the girls when it get below about 65 at night. Is this necessary?
I have had them for two years and lately I have wondered if I am being overly cautious.
What do the experts think? Thanks in advance, and info from other florida residents would be welcome.
Forreter

...about their habitat...do they have an outdoor heat house? given the fluctuating/unpredictable weather condition happening across the nation (and our planet as a whole)...everyones (us tortheads in particular) should have the rights to be concerns...

I live in Tampa, and last year I brought them in every night. It was messy and broke my back. Since I have more this year than last year, and there is just no room in the house, I have provided a heated outdoor house. This is still experimental, but so far has worked well. At Lowes, they have extra large dogloo houses on clearance for $30. I bought two of those, then hung ceramic heat emitters inside. I ordered them from Herpsupplies.com, at a great price. The local pet store wanted $60 each, but I got them at herp for $18 each. I'm still experimenting with wattage and taking temps, but they seem to like it so far. Oh yah, and I put sand/dirt in the bottom. Good luck!
Shawnon

Thanks for the replies. They have a large outdoor enclosure but I do not have a heat source for them outside. They both have little plywood hides that are filled with sand and mulch that they dig themselves into about halfway. I do have power near the pen, so maybe I will rig up a heat source.

The real question I guess I was driving at though was, how do they survive in their natural habitats when night time temperatures can easily be in the fifties in the high veldt and desert all across Africa?

Of course, prudence is the better part of valor, but I am curious. Also, will redfoots or yellow foots survive in the conditions I described, or must thay also be brought in each night? Thanks in advance.

I bought mine from beanfarm for about $30. Great little tstat too... Keeps the temp in my redfoot cage just right, i bet it would work great for you application...

-Ian

http://www.backyardgardener.com/zone/africa.html

This is a hardiness zone for plants in Africa but it lists average winter lows and it would seem that the Sulcatta naturally is exposed to temperatures in the 50's and even the high 40's over much of its range. Maybe someone can tell me differently.

Also maybe someone more adept with the computer could post the graghic with a map of the sulcatta's range. Thanks!

http://emys.geo.orst.edu/cgi-bin/singlespecies.plx