CHE night temps?

JaySparks

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whats the lowest and highest it should be at night?
 

Koen

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I have never worried about night temps. My Eastern and Western whom remain outside have experience 7 C at night and the babies whom are inside i have even allow to drop to 14 c at night and they easily walk to their basking spot every morning. They only experience such low temps during spring and even during summers we experience 12/13 C occasionally - never had any issues with it.
 

Tom

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I let adult Testudo go as low as 15-16 C. I prefer to keep babies no lower than around 20 C at night.
 

Koen

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I agree they are more fragile than adults but I have allowed it occasionally and they walk to their basking spots easily in the morning. Not saying they should be exposed on a regular base but here in Belgium and the Netherlands most of us keep our hermans outside and temps, even during summer, can take quite a dive a night.
But the baby's and the adults are sleeping now so they are exposed to much lower temps now :D
 

teresaf

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I agree they are more fragile than adults but I have allowed it occasionally and they walk to their basking spots easily in the morning. Not saying they should be exposed on a regular base but here in Belgium and the Netherlands most of us keep our hermans outside and temps, even during summer, can take quite a dive a night.
But the baby's and the adults are sleeping now so they are exposed to much lower temps now :D
And none get RI or die? None? How weird that here in the states temp drops cause RI's. Perhaps our humidity is higher...
 

Koen

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As long as they are not exposed excessively long to cold temps combined with rain they are just fine. During spring when it remains relatively cold during the day (I take 15 c as a minimum) they are not allowed to leave their greenhouse which is heated and as long they can warm them selves up easily early morning they are just fine. Never had any issues due to low night temps.
Humidity in Spring and Summer in Belgium is around 75%
 

Tom

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As long as they are not exposed excessively long to cold temps combined with rain they are just fine. During spring when it remains relatively cold during the day (I take 15 c as a minimum) they are not allowed to leave their greenhouse which is heated and as long they can warm them selves up easily early morning they are just fine. Never had any issues due to low night temps.
Humidity in Spring and Summer in Belgium is around 75%

Here is my question as it relates to the OP's question. We know that this species can survive those temperatures, but would you call those temperatures "optimal"?
 

Koen

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Definitely not Tom. The only optimal temps they will find are in their natural habitat, just like the space they have to rome around and the weeds they will find. I like to keep mine a natural as possible and by leaving them permanently outside in are large enclosure allowing them to graze and access to an insulated night house and heated greenhouse, even with occasionally colder night temps, is more suitable to me than putting them in a much smaller tortoise table with optimal temps.
 

teresaf

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Definitely not Tom. The only optimal temps they will find are in their natural habitat, just like the space they have to rome around and the weeds they will find. I like to keep mine a natural as possible and by leaving them permanently outside in are large enclosure allowing them to graze and access to an insulated night house and heated greenhouse, even with occasionally colder night temps, is more suitable to me than putting them in a much smaller tortoise table with optimal temps.
So if you heat the green house to optimal overnight temps and make sure they go in every night they'll be healthy and happy...
 

Koen

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They are happy and healthy and have been so since I’ve got them . 10-15 days a year of colder night temps won’t harm them.
 

HermanniChris

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Plain and simple, this species can take it COLD, even as neonates. Hermann's require night time cool downs and anything in the 60-70F range is suitable. Yes they absolutely can go much lower (even most forms of the western subspecies) but if you're concerned, then keep it at 65 lowest. Constant heat for this species will lead to irreversible problems. I always tell people to try and step outside the "heat circle" often associated with reptiles when it comes to many chelonians (not all of course). Heat is a major killer and dehydrator of most Testudo species, even arid dwelling ones. All of our babies stayed outdoors from April until early November this year. They experienced many nights and mornings down into the low 50s. Not a single one suffered any illness. The adults are still out there (of all 3 subspecies) in cold frames or under hay and mulch with 3.5" of snow on the ground right now.
 

GBtortoises

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Ideal night time temperatures for Hermann's and other temperate climate species, when kept indoors, can be as low as 55f (13c) but should never be higher than 65f (18c). 58-60f (14.5-15.5) is ideal. But it's very unlikely that most people are going have temperatures below 60f (15.5c) inside their homes so average temperature to strive for is 62f (15.5c) or lower. Temperate climate tortoises should have a day to night temperature variant of 15-20 degrees in order to encourage normal activity. Keeping them consistently warm day and night can result in several growth and development issues. They're entire system function is evolved to experience cool down periods at night. This should be promoted to encourage normal activity, digestion and growth.
Having kept tortoises in both indoor and outdoor situations for years I can attest that there is very differences in tortoises that are a maintained outdoors 24/7. They have much more correct growth/age ratios, are generally healthier, stronger and more active in the correct temperatures than their indoor counterparts. Keeping tortoises outdoors year round may not be possible (or comfortable) to do for everyone but they should strive to maintain a day/night temperature variant as well as some other key elements that encourage good health and correct growth and development of their tortoises.
 
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