Temperatures for going outside

[Pla]

I have 2 Hermanns, Hector & Madge. They are both 22 months old now. Can someone advise what the temp should be for them to be out in the day please. I am not sure but think I may be keeping them in too much. My hubby has just finished off thier new outdoor pen which has a wooden waterproof house and also a cold frame which I have made out of a propagator lid, along with hides so they have plenty of cover. But once the sun goes in and they have finished eating Madge in particular tends to go in the house and doesnt come out much. But she did this in the old pen as well. I say she but not sure on their sex yet. I will post some pics once I get round to it and see if someone knows if they are a he and a she. I think they may be the same actually. So feel a name change for one may be in order.

[DoodleBopper]

Apparentl if it's warm enough for you to be out in a T-shirt then its warm enough for them to be outside

[16 shells]

The t shirt test is a round about way, but my shirt must be thicker than my other half, she is not warm out unless it's 70f, so i would say 50f upward for young torts.
Paul

[Pussygalore]

as they get their heat from direct sunlight not the ambient or air temps they will be fine even if its cold as long as the sun is out. You will be surprised how warm they feel when we think its cold if they've sat in the sun, them going back into the house is just what happens if you don't have any heat outside, they may not come out for a couple of days if its cold or wet so on those days either leave them alone or bring them back into the house. The alternative is to put a simple heat/light bulb in the wooden house as a form of heat, we've now got our heated shed and my torts will come and go all day as they go back in for a warm up then come back out again, in our weather it really does make a difference and saves me having to bring them back in. A normal light bulb will heat a small house easily I had one in the first hutch we ever had over a patch of sand for safety and it got lovely and warm, with our summers unless you wish to bring them in and put them out a source of heat is well worth thinking about.

[Pla]

I am unable to put any electric in the house as dont have the facilities outside. I did put them out yesterday it wasnt sunny but just over 10degrees. They were out for a while and then went indoors. Perhaps I just need to keep puting the out and they will get used to it. Even on a dull day

[Pussygalore]

if you make sure they've had a good warm up first before going outside they should be ok for a while, the younger they are the less time they can stay warm without the sun but they should be ok for a while, they will naturely go and hide as they get colder they won't come to any harm just won't come out. My adults once warm will feel warm for a few hours my 3 yr old less but still enough time to wander and have a munch, just keep an eye on them and bring them back in when they've dug down, you can repeat the warming process a few times if your at home putting them back out again after, obviously if the sun comes out they'll be ok for as long as its shining or keeps comming back out. All your doing is what my heated shed is mine go back in there several times on a cold day but come back out again once warm.

[Dreamer]

Can they go out at a couple of months old? Do they need a heat source or does it have to be a really sunny day for young torts?

[16 shells]

They can go out even on a warm cloudy day. They still recieve some uv.
Paul

[Ozric Jonathan]

Direct sunshine makes a massive difference and my Hermanns can get going well if its cool in the air but the sun is shining. If its a dull day, the temp has to be much higher for them to manage doing anything.

But all of us that are keen to get our torts outside do so with temperatures well below what we consider to be the right ones inside.

In a coldframe I find I get a great increase in temp when the sun is out. This often warms the torts to the extent that they go out to forage and then stay out. But if it cools and clouds over, they either come back in, or just sit and wait.

I belive that most days my hermanns should have active periods and be feeding and basking. So I don't leave them outside for days at a time in weather that has the result of them just sitting there waiting for warmth.