Can Baby Sulcata Tortoise Live Outside?

Can Baby Sulcata Tortoise Live Outside?

Baby sulcata tortoises do not NEED to live outside, but can a baby sulcata tortoise live outside? Yes. Technically… But, that doesn’t mean that a baby tortoise should spend all day and night outside, especially without proper care and requirements.

If you are thinking about getting a baby sulcata tortoise, but you don’t want to keep the sulcata inside in an indoor enclosure, make sure you can set up a proper outdoor enclosure. The two biggest factors when leaving a baby sulcata outside are 1) predators and 2) housing requirements.

Safety from Predators

If you want to keep your baby sulcata outside, you need to create an enclosure that will protect the baby tortoise from predators. There are many predators that will see a small tortoise and think it would make a tasty treat or meal. Raccoons, dogs, coyotes, hawks, owls and plenty of other animals will quickly snatch a baby tortoise.

Set up an outdoor enclosure with a latching lid.

You will also want to set up an enclosure that the tortoise cannot dig out of, and you want to make sure that no other animals can dig into.

Outdoor Enclosure for a Baby Sulcata

Temperature and Humidity

The weather is ever changing. It is never constant. When caring for a baby sulcata tortoise, you want to ensure that you can provide proper heating and humidity. Without proper heat, a baby tortoise can be susceptible to respiratory illness, lethargy, lack of appetite and death. Without proper humidity, a baby tortoise can develop pyramiding.

If you decide to let your baby tortoise live outside permanently, provide stable temperatures. Consider building an insulated house or revamp an outdoor shed that will provide proper heat and humidity.

Wild Baby Sulcata Tortoises

Baby sulcata tortoises need attention to detail. Yes, in the nature, baby sulcata tortoise live outside yearround, day and night. BUT, in the wild, the mortality rate is much higher than in captivity.

When raising a pet, it’s important to take all precautions to care for the new pet properly. To keep a baby sulcata safe and healthy, it’s is often best to house a baby sulcata tortoise inside.

Sulcata tortoises grow quickly, so within a few years, you will be able to house your sulcata tortoise outside yearround (of course with appropriate winter housing to keep the tortoise warm).

Captive Baby Sulcata Tortoises

In captivity, your baby sulcata will thrive in a proper indoor enclosure, like a closed chamber enclosure. A closed chamber enclosure will ensure the heat and humidity is maintained so that the tortoise will have the best chance of survival and good health.

A baby sulcata should spend time outside when the weather is appropriate, but it doesn’t need to be outside all day. A baby sulcata only needs about one hour outside per one inch of length. So, if the baby sulcata tortoise is 3-inches long, then three hours is an appropriate amount of time to spend outside.