You want to make sure that the baby tortoise gets to spend time outside. Sulcatas need UV rays to help them produce D3 and properly absorb calcium and other nutrients. It’s also important for baby sulcatas to get outside to exercise. But when putting a baby sulcata tortoise outside, you run risks of predators, weather and escape, which is why it’s important to make a safe outdoor enclosure for baby sulcata .
How Much Time Should a Baby Sulcata Spend Outside?
In an indoor enclosure, you want to use a UV bulb or a UV tube, but if you’re able to put the baby tortoise outside, you can actually get rid of the UV light in an inside enclosure.
When putting a baby tortoise outside, you really only need to put the tortoise outside for one hour per one inch of length. Try to put the tortoise outside a few times a week.
Make sure that when your tortoise is outside, it is in a safe enclosure.
Set Up an Outdoor Enclosure for a Baby Sulcata
When setting up a safe outdoor enclosure for a baby sulcata, you don’t need much. You don’t need to create an elaborate enclosure. Baby sulcatas grow quickly, so when creating an outdoor sulcata enclosure, go big, but keep it simple.
Setting up an Outdoor Enclosure for a Baby Tortoise
Make sure that the enclosure is safe from predators and safe for your tortoise.
You need secure walls that will prevent the tortoise from pushing out of the enclosure. You need a secure lid to prevent a predator from taking the baby tortoise out of the enclosure. You also want to make sure the tortoise cannot dig out.
Size
Start by deciding how much space you can devote for the outdoor enclosure. The minimum outdoor enclosure size should be at least 4-foot by 8-foot. The bigger the better.
Walls
Once you have the space set up, decide on the materials you want to use. Simple materials like cinder blocks, bricks and wood are easy and cheap. These materials will also set a secure wall barrier so that the baby tortoise cannot push out. If you choose to use wood, it may be best to use stakes to secure the base of the wall to the ground.
Lid
Keep the baby tortoise safe with a secure lid. Having a lid will prevent predators from taking the baby sulcata out of the enclosure.
Use hardware cloth, or chicken wire, to build a lid. Hardware cloth will weather the elements, as well as protect your tortoise. Staple the hardware cloth to a wooden frame.
