A bit worried, help needed please!

[Louni]

Hi, 6 weeks ago my husband bought me 2 2yr old horsfields as a surprise, I have wanted a tortoise for many years and was thrilled. He built an enclosure in the garden(I have asked for advice earlier re this) but I have a few worries. Originally we were putting them in the 'house' at night but then they started to go into a half pot in the outer part, they dig down in here during the day and at night which I know Is fairly normal but they hardly come out at all unless we physically get them out, which we do to bathe them on a daily basis. When they have been bathed they eat a small amount but it seems that if we didn't bath them they wouldn't come out to eat(I am sure they would at some point but I am reluctant to leave them in case they get dehydrated) they have a range of plants growing and we have bought seed, dried flowers mix and limestone flour from the shelled warriors shop so think we are offering correct foods.We weigh them weekly and Burt has gone from 96g to 95g and Ernie has gone from 87g to 95g. They don't wander around the enclosure at all, however if we put them on a small run on the lawn they do move about. We have given them time to settle in before worrying too much but are now becoming increasingly concerned. Are they fine to be outdoors( this was our intention) or do they need to be outside, why aren't they eating or moving about? Sorry to have so many questions but I really am worried. I have attached a pic of the enclosure in case this helps.Any advice at all would be great fully received. Thank you.
Have tried but can't attach pic, the enclosure is about 9 x 4 with a 'house' and greenhouse area at one end differing levels of sand/soil mix with plants and a slated area with water dish. Thanks!

[Suze65]

A few things spring to mind, they have had good few weeks to settle in,you said they move about more when you put them in a smaller pen, so keep putting them in there for a while. Sometimes very tiny torts are nervous of coming out because of the fear of predation, I have one little one who has always been nervous of being out in the open and will always run for cover. Another idea, where in the country are you, cos this last week it has been quite cool at times ( I'm in the north at the moment staying with my mum) and I have brought my young ones in and put them under a basking bulb on a few days, and they have perked up a bit. They where hiding and not coming out, cos it got too cold. They may need a bit more settling in time also.

[Catwoman63]

It has been a bit chillier this week and if i put my boys out (as they just have a coldframe) they will not warm up enough to "get going" and eat and will stay in their hides in the coldframe all day, so they need to warm up under a basking lamp first, have you any heat source outside that they could bask under? x

[Louni]

Thanks very much for that both of you. The idea of a smaller pen sounds sensible, we thought we were doing them a favour by building a huge one! I will block part of it off so it doesn't seem quite as big and gradually make it bigger as they get older. We are in Lancashire and temps have dropped this last couple of weeks so we will install heat as you suggested. Do we need uv lamp too?..any suggestions would be welcome as to type of light and location in the pen.Maybe we were being naive when we thought they could be outside all year round? At the moment I am thinking we maybe need to have indoor set up too. As I said my husband sort of sprung this on me, a really lovely surprise but one I wish I had been more prepared for. I have read so much on the Internet and so much of it is conflicting.
Thank you so much for your advice, it really is appreciated. Must admit, am finding it all quite a worry as I don't want them to suffer in any way.
Thanks
Louise ( and Burt and Ernie )
Xxx

[destiny88]

Hi

ive had willow (herrman) for over 2 months and have made a great
(i think) enclosure for him outside with grass and lots of grown weeds
stones ,rocks and a house . and after all this hes the same as yours
he will wander about eating while im stood there. BUT as soon as i step back a bit so he cant see me ,he runs under a heather or into his house and just
hides there the whole day ! SO im thinking that he is still nervous of bieng
outside. i stay with him for a long time so he wanders about more.
When hes inside hes realy active and seems more than happy..
Sounds like your torts are just scared of bieng outside
i believe it can take a long time (from reading on here) for them to get used to the geat outdoors..
karen

[Louni]

H Karen,
Thanks for that, mine are similar, I do the same and stay with them. I think I am going to reduce the size of the enclosure as Suze said, to try to make them feel a bit safer. am going to get heat/ light sorted too.They were outdoors until we got them it but I am unsure of the size of the enclosure there. Maybe we have gone too big too soon. It's all so worrying!
Thanks
Louise x

[Suze65]

Hi louise, 2 years old is still quite tiny to be out all summer what ever the weather, you need an indoor tortoise table as well as the out door one for tiny torts, an indoor Guinee pig cage works well. I use an ordinary 60w spot light for a basking spot and a uv tube bulb. I'm in Lincs at the moment and some days have been a bit chilly, my little ones have been indoors under a basking bulb.
Sterilised top soil is best for substrate in your indoor table.

They do need to go out on warm days but give them plenty of things to hide under.

[Stellanne]

I provide outdoor heating in the form of a halogen light.... If it is chilly outside I switch it on and torts go and warm themselves up. I must admit I use it mainly to heat the soil on the 'birthing mound' to encourage egg laying. But it also helps on chilly days x x x hugs x

[Louni]

Hi Suze
Thank you so much for that. Think indoor is going to be the way then. Sorry to ask so many questions but When I put them out on warmer days should we put heating outside too for while they are out? Outdoor they have a 50/50 sterilised soil & sand mixture, they have 2 plant pots that they dig down in and some plants to hide under, but I will put more in so they feel safer.
Thanks again
Louise

[Louni]

Hi Stellanne,
I think I have underestimated how cold it is for the torts. As Suze said they are only tiny so think I will bring them in and put a light outside to warm them on the days I out them out.
Thanks
Louise