Still outside

[16 shells]

Anyone's Med tort's still outside, i have a combined heat/uv on in a small kennel, but no night time heat. They warm up in the morning and my young Hermans are basking in there, the sun has shown for a few hours in the afternoon here, thats when they come out to mooch about, they are still feeding ok. I don't want to table them yet, they look to be still enjoying the end of summer, also don't want them to wind down too early. Any thoughts.
Paul

[Star]

Mine stay out all year.........but I have the heater on a thermostat and its on all the time. The temps are lowered at night, and comes on when the temps fall below the set level. I find without this they do begin to slow down, and venture out less at this time of the year.

You might want to think about having that sort of system in place, that way they wont get to cold through the night and you will find they are more active as a result?

[16 shells]

Yeah, i was going to put night heat in this weekend Star, do you not hibernate then.
Paul

[Star]

Hi Paul,

I do hibernate, but I have the night temps until I am ready to start the hibernation process. I find its easier for me and for them, once the cold weather has definitely set it, and not the sporadic weather we keep having.

My tortoises are outside all year, I even hibernate them outside; inside the housing area, with the thermostat set so if the temps fall to low, they automatically come on. Not everyone agrees with this method, but I have done it for years with success and I think its as near natural as possible. the housing area is full of soil.

[sky]

Mine are still outside, but I do make sure they are in there shelter for the night. No heat in mine.

[Buells]

Mine are still outside 24/7. They have a shelter (small dog kennel) which is inside their greenhouse, with no heat. I make sure they are in their shelter at night. The night temps have not yet dropped below 11 degs. Dave and Dave do feel cold in the mornings, but after a warm bath they become mobile and eat well. They have enjoyed outdoor living since the end of may and i am dreading bringing them in as their enclosure is so small compared to their outdoor run! I would love to leave them to naturally hibernate outside, but am worried about fluctuating temperatures within the greenhouse.

[16 shells]

Hi Buells, some keeper's do let there torts hibernate in the greenhouse, soil is used for them to dig in, and pass the winter, heat to bring them out again..Mine have also been out since May, and there table is dismantled and stowed away. Today was a cool day, low 50f, but with the heat/uv in the hut, they still went through the normal daily routine, i feed in the enclosure, putting some food readily and bits scattered about, so i know they have been out, plus the added extra of natural light and space outside, in the enclosure,

Thanks Sky, and Star i am tempted to use your method, for the winter
Paul

[Bindi]

All mine are still out 24/7 making full use of the greenhouse and their coldframe. I don't use any supplimentary heat. They're all slowing down but still eating a bit and basking.

[sky]

Mine still eat like its going out of fashion!!!! Good job still lots of weeds around.

[naomij]

mine are outside, spend most of there time in the shed under the basking light, the heater comes on at night if the temp drops too low, so it is never cold in there.
the shed door is open but i knwo they never ventured out today, my torts are a little spoilt and hate the rain or cold lol
i plan to wind them doen out there then bring them in to hibernate in the fridge