Okay I know I must know this and just can't access it in my overloaded brain but...
what are the acceptable low & high daytime temps, as well as nighttime temps, for RF hatchlings to be housed OUTDOORS?
I have an awesome outdoor pen for my soon-to-be-home hatchlings, and would love to have them out there as much of the summer as possible!
For me Kelly 70F is the magic number.
Seeing as Redfoots don't bask, I wouldn't put them out until shade temperatures are 70F and above. If night time temperatures are going below 70F, I would bring them in.
Seeing as most of the pen should be shaded, you should be able to have them out on hot days unless it gets into triple digits.
Danny
Alrighty then, thanks!! I'm just so anxious to start getting some torts outside for full days... finally decided where and how to build the russian pens... and then I need to make a space for the two Greeks, and also the older RF's... The other hatchlings won't stay out - the Leopard, and the Spiders, I doubt they'll go out at all - they seem to not appreciate change very much and I can imagine going in and out will just stress them. The Hermann's, though, she'll be out whenever I'm out because The Bean LOVES her action! LOL!
'Course looks like next weeks highs are supposed to be in the low 50's again. Dang it!
I had all my redfoots out last summer but never with temps under 78F. Anything under that I kept them inside.
When it was above 78F, I put them all out but in about 3 to 4 days, my little hatchling got very sick and almost died. I don't know if it was the temp being too low for a hatchling or if it was something else. It took me almost a month to get him back to eating and acting good again.