Hatchling Night Temps

[PeanutbuttER]

I was thinking today about my hatchlings enclosure and was wondering about night temps. For my other redfoot I turn the heat and lights and everything off at night as the house generally stays about 72F at night. Is that too cool for my hatchling? She sleeps in her pile of sphagnum every night and I'm guessing a moist 72 (hatchling) isn't ideal for her.

I looked on Terry's caresheet and didn't see anything about night temps or whether they really need a night-time drop. What does everyone else do for hatchlings at night?

 

[egyptiandan]

72F sounds fine to me for a night time temperature.

Danny

 

[Tom]

Personally, I like it 75-80 for hatchlings of most tropical species. At least for the first few months.

 

[Madkins007]

The best way to phrase this is 'would a night drop help or hurt my tortoise?"

The best answer I can find is 'probably not'. That is, no one seems to have had significant problems or benefits from the practice.

While rain forest floor species do not experience as much of a drop as other species, Red-foots are not primarily a forest species, and much of their extensive range has decent night drops.

I know this is kind of a cop out, but I offer a warm and cooler hide (with undersoil cables for the warm end) and I cannot say I have seen a strong preference either way.

 

[Candy]

I try to keep Ruby and Eddie's temp at night over 80 and sometimes 85 near their hide. I figure if they want to get cooler they know where to go, but they usually stay under the heat emitter. I know there's been times where I've left the window open and it's gotten to 72 at night in there and they seem fine then too.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

With the exceptions of higher elevations thru-out their range in South America.. the few contacts I have from there tell me there is little temp variations "night-or-day". So with that in mind I 'turn up the heat' for mine if there is a possibility of it getting into the 70's at night - inside for my hatchlings.