Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Our forecast shows a string of days with highs in the low 60s coming up. Sunny, a little breezy (5-10 mph). I’ve been bringing Leo in at night and letting him out to patrol from around noon to 5pm, but he doesn’t do much patrolling since temps have been only reaching ~70 degrees. Is it tool chilly for him to be out for a two or three hours if it’s sunny but temps only reach 60-63 degrees? Humidity is very low (outside of his indoor enclosure) this time of year, so he won’t be hunkering in damp soil. I do not want to keep him cooped up all day in his indoor enclosure unless it’s unsafe for him to be outdoors. I’m waiting for a much larger indoor enclosure from Animal Plastics, but I ordered it in August and their lead times were 3-7 months when I ordered it so it could be a few more months. I know it’s still way too small for him but again, it’ll just be for him to use overnight and during cold/rainy spells until I have a proper heated night box for him so he can live outside all year.
Additional info: He weighs at least 15 lbs and has an insulated doghouse with a heat mat, but only goes in it to eat… he tends to hunker down under a shrub after eating during this time of the year, unless temps get above 75 degrees. Fortunately, in my area, we normally see a decent number of days that meet that threshold, even in winter. I try to soak him every day for at least an hour to get the tortoise treadmill going, but occasionally skip a day. His appetite is great, as are his pooping and peeing. His indoor enclosure is not sufficient for his size but it is useful as a heated hide for him to sleep in. I am hoping to have a heated night box built for him soon, using @Tom ’s design, but I’m at the mercy of the person kind enough to build it for me.
Our forecast shows a string of days with highs in the low 60s coming up. Sunny, a little breezy (5-10 mph). I’ve been bringing Leo in at night and letting him out to patrol from around noon to 5pm, but he doesn’t do much patrolling since temps have been only reaching ~70 degrees. Is it tool chilly for him to be out for a two or three hours if it’s sunny but temps only reach 60-63 degrees? Humidity is very low (outside of his indoor enclosure) this time of year, so he won’t be hunkering in damp soil. I do not want to keep him cooped up all day in his indoor enclosure unless it’s unsafe for him to be outdoors. I’m waiting for a much larger indoor enclosure from Animal Plastics, but I ordered it in August and their lead times were 3-7 months when I ordered it so it could be a few more months. I know it’s still way too small for him but again, it’ll just be for him to use overnight and during cold/rainy spells until I have a proper heated night box for him so he can live outside all year.
Additional info: He weighs at least 15 lbs and has an insulated doghouse with a heat mat, but only goes in it to eat… he tends to hunker down under a shrub after eating during this time of the year, unless temps get above 75 degrees. Fortunately, in my area, we normally see a decent number of days that meet that threshold, even in winter. I try to soak him every day for at least an hour to get the tortoise treadmill going, but occasionally skip a day. His appetite is great, as are his pooping and peeing. His indoor enclosure is not sufficient for his size but it is useful as a heated hide for him to sleep in. I am hoping to have a heated night box built for him soon, using @Tom ’s design, but I’m at the mercy of the person kind enough to build it for me.