Desert Box Turtle Night Temps

Gbear

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Apr 21, 2016
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I couldn't find specific information so I decided to make a new thread. It is going to get down to 50 degrees at night for the next 3 nights in Florida and I have recently adopted 2 desert box turtles that have an outdoor pen. Should I bring them inside or will they be okay to stay in their hides for the evening at 50 degrees? I may just go rake up some more leaves to throw in there. My Florida box turtles that I had when I was younger would just hunker down in leaf litter.
Thanks!
 

PJay

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I couldn't find specific information so I decided to make a new thread. It is going to get down to 50 degrees at night for the next 3 nights in Florida and I have recently adopted 2 desert box turtles that have an outdoor pen. Should I bring them inside or will they be okay to stay in their hides for the evening at 50 degrees? I may just go rake up some more leaves to throw in there. My Florida box turtles that I had when I was younger would just hunker down in leaf litter.
Thanks!
If they are acclimated to the season, 50F shouldn't be a problem. But if they are new to the outdoors you might want to keep them warm inside.
 

Berkeley

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May 4, 2014
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I agree with PJay- if you've just put them in their outdoor set up, it may be best to bring them in at night for those couple of nights. If they have been out in the pen for at least a week or so, 50 degrees is nothing for a box turtle and they can stay out in it.

--Berkeley
 

Gbear

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Apr 21, 2016
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Thank you for your help. It actually got down to 40. I prepared by putting extra peat moss, sphagnum moss, and Cyprus mulch around and in their hides to secure them a little more. They have been outside for about 3 weeks with me and I believe they were outside when they were hibernating with the rescue that I got them from.
 
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