# Rainy day



## Shirley the tortoise (Jul 28, 2015)

If I'm out all day at work but the weather forecast is for rain showers on and off all day, is it better to:

A) leave Shirley outside, she can always get out of the rain in the undercover part of her outdoor enclosure and the benefit of natural sunlight for part of the day will outweigh the rainy patches.

B) leave Shirley inside, she will be dry (with access to water obviously) but under the lamp rather natural light.

Assumptions:
It's not that cold outside (no lower than 18c).
Inside run has a reasonable level of humidity.

I have been in two minds for the last week, and have variously plumped for either option. Clearly both have merits and problems but what would you do?

Gareth


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## Lyn W (Jul 28, 2015)

Sound like you are in the UK Gareth.
How old/big is she? If she s just a baby I would leave her in the warm as the chilly wind is something to consider.
If she is older/bigger then people do leave them out but with heat.
Do you have any way of running a CHE or basking lamp out to her shelter?


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jul 28, 2015)

It's not essential for a tort to have natural sunshine every day.
I'd wait until the weather was better myself.


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## Tom (Jul 28, 2015)

18 is far too cold to leave one out in the rain with no way to warm up. I would not leave a tortoise out in the rain unless I knew temps would not drop below 27c.


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## Shirley the tortoise (Jul 28, 2015)

She is still a baby (2 years), and the days I have left her out have been when the forecast really is for occasional showers but sunny spells for most of the day (if it has been due to rain/overcast all day I have left her indoors). I'm still bringing her in overnight so she isn't experiencing too low temps.

I just thought there must have been others caught in two minds recently, with the jet stream position causing changeable weather. I have never been such a weather watcher before!


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## Lyn W (Jul 28, 2015)

I know what you mean- the weather has been dreadful in UK this summer. It never used to bother me before Lola came into my life but now I am always hoping he can at least have a couple of hours out a day.
A good thing to remember is

heat + humid = healthy tort
cold + humid + sick tort

so bearing that in mind - no wouldn't leave out if chance of rain.
Fingers crossed it will improve!


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