Outdoor time

ToniMc

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Hi guys
Looking for some advice
I have a leopard tortoise who has been with us about a week
He seems to be very inactive at the moment enjoys his bath and food but not doing much more
He has a large outdoor run with hutch at end
When I put him in he jus hides in the corner doesn't eat grass or the plants and seems to sleep day away .
Our weather is not great in scotland just now is he ok to go out on he grass whiles it's still a bit damp and am
I right jn thinking as longs as its over 10-12 degrees he can be outside ? He comes in at night

Thanks guys
 

Dylanruenz

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What is the size of your tortoise?

I am not sure whether you mean 10-12 Fahrenheit or Celsius, but both are extremely cold and a shelter with heat should be provided. I am currently working on a shelter for my Sulcatas using cinderblocks and plywood with some heat source inside along with orchid bark on top of a blanket. For Leopards, the temperature should never reach below 75F and the maximum temperature should be 105F. To keep in some humidity, I use mud flaps for the entrance. Take a look around the forum to spark some ideas on indoor and outdoor enclosures. For more information on Leopard care, take a look at: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/
 

Gillian M

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A very warm welcome to the forum.

Please keep in mind that torts take a very long place to adapt. PATIENCE and a lot of patience is required here. Posting pics would enable the experts to help you and to give you advice. In the meantime you could read the 'beginners thread' as well as care sheets.

Good luck to you and your tort.
 

ToniMc

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What is the size of your tortoise?

I am not sure whether you mean 10-12 Fahrenheit or Celsius, but both are extremely cold and a shelter with heat should be provided. I am currently working on a shelter for my Sulcatas using cinderblocks and plywood with some heat source inside along with orchid bark on top of a blanket. For Leopards, the temperature should never reach below 75F and the maximum temperature should be 105F. To keep in some humidity, I use mud flaps for the entrance. Take a look around the forum to spark some ideas on indoor and outdoor enclosures. For more information on Leopard care, take a look at: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/
He is appx 9 inches
He has a hutch wih shade and heat outside too
In his indoor table he has uv and heating lamp sepertate .
He basks very briefly in morning but that's all he sleeps most of the day after that tucked in his shell
 

Dylanruenz

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Give it some time for the tortoise to learn and adapt his new environment. I am not sure how warm it gets in Scotland, but be careful on extreme cold temperatures if you let it go outside. ALWAYS supervise it. I recently have purchased a 24" male sulcata and it eats, basks, then sleeps just about the rest of the day in its DEEP shade area... It is normal, give it some time!:D
 

ToniMc

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Scotland is normally a bit warmer than it is just now but currently only reaching about 15 through day -
He is never out on his own though his enclosure is fully secure and nothing can get to him -
It's started raining this am and again he didn't try to go into the dry inside
 

johnandjade

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hi there, im in Scotland as well, I won't recommend outside time unless its a scorcher ( well what we class it as lol ). i'd pick up a temp gun, they are only bout £15 to check the ground level first. always best to er on the side of caution:)
 

ToniMc

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hi there, im in Scotland as well, I won't recommend outside time unless its a scorcher ( well what we class it as lol ). i'd pick up a temp gun, they are only bout £15 to check the ground level first. always best to er on the side of caution:)
Hi hanks for that advise - I feel sorry for him being stuck in all the time
What's minimum temp you out your tortoise out ? Is it a leopard ?
 

johnandjade

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we have a hermanns who unfortunately hasn't been out yet either :( im not sure about min temps to let them out but i would think it be high 20's into the 30's C ,on the rare occasion that happens here lol.

I'm only guessing though, im a newbie to torts :/
 

Jodie

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Welcome to the forum. Leopards adjust slowly. They have to learn to get out of the cold and wet. It is not natural for them. I would keep him inside unless ground temps are 80F or higher. Cold and wet is a recipe for illness. A cold tortoise will be very inactive. They need to be able to get their body temps above 85F to digest food.
 

Tom

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10 degrees celsius? Thats like the inside of a refrigerator. This is a TROPICAL species of tortoise. They need an ambient of no lower than 23-24 on a sunny day, and some portion of the enclosure needs to allow them to warm up to 36-37 on the ground. Is there a warm sunny spot like that in the enclosure somewhere? Your tortoise is shutting down and respiratory infection is likely with cold damp conditions.

You picked a species that is difficult to maintain in your climate, but it can be done with enough time, money and effort.

Why do you feel bad for him being inside? Is the enclosure too small? Not set up right? Fix it. Make the inside enclosure large, interesting, and set up with the right heating and lighting equipment. This is where your focus should be since your tortoise is going to need to be indoors almost all the time.
 

Greg T

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As said already, 10-12c is pretty low for adults, I don't put mine outside unless it is over 15c (60f). They will not be active in cold weather, they like hot and sunny. So I can see why yours is not very active. I keep mine in the garage during winter and they are not active even when the enclosure temps are 15-18c.

9 inches is a good size and he can handle colder temps than babies, but they just don't like cold temps much so focus on the indoor enclosure and see what you can do to spice that one up for now until the weather warms up.
 

ToniMc

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10 degrees celsius? Thats like the inside of a refrigerator. This is a TROPICAL species of tortoise. They need an ambient of no lower than 23-24 on a sunny day, and some portion of the enclosure needs to allow them to warm up to 36-37 on the ground. Is there a warm sunny spot like that in the enclosure somewhere? Your tortoise is shutting down and respiratory infection is likely with cold damp conditions.

You picked a species that is difficult to maintain in your climate, but it can be done with enough time, money and effort.

Why do you feel bad for him being inside? Is the enclosure too small? Not set up right? Fix it. Make the inside enclosure large, interesting, and set up with the right heating and lighting equipment. This is where your focus should be since your tortoise is going to need to be indoors almost all the time.

Yes he has been in a rescue centre since March and I jus followed what they had been doing with him -
He is currently renovating to bigger premises and we have bought a poly plastic green house to attach to his his outdoor house and run
 

ToniMc

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As said already, 10-12c is pretty low for adults, I don't put mine outside unless it is over 15c (60f). They will not be active in cold weather, they like hot and sunny. So I can see why yours is not very active. I keep mine in the garage during winter and they are not active even when the enclosure temps are 15-18c.

9 inches is a good size and he can handle colder temps than babies, but they just don't like cold temps much so focus on the indoor enclosure and see what you can do to spice that one up for now until the weather warms up.
I think we are going to do the same this winter put him in garage do U have any photos of your garage set up ?
 

johnandjade

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if you search for closed chambers you'll find toms thread, great resource!

we are about to bulid a new enclosure and from experience of being in Scotland with an open top table I strongly recommend this sort of housing.
 

ToniMc

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This is his outdoor area that we have made on a temp basis inside house had soil sand combo
Green house has some weed planted
He has rocks water area an weeds planted in end enclosure
Can anyone offer friendly advice
Keeping in mind he will only be out when weather permits

image.jpg
 
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Lyn W

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Hi Toni,
I have a leopard - just a bit bigger than yours and I do not put him outside unless ground temps are over 70+ and as JohnandJade suggested a temp gun will be a great for spot checking this. My garden is quite a sun trap with shelter from any chilly winds. It is not secure so he is only outside when I am here to keep an eye on him.
If you read the caresheet for leopards/sulcatas that will tell you what the temp range should be for them but Tom has already spelt it out above
My leopard lives indoors he has a room to himself with a humid hide and substrate etc. I use a mvb (Arcadia mini D3 - 80w at mo but they do higher) for heat light and the essential uva/b rays - all in one bulb. At night he has a CHE on a thermostat to keep temps even but the room also has a radiator so the ambient room temp is always 75-80 too. If you are planning on keeping it in the garage over winter please make sure his enclosure is nice and cosy for him and the minimum should be at least 4x8 ft prob more for larger torts.

Your enclosure looks quite small and seems to have a lot if shade in the pic. Does it get more sun at different times of the day? Can you partition off a larger area for him and still use your hutch and greenhouse etc with some tort friendly plants for ground cover? See www.thetortoisetable.org.uk for that. The Enclosures section will also give you great ideas for improving and the Beginners Mistakes thread is also a great help. If you have an outside elec supply you could put a che in the hutch.

Leopards are not the cheapest to keep - mine was found and not claimed, so the vet thought it was abandoned because of the cost of keeping them, and my bills have certainly gone up! But if you take one on you have to be prepared to give it everything it needs. So good luck and hope that once he warms up he will settle down.
 

ToniMc

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Hi Toni,
I have a leopard - just a bit bigger than yours and I do not put him outside unless ground temps are over 70+ and as JohnandJade suggested a temp gun will be a great for spot checking this. My garden is quite a sun trap with shelter from any chilly winds. It is not secure so he is only outside when I am here to keep an eye on him.
If you read the caresheet for leopards/sulcatas that will tell you what the temp range should be for them but Tom has already spelt it out above
My leopard lives indoors he has a room to himself with a humid hide and substrate etc. I use a mvb (Arcadia mini D3 - 80w at mo but they do higher) for heat light and the essential uva/b rays - all in one bulb. At night he has a CHE on a thermostat to keep temps even but the room also has a radiator so the ambient room temp is always 75-80 too. If you are planning on keeping it in the garage over winter please make sure his enclosure is nice and cosy for him and the minimum should be at least 4x8 ft prob more for larger torts.

Your enclosure looks quite small and seems to have a lot if shade in the pic. Does it get more sun at different times of the day? Can you partition off a larger area for him and still use your hutch and greenhouse etc with some tort friendly plants for ground cover? See www.thetortoisetable.org.uk for that. The Enclosures section will also give you great ideas for improving and the Beginners Mistakes thread is also a great help. If you have an outside elec supply you could put a che in the hutch.

Leopards are not the cheapest to keep - mine was found and not claimed, so the vet thought it was abandoned because of the cost of keeping them, and my bills have certainly gone up! But if you take one on you have to be prepared to give it everything it needs. So good luck and hope that once he warms up he will settle down.
Hi thanks for Ur info

I can make his enclosure bigger as garden is completely secure so when I'm about he is free to wander I only use run if I'm inside and not out with him
I have ordered a temp hun so here's hoping it arrives and hopefully a summer arrives with it
His indoor enclosure is about 8x8 ft tortoise table seperate uv and heat lamps
My house sits at 77 overnight so it's a good temp for him I can adjust it as needed
 

Lyn W

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Hi thanks for Ur info

I can make his enclosure bigger as garden is completely secure so when I'm about he is free to wander I only use run if I'm inside and not out with him
I have ordered a temp hun so here's hoping it arrives and hopefully a summer arrives with it
His indoor enclosure is about 8x8 ft tortoise table seperate uv and heat lamps
My house sits at 77 overnight so it's a good temp for him I can adjust it as needed
Yes a few sunny, warmer days will be very welcome!
I still use a CHE over/near his hide at night because even though the air temp is warm in the house the ground temps are colder. and torts need darkenss to sleep so his lamp would be too stressful.

Is your tort a rescue too?
 
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