I'm new here and I need help, please.
I've read so much about keeping tortoises healthy (outdoors, UV/sun light, weeds etc.) but I'm not sure from what age and at what temperature tortoises should be out and about in the garden.
Ours is a marginated tortoise of 6 months and he weighs 30 g and we live in Kent, UK.
Should he be outdoors now, this summer, not at all? What's too cold/warm enough for him?
Should he have heat lamp and/or UV lamp on and for how long?
Thank you!
(04-20-2010 11:06 AM)turnpages Wrote: [ -> ]I'm new here and I need help, please.
I've read so much about keeping tortoises healthy (outdoors, UV/sun light, weeds etc.) but I'm not sure from what age and at what temperature tortoises should be out and about in the garden.
Ours is a marginated tortoise of 6 months and he weighs 30 g and we live in Kent, UK.
Should he be outdoors now, this summer, not at all? What's too cold/warm enough for him?
Should he have heat lamp and/or UV lamp on and for how long?
Thank you!
Hi there
He should be out as soon as he has a suitable enclosure - mine are out shortly after hatching and I am much farther north than you. So long as the sun is shining, temperature is not really an issue as it's the sun that warms them up, not the air temperaturres. Even in the snow they can be quite warm so long as they are not out too long. They need a heated area to retire to when the sun goes in or then there are several days of bad weather.
Heat and uvb are important indoors but the sun (even this far north) is better than most uvb lamps. Offer both for as long as normal daylilght hours but obviously switch off earlier if you know your tortoise retires to bed at around 4am as many do.
Hope this helps
(04-20-2010 03:50 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]Hi there
He should be out as soon as he has a suitable enclosure - mine are out shortly after hatching and I am much farther north than you. So long as the sun is shining, temperature is not really an issue as it's the sun that warms them up, not the air temperaturres. Even in the snow they can be quite warm so long as they are not out too long.
Thank you so much! This is really useful! So many people give conflicting messages and I'm finding it hard to decide what would be best, but then again, in the wild they're out soon, too...
(04-20-2010 03:50 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]They need a heated area to retire to when the sun goes in or then there are several days of bad weather.
What kind of heated area are you talking about? Heat lamp outside or the cold frame type?
Again thank you !
Nicole aka turnpages
Hi Turnpage welcome to tortoise world. I have marginated tortoises and mine are out. 2 of mine are only 9 months old. Like Sue said he really only need the uvb/heat lamp in doors. I keep mine on for 12 hours a day roughly. Outside the sun is the best thing for him. Offer him a little hide outside so he go in there if he wishes. Most people don't have heat for them outside. Mine and a lot of people have a cat or dog flap put in leading inside so they can come and go as they please. Inside that is where i keep my lights. When they need a warm they come in. If thats not possible then you could use a shed or a dog kennel to keep him warm. With him being the size he is you can alway bring him in for now at night. I do with my margies.
(04-20-2010 04:02 PM)turnpages Wrote: [ -> ] (04-20-2010 03:50 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]Hi there
He should be out as soon as he has a suitable enclosure - mine are out shortly after hatching and I am much farther north than you. So long as the sun is shining, temperature is not really an issue as it's the sun that warms them up, not the air temperaturres. Even in the snow they can be quite warm so long as they are not out too long.
Thank you so much! This is really useful! So many people give conflicting messages and I'm finding it hard to decide what would be best, but then again, in the wild they're out soon, too...
(04-20-2010 03:50 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]They need a heated area to retire to when the sun goes in or then there are several days of bad weather.
What kind of heated area are you talking about? Heat lamp outside or the cold frame type?
Again thank you !
Nicole aka turnpages
They need a covered area with heat lamp for bad weather. A cold frame alone will not keep them warm unless the sun is out. Mine go back through a cat flap to their indoor hide in the garage(no car in there) where there is a heat lamp on a timer.
Thank you!
My husband and I are currently digging up our garden and replanting and moving around plants and bushes to make it tortoise-safe. We'll take these suggestions in consideration...
In the meantime my son (5 1/2) and I are building a temporary enclosure, which we're really proud of.
(04-21-2010 02:37 PM)turnpages Wrote: [ -> ]Thank you!
My husband and I are currently digging up our garden and replanting and moving around plants and bushes to make it tortoise-safe. We'll take these suggestions in consideration...
In the meantime my son (5 1/2) and I are building a temporary enclosure, which we're really proud of.
Brilliant, it's great to get children involved. I always try to involve my grandchildren in my torts plans. Just be sure the tort will not be able to dig under the sides or climb out where there are corners - also make the bit nearest the ground from wood or something they cannot see out of, otherwise they will spend all their time trying to walk through it.
(04-21-2010 02:59 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]Just be sure the tort will not be able to dig under the sides or climb out where there are corners - also make the bit nearest the ground from wood or something they cannot see out of, otherwise they will spend all their time trying to walk through it.
Thank you very much for your encouragement. We've finished the temporary outdoors enclosure. And cheekily, I am herewith asking for some feedback, as this would inform the design of the actual enclosure later on. :innocentwhistle:
I used my son's old frog-shaped water/sand pit (tortoise can't see out or climb out and when the enclosure is not in use we can cover it up).
We put in soil, sand, stones, a broken flower pot as a hide and a "cold frame" that we made ourselves. We added some weed seeds that should be coming up soon, too.
And my boy put in two play tortoises, "so Denny has got friends and isn't lonely."
The water/food dishes are still missing as I didn't have anything suitable at hand today (a trip to the garden centre might be necessary).
Hi. It's a great idea for a baby tort enclosure. I would mix the sand together with the soil though. I don't use sand with mine as i find it hurts their eyes. Your son seems really good with your tort. I got my water dish etc from B&Q. I use a flat saucer dish that goes under a flower pot. It's only got a small rim on it. So it's easy for them to climb over. There is so much you can do with a tort enclosure. You could also make a little tunnel for him to walk through. In my margie enclosure i have a hanging basket. I cut a door way in it then turned it upside down. Just becareful if you are not around and leave him in the pit. If it rains the pit will fill up. It would also help if you had some kind of netting covering him incase of cats and birds etc. On the whole you have got the idea.
(04-21-2010 07:57 PM)TICKANDTOCK Wrote: [ -> ]Hi. It's a great idea for a baby tort enclosure. I would mix the sand together with the soil though. I don't use sand with mine as i find it hurts their eyes. Your son seems really good with your tort. I got my water dish etc from B&Q. I use a flat saucer dish that goes under a flower pot. It's only got a small rim on it. So it's easy for them to climb over. There is so much you can do with a tort enclosure. You could also make a little tunnel for him to walk through. In my margie enclosure i have a hanging basket. I cut a door way in it then turned it upside down. Just becareful if you are not around and leave him in the pit. If it rains the pit will fill up. It would also help if you had some kind of netting covering him incase of cats and birds etc. On the whole you have got the idea.
Thank you so much! This is really encouraging for us!
I need to get one of those saucers and will also get a slate for food. As for leaving tortoise in there without us there. We probably won't at all at the moment, as we're still getting used to having him... The netting is planned for the actual enclosure, although we're not sure whether to get soft pond type net or chicken wire....