At what temps do you move them outside?

MountainFox

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I have been keeping my 13y/o Redfoot in an indoor enclosure since adopting him in late October of last year. NC winter and early spring are unpredictable, with inconsistent and varied temps day to day, but we are rapidly approaching the day that he’ll get to live outside full-time! What day/night temperatures are warm enough for the seasonal move? His indoor enclosure isn’t going anywhere, so I can bring him in if there is a stray cold night. What night temps should he move inside? At the moment I do not have plans for a heated structure within this enclosure. Also, in case it’s important, this will be the first time he’s living outside.

On a related note, I’m curious what temps are your minimums for outdoor time on sunny and overcast days. We had a long stretch of 70s followed by a cold front, and he desperately wants to get back outside! He got a taste of the good life and he’s done with winter and the indoors.
 

Pearly

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I live on the edge of Texas Hill Country, so winters here are usually mild, with occ. cold snap, but even „warm winter” maybe too cold for a tropical tort species. RF’s love it at 80F and up. And very humid! Again high humidity needs to go with WARMTH! Even on cooler days in Texas winter the sunny spot in your garden may have 85 or higher temps at the ground lever. Your gun thermometer is your best advisor. Over here I just move my RF’s around in the afternoons following the sun. Their outdoor heated house is not ready yet so it is up to me to make sure they stay warm and comfortable. You will see a big difference of right above the grojnd temps on days in the 50-60’s but one overcast and windy and another calm and sunny. Again, don’t judge the temp by what it feels like to you bcs your „judger” is 5-6’ above ground, map your garden with your gun thermometer at different times of the day. There have been many daye this past winter when I simply kept mine indoors, on those days their bath would be extra long which btw this whole winter they have had a DAILY warm bath to make up for the loss of big chunk of freedom when they can roam freely around their big tortoise garden. Most of the days I wouldn’t put them out until 2-3pm when the ground is little warmer than am hours. Again GUN THERMOMETER is your best friend. I also often check my torts carapace temp. These numbers are very telling in letting you know how the bath works in bringing up their core temp (approximately of course, just an IDEA, trend of how your interventions affect your tort and her response to changes). Hope this helps you a little:) This used to be one of my big worries too so I totally get your concern
 

MountainFox

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Thanks, @Pearly. It’s definitely easier to monitor temps when he’s just having supervised outdoor playtime. I will not be able to be constantly temp gunning my monster once he has “moved” outdoors, so I’m looking for general guidelines for min day and night temps. There are ideal conditions (what we set our heat/humidity to in controlled indoor enclosures), but nature is not as great at hitting those on the nose. I keep trying to find the thermostat that controls the outdoor temps/humidity, but it must be really well hidden [emoji6].

Coming at it another way, for those who keep RFs outdoors year round, when do you consider it too cold for them and bring them inside or move them to heated night boxes?

I appreciate the help! Thank you!
 

Tom

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This doesn't need to be an "all or nothing" proposition. The tortoise doesn't have to be inside all the time, and then BOOM!, outside all the time one day. For most of the year, I put smaller tortoises outside when the weather is nice and bring them inside if things get colder. They get used to both enclosures, and they get the best of both worlds.

I wouldn't put the tortoise outside full time until you have a proper heated shelter for him to use whenever he wants. Some times they just want to be in their shelter even when temps are warm enough outside.
 

Yvonne G

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My redfooted and yellowfooted tortoises' sheds give access to their yards. During the winter, they're closed in the sheds. On nice days I open their doors and they can go out if they want to, but I always make sure they're back inside in the evening and I close the doors. Once the night time temperatures are consistently above 65F I just leave the shed doors open and they can go in or stay out as the spirit moves them. I have to qualify my statement by saying that my RF and YF tortoises are all full grown.
 

Robber

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I've always gone by a 59/75 standard with my redfoot and not had any problems. As long as the nighttime low isn't going to be below 59, she stays out, provided the daytime highs are going to be at least 75. If the day temps aren't at least that for a few days in a row, they won't be very active and I figure they might as well be inside, warmer, and eating more.
 

Millerlite

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My reds are out all year round but have a heat box. We don't get very cold though 40s sometimes in the 30s at our coldest 50s usually are our lows. Our highs are sometimes low but I've seen my reds out and roaming when it's 65. When it gets hot they tend to not move as much.
 

Redfool

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In FL I’ve had RFs for over 30 years. They are outside almost every day of the year. They always have access to a warm house which stays at 75 degrees when it gets down into the 40s and 50s. 30s is my move to inside break point. When it gets this cold They stay in horse trough pens covered with a sheet so they get no stimulus and sleep for a couple of days. These cold snaps don’t last long and they soon go back out. In the winter their outside heated house is covered with multi layered moving blankets for insulation even over the flexible door. I’ve had them come out and walk around and go back when it is even in the mid 40s. They do not roam for very long and have sense to go back to the warmth. We get 40-50 temps for only 2 or 3 mos. a year. 30s two or three times for only a couple days. With the exception of the 30s they can come and go as they please. Me and my RFs are blessed with great climate, a home and pen that I know is permanent and plenty of natural food. We seem to be well adapted.
 

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