Heating overnight

[Gembolina]

Hi All,

Told you it wouldn't be too long before I was back

I wondered if I should turn off Shelby's heat lamp at night? I'm worried with him only being 10 months old that he won't be used to it... I bought a ceramic lamp which failed overnight and the next day it seemed to take him forever t come round... Currently waiting on the replacement ceramic too. The temp generally outside overnight is around 13c so I know for a fact the house will be warmer than that..

Thanks!

Gem

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort needs darkness to sleep and will come to no harm in your house without additional heat at night at this time of year

In fact, from what you told me in an earlier thread you hardly need additional night heat anyway. You told me night temperatures were 16-18C which is fine.

In the winter months you will need more as the house cools more, but losing the CHE for a few days still wouldn't be a disaster

 

[Gembolina]

@JoesMum - Hello again! I guessed as much, thank you for confirming for me x

 

[Raymo2477]

Hermann's and most European tortoises are fine without night heat. I've reared numerous hatchlings with no night heat and they are fine. If you're home is comfortable enough for you to sleep it will be fine for the tortoise.

 

[Tom]

Hermann's and most European tortoises are fine without night heat. I've reared numerous hatchlings with no night heat and they are fine. If you're home is comfortable enough for you to sleep it will be fine for the tortoise.

This really depends on the temperature in the house. Some people, especially over in Europe it seems, let their houses get really cold in winter, where we here in the US usually keep our houses heated and warmer over winter. Many UK posters have reported night temps in the low 50s (10C) inside their house. Most people in the US keep their houses 65-70F (18-21C).

 

[EwokLudmilla]

Hi there! Very useful information however what do you have to do if the temperature is still too high (65+) during the night? Do you put a fan in the room?

 

[Tom]

Hi there! Very useful information however what do you have to do if the temperature is still too high (65+) during the night? Do you put a fan in the room?

As long as its dropping into the 70s at night, you should be fine. I like the seasonal variation for temperate species. Warmer nights in summer and cooler nights in early spring and fall. Mine hibernate all winter. Conversely, the warmer day time temps in summer seem to suit them just fine too. Ambient in the low 90s is warmer than what they "need", but its what they would experience in summer out in the wild too. I had a friend who lived in Italy for work for several year (Hermanni territory…) and she said summer days were absolutely brutally hot. 100+ sometimes where she was working.

 

[juli11]

I'm living in Germany and my European tortoises live in the outside for the whole year and this since they were hatchlings. We have temperatures between -8C to +35C in the last years. When the spring comes between March and April the nights are still cold... Between 4C-8C but that's no problem for them as long as they have a roof and a dry place for sleeping. It is a small plastic house in German it calls "Frühbeet"
So tortoise are much more tolerant against temperature as we think.