@brigcampbell
I keep desert and Texas tortoises in California's central valley. I don't provide heated shelters for either of them. They brumate in insulated shelters that are big enough for them to stay in when they wake up and I don't put them back outside in their yards until the nights are consistently 50° or above. My thinking is they are acclimated to the cold weather having just brumated. They won't become active and won't eat until they can be put out in their yards when the weather warms up. Most of the time they don't start moving around in their brumation areas until it gets above 50° in there. Then once they're put outside if we have a cold or rainy spell I just go around and make sure everyone is in their yard's shelter. No need for heat.
I keep desert and Texas tortoises in California's central valley. I don't provide heated shelters for either of them. They brumate in insulated shelters that are big enough for them to stay in when they wake up and I don't put them back outside in their yards until the nights are consistently 50° or above. My thinking is they are acclimated to the cold weather having just brumated. They won't become active and won't eat until they can be put out in their yards when the weather warms up. Most of the time they don't start moving around in their brumation areas until it gets above 50° in there. Then once they're put outside if we have a cold or rainy spell I just go around and make sure everyone is in their yard's shelter. No need for heat.