How hot should it be outside

[George's House]

Hi,

Is there a general rule of thumb of how hot it should be outside before putting a tortoise in the garden? All I can seem to find online is 'a sunny day'. If it's sunny but windy is this okay?

Thanks and sorry if I seem stupid, its just you get so much advice for being under a lamp at 25 but it's rarely that hot in the UK so is outside temp different.

[lynnedit]

I've heard the description; 'If you can be outside in a T shirt, it is OK for the tortoise'.
However, my tortoises have gone outside (after a warm up under their basking light in a cold frame or greenhouse) when the ambient air temp was 9.5c. The tortoise chose a spot to bask next to a paver. When I checked his shell temp with an infared thermometer, it was 26c!
So yes, it depends on a lot of factors: wind/wind protection, if an area receives full sun, and if there is a spot with gravel, rocks or pavers, which absorb more warmth than plain soil. You also probably don't want to ground to be wet.
That's why it is hard to get a straight answer

[lonelylayla]

Yep, agree with Lynnedit If tort is charging around or laying with limbs extended they are enjoying If they are withdrawn in their shell or have burrowed down, they are probably too cold

[Catwoman63]

Especially the younger ones, I find the older torts are more tolerant of colder wetter weather x

[Suze65]

If he's only a few months old , I would wait for a warm sunny day.

[Ozric Jonathan]

Ground temperatures come into it as well. If its soggy cold grass underfoot this will have a significant effect. But if the tortoise is on gravelly or rocky well drained ground then the main thing is the sun being out. My tortoises are definitely fine at the low teens of temperature if the sun is actually out which was the case last weekend. It was dry here and sunny, but only about 14C. But my tortoises love those conditions. The wind doesn't come into it at all for tortoises.

[Horace2]

Originally Posted by Catwoman63

Especially the younger ones, I find the older torts are more tolerant of colder wetter weather x

A guy I know who lives about 5 miles from me as two very old torts. I think the first is now 79 and the other 83 years old. They stay outside all year no heater outside. They have a brick hide and every year they dig down and come back up around this time.
Last week I manage to walk with my dog to my brother. The guy with the torts lives a few doors away. I saw the two torts up. They don't move much, well not while I am there The sun was not out.
I don't know how they are still alive, but it's lovely to see them. Two years ago we had very bad weather, snow everywhere but the torts still got up in Aprill.