FOR ALDABRA OWNERS: how cold does it get where you live and how do you deal with it?

[destortoise]

Hi guys,

This is a question out of sheer curiosity. Are there any aldabra owners who live in more northern, colder areas? How do you deal with the cold and keep respiratory problems away? This is all speculation here because I know some day long down the line I will want an Aldabra and I want to provide the right resources, but I feel like geography and local climate is such an important factor to keeping them healthy and outdoors all year.

Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

The bigger the body mass, the longer the tortoise stays warm in cool weather. Our winters here average 45 - 50F degree days and 25 - 30F degree nights. The Aldabran tortoises have an insulated, heated shed that they shelter in with vinyl strips over the doorway. They come and go as they want to, and after being outside and grazing, they go back into the shed to warm up.

 

[destortoise]

The bigger the body mass, the longer the tortoise stays warm in cool weather. Our winters here average 45 - 50F degree days and 25 - 30F degree nights. The Aldabran tortoises have an insulated, heated shed that they shelter in with vinyl strips over the doorway. They come and go as they want to, and after being outside and grazing, they go back into the shed to warm up.

View attachment 136520

Hi Yvonne,

Thanks for the reply it is really cool to hear that there are Aldabras in colder areas! If you don't mind me asking, does it rain a lot in your area and about how large is the warm enclosure? Also, does your Aldabra really know to go through the vinyl? I'm not sure why but I find that so astounding. Hope they are doing great =)

 

[Yvonne G]

We're in the middle of a drought, so no, we haven't had a whole lot of rain. But rain doesn't hamper the aldabrans coming outside. They sort of like rain.

Their shed is 8x10'. BO is about 200lbs and SO is over 200lbs and too heavy for me to lift onto the scale. They both fit in there just fine with space left over.

Going through the vinyl strip door has never been a problem for any of my tortoise species that have the vinyl strip doors. Even the cats and dog go through with ease. From the smallest (russians) through the medium-sized (leopard and Manouria) to the largest - they all go through with no problem.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

heres an example of one of my Sulcata checking the whether outside.