Drainage

[Tort1419]

Ok soon to be getting a russian tort I have a major issue, I have almost everything researched or have a thought about how things will work my largest concern is rain and drainage, my outside tortoise enclosure is roughly 10' by 10' and It is tilted so that when it Rains the water should drip out, but the substrate should never be wet, (it should be damp though correct, like every morning should I take a spray bottle and spray some water around the enclosure?) so I'm thinking a tarp but here in Indiana Rain is on and off but sometimes in a drizzle or in large amounts, also can the RT stay out when it is just a drizzle plz help also what if I'm out for the day and it isn't expected to rain and it pours on him, even though he will have an underground humid chamber and several hiding places and safe zones will he be safe

 

[Yvonne G]

When it rains here I make sure all my desert-type tortoises (this includes my Russians) are inside their shelters. My tortoises' shelters consist of dry houses up on cement and I block the door so they can't come out.

You'll have to become tuned in to the weather reports and if it's planning to rain, don't let him out that day.

 

[Tort1419]

But what if I'm not around and it pours

 

[johnsonnboswell]

It happens. I've heard horror stories. You need a shelter for the tortoise that will stay dry, that he can enter at will. You need drainage that won't flood or get soggy no matter what.

If in doubt about the weather, leave them indoors.

Outdoors you'll want to spray with a hose.

Rain is often accompanied by cooler temperatures. RTs do not do well with cold and wet combined.

Covering the habitat can lead to problems/heat stroke/death if the sun comes out & the habitat overheats. Covering it when it's uninhabited to keep it dry and the soil warm can be a good thing.

 

[ascott]

The best thing is that if you are in the setting up stages of your enclosure....is to have the entire space elevated a bit higher than the surrounding area...this way the chance of sitting/flooding water is reduced...and if that is not possible....I would set up a few places within the enclosure that allows the torts to gain access to in order to retreat to higher ground....

Indiana? right now the weather there seems it would still be cold for a tort outdoors, I may be wrong???

Also, you will want to research brumation--the species you mentioned do naturally dig in during winter months and brumate and quite hard wired to do so---so you will want to have suitable indoor enclosure set up in the event you are not going to brumate the tort during winter and or an area for the torts to brumate during the winter (after the first year or two in your care and once you have educated yourself of the process of supporting brumation)...just a share here for further thought....

 

[ascott]

Ok soon to be getting a russian tort I have a major issue, I have almost everything researched or have a thought about how things will work my largest concern is rain and drainage, my outside tortoise enclosure is roughly 10' by 10' and It is tilted so that when it Rains the water should drip out, but the substrate should never be wet, (it should be damp though correct, like every morning should I take a spray bottle and spray some water around the enclosure?) so I'm thinking a tarp but here in Indiana Rain is on and off but sometimes in a drizzle or in large amounts, also can the RT stay out when it is just a drizzle plz help also what if I'm out for the day and it isn't expected to rain and it pours on him, even though he will have an underground humid chamber and several hiding places and safe zones will he be safe

Oh yeah, this is a really good site for real time weather, and if you are a keeper of tortoise that are housed outdoors, it is necessary;

www.noaa.com

 

[Tort1419]

Ok so I can elevate it, now listen here is my best idea, elevate it a little and where my enclosure is I can add a tarp to the surrounding wall so that the ground doesn't get wet is that a good idea