Hello all, I am the proud new owner of a red footed tortoise. I was wondering, how warm does it need to be outside before I can bring him out for 15 or 20 minutes to explore and get some sun? It is about 60 degrees where I live today, very sunny, and I know that's too cool for them in general but I didn't know if the benefits of the sun and some exploring would outweigh that if it was just a short period of time.
How warm before I can take outside
- Thread starter Jegotting
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60 is just too cool.
70 with direct sunlight might be o.k. for a short period.
70 with direct sunlight might be o.k. for a short period.
Use a temperature gun thermometer in the full sun of your outdoor enclosure. You will be surprised at how much warmer it is at tortoise level in sheltered spots compared with the air temperature for the day.
If you have full sun, then yes your tort should be fine outside. Maybe not all day, but certainly for an hour or so.
If you have full sun, then yes your tort should be fine outside. Maybe not all day, but certainly for an hour or so.
Zeropilot and I have posted opposite responses - nearly - use a temperature gun thermometer and test it to see what you actually have in full sun 
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
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- 29,158
- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I am assuming that the posted temps are actual.Zeropilot and I have posted opposite responses - nearly - use a temperature gun thermometer and test it to see what you actually have in full sun
That's the air temperature, not the temperature on the ground in full sun in a sheltered spot. That will be much higher
If the sun is shining and the air temperature shows 60F on the thermometer, then in a sheltered spot on the ground, in the sun, would probably be suitable for your tortoise. The sun shining on a rock or a piece of wood, or on the ground in an area that's sheltered from the wind/breeze, gets much warmer than the ambient air temperature.
I read into this subject when selecting my heating method for my new enclosure, boy does it get confusing.
Here's my understanding of the basics.
The sun gives off infrared rays, Far infrared rays (FIR) are the invisible spectrum of the suns infrared and is harmless to us, actually has health benefits. Infrared does not warm the air up, it warms up objects, then the objects absorb and deflect the heat back creating an ambient. On a cold winters day when the sun is shining, put your hand on wall that is out of the wind. The wall is warmer than the air temp. The sun's infrared has warmed the wall up. On a day when sun comes and goes behind the clouds the air temp stays the same, however you feel warmer as the sun comes from behind the clouds. Infrared has warmed you up, not the air temp.
So if it's 60f and cloudy it will feel colder than 60f and sunny. The air temp is the same, but your tort will absorb and deflect infrared rays when the sun is out.
In enclosures when we use convection heaters, we are warming up the air, not the objects. This air rises and finds any way it can to escape so cooling happens quicker. I opted to use FIR heat panels, these warm objects up, rocks,wood,plants,humans,tortoises even soil etc etc etc. These objects in turn emit the heat back creating an ambient. If you turn off the panels the heat loss is a slower process because objects don't instantly stop emitting heat, where as with the convection heater the hot air dissapates fast.
You can create a sun trap on a cold clear day.
Now let's hope some wizkid scientist is going to explain it better than I.
Oh yeah, there's also windchill and moisture that plays a part, let's not go there. If you read up on infrared it gets quite interesting.
I've started putting my 2 yr old reds out for 30mins or so when it's 60f and sunny.
Hope that helps.
Here's my understanding of the basics.
The sun gives off infrared rays, Far infrared rays (FIR) are the invisible spectrum of the suns infrared and is harmless to us, actually has health benefits. Infrared does not warm the air up, it warms up objects, then the objects absorb and deflect the heat back creating an ambient. On a cold winters day when the sun is shining, put your hand on wall that is out of the wind. The wall is warmer than the air temp. The sun's infrared has warmed the wall up. On a day when sun comes and goes behind the clouds the air temp stays the same, however you feel warmer as the sun comes from behind the clouds. Infrared has warmed you up, not the air temp.
So if it's 60f and cloudy it will feel colder than 60f and sunny. The air temp is the same, but your tort will absorb and deflect infrared rays when the sun is out.
In enclosures when we use convection heaters, we are warming up the air, not the objects. This air rises and finds any way it can to escape so cooling happens quicker. I opted to use FIR heat panels, these warm objects up, rocks,wood,plants,humans,tortoises even soil etc etc etc. These objects in turn emit the heat back creating an ambient. If you turn off the panels the heat loss is a slower process because objects don't instantly stop emitting heat, where as with the convection heater the hot air dissapates fast.
You can create a sun trap on a cold clear day.
Now let's hope some wizkid scientist is going to explain it better than I.
Oh yeah, there's also windchill and moisture that plays a part, let's not go there. If you read up on infrared it gets quite interesting.
I've started putting my 2 yr old reds out for 30mins or so when it's 60f and sunny.
Hope that helps.
It rarely ever gets 60°F where I live. I only bring my tort out around 80°F...you mean I've been cooking him sunny side up this whole time?!
(At least he has tons of shade!)
(At least he has tons of shade!)
Ha ha. 80f is perfect. But you you make a good point about shade.
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