Med's outside

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by cath

Mine,, at night are in the greenhouse, in a rabbit hutch filled with hay with a 4ft tubular heater right next to hutch, temp on thermometer dont drop below 13/14 degrees,,,
During the day they've got 2 24inch uvb strips no goodness in them just for extra light A Solar glo combined uvb 125wt,, plus now leaving tubular heater on day and night,, They're fighting me all the way, unless I get them up and in the bath they would be well away now, even after bathing they dont really wanna be out side, they just wonder round for a bit then find somewhere to hide,,
Dont know if I'm stressing them out by keeping on disturbing them, Or should we just let them do what they feel is natural, hmmm sure it wasn't as early as this last year,,
what do you all think I know its too long from now until april but maybe they'd be happier sleeping now and getting up early next year,
xx

It's a point Cath, we are alway's intervening in some sort of way in winter especially, Either in a table or outside, you have given them some serious kit, like i have, but they still want to slow down. I prefare my tort's outside, trying to give them some freedom but it has the Autumn draw backs.

[Bindi]

Originally Posted by red foot marg

my herd of ibera's still seem ok outside, i admit they dont come out for the full day but still spend late morning early afternoon grazing

Mine too, the males more than the female

[helen1]

My hermanns and ibera are still out and about...eating but not as much...silly ibera get stuck if it rains and chills down, always have to check they are in. The hermanns are going in at night still to their house...all bar one who has disappeared for the winter and one who has swapped to the cold frame and will soon disappear.

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by helen1

My hermanns and ibera are still out and about...eating but not as much...silly ibera get stuck if it rains and chills down, always have to check they are in. The hermanns are going in at night still to their house...all bar one who has disappeared for the winter and one who has swapped to the cold frame and will soon disappear.

i had to check on a wee Herman's 3 evenings, decided to sleep out half buried, warm's up ok during the day and eat's. Last 2 nights went home in the hut. Baffling, priceless.

[Alan1]

mine get put out at lunch time for the afternoon if the sun is out

[shellonia]

Yes mine still outside.Some more active than others.My 3 year old isn't impressed by the drop in temps though.She doesn't get enough hours to warm through.still they have to sense the changing seasons as long as they are still grazing a bit.I always find it's the males who start refusing to get up though-typical!

[tabact]

It's warmed up nicely today and all three of mine are wandering around the garden having a feed. The last week or so I have had to get them out of the greenhouse during the day and they have gone straight back in after ten minutes. I also find at this time of year if it is a cold night they tend to be more active when it is warm during the day. It's the bland grey mild days and mild nights that slow them down. A bit of sun makes all the difference.

Tom

[Steph37]

Mine all outside 24/7 and all eating-have a light rigged up outside hanging over the younger Horsfields but they warm out, wander into the main pen and eat in the cold! They all have little propogators/mini greenhouses and hutches in cold frames but no real heating-not even sure a 60watt bulb is really doing hanging in the middle of the garden-probably nothing really! I've taken the younger ones into the shed at night when the rain has been heavy but more to avoid the slugs at night though-have to admit I dont think I've had them out and eating still-and the Hermanns are sill putting on weight-but I admit to hand feeding!

[Pat]

Hi, my 2 (both hatched July 09) are still out 24/7 although they have a heated house in a cold frame which they are going back to by mid afternoon now. I check on them first thing though and they are already out and about in their garden. But if it drops cold I find them under a plant and put them in for a warm - after which they go back out!

Have brought their table in so will wait another week and bring them in until they hibernate.

Pat x

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by Pat

Hi, my 2 (both hatched July 09) are still out 24/7 although they have a heated house in a cold frame which they are going back to by mid afternoon now. I check on them first thing though and they are already out and about in their garden. But if it drops cold I find them under a plant and put them in for a warm - after which they go back out!

Have brought their table in so will wait another week and bring them in until they hibernate.

Pat x

Similar thing i do, but when the night time temp's drop below 12c, i pop them in the heated Leo shed, in there own sleeping tub.