Outdoor questions

[Ludrup]

Hi

I have two 5 year old Hermann's, and we usually keep them indoors in a large tortoise table. However, we have been using an outoor run for them on occassion, but I am concerned that it is not really warm enough yet for them to go outside.

They would be going from being under their lamp at 30'ish degrees to an outside temperature of around 16 degrees.

We had considered having some sort of heating element in their house but feel that this would be like trying to heat the outdoors. So not sure how effective it would be.

When we have put them out, they prefer to spend most of the time tucked up in their 'hutch'. We then bring them in in the evening when it starts to get cooler.

We also have some perspex sheets to go over the top of the run, which helps keep the temperature up and keep it dry, but I'm concerned that it blockes it the important UV.

Can anyone please help as to how best to set up an outdoor enclosure, temperature wise in the UK

Many thanks
L

[Kirkie]

I'd consider utilising your perspex to allow them more time outside. UV exposure doesn't have to be constant, if you have covered (perspex) and uncovered areas, they'll utilise both.

My tortoises were moving between a big polycarb coldframe and open sunlight today, getting the best of both worlds.

I just checked the weather forecast for a few central european contries for the next week (my tortoises are mostly Dalmatian Hermanns) and its cool and wet so mine are getting a better deal

Have a look at this article which has some good ideas


http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/climateframe.html

[Kirkie]

I was going to add, take outdoor temperature readings down where your tortoises are, dont go by forecast temperatures. Creating a sun trap like an outdoor enclosure coupled with dark ground etc really bumps them up. I measured 39c in my box turtle coldframe today (they are desert turtles ).

[Kirkie]

Something else, you say they spend a lot of time in their hutch outdoors. I've found over the years that a tortoises daily routine outdoors differs from indoors. Up, bask, food, shade or a hide for the warmest part of the day, bed. Active for only a few hours a day.

[Ozric Jonathan]

Hi there

it's worth bearing in mind that when the sun actually shines, the tortoise has this amazing ability to capture and absorb the directly radiated heat. So a dull day at 20C can actually be a lot worse for them than a 15C day with the sun out.

Variety within your enclosure is one of the keys to this. Try to create little mini-habitats and offer a range of situations. If everything is too open, they can feel under threat. So you do want plants etc so the torts can hide when they feel the need and expose themselves when it's worth their while.

If part of the enclosure is covered with sheeting to let heat build up that can work well. With overhead sun it will soon get too hot under it and your torts will look for somewhere cooler. Yes the perspex probably is cutting out the uvb but I woudn't worry about that too much. Our cooler conditions mean that tortoises is in the UK have to be the sun for longer to get warm enough, and they get accumulated uvb exposure over a longer period of time, relative to the wild ones.

Also it's good to have very well drained surfaces underneath the tortoises and not to have grass. At least I always remove any grass that tries to grow because in my enclosure it just leads to damp conditions.

[Kirkie]

Good point about them not liking too much open ground. I grow grape vines over the wire mesh tops to my tortoise pen and this creates pockets of sunlight they bask in whilst giving them a bit of cover. They can eat the leaves too.

[kkenny]

My 5 yr old is out permanently April-Sept, I have a tubular heater in his house (a small shed really) and he goes in there at night and in the day potters off to his grounds, so clever, unless it is a horrible rainy day when he wont go out, I bring the food to him then. The odd day indoors is ok IMO.

I have chicken wire under and over the enclosure with shady areas so he can max the rays or not as he chooses. Hopping to get my 2yr old out with him soon but just waiting for more consistency with the weather.

[Daryn]

My two are never in the house, I keep them out as much as possible, if the weather is poor they live in a large cold frame which I have documented on here if you need to look I will find it so you can take a look.

What I will say is a few years back when I first got my tortes I done alot of temperature experiments. I found knocking together a few bits of scrap decking with polycarbonate top provided alot of heat in a sunny spot of the garden. I now have a few of these dotted around. If you have a secure run just put one of these inside for them. Use Lumisol plastic instead of polycarb top (thanks to the TT Trust for that) and this give them the UV they need .

Below are a few photos of mine when I first built one.



This picture is my own tortoise temperature after the unit being in the garden for one hour, these pictures were taken the beginning of April.



This photo is after 90 minutes as you can see it gets nice and warm.



Because of the size of the unit it doesnt take alot to warm up and your tortoise will get a great even warm up unlike basking lamps that hit them directly on the top, Ive never liked them lamps and hardly use mine.

To help retain heat paint the unit dark brown or black, also the base of the unit should be soil/sand/pea gravel mix unlike the wooden chipping I used in our border, this will all help retain warmth.

I also now have plastic stips at the entrance of these units to help keep the heat in.

It is much better than having them inside under artificial heat lamps they will love it. Think of the electricity you will save, free heat.

The spot thermometer dont lie.

I really hope this helps make you decide.