Moving to mountain climate need recommendation on my leopard tortoises

[John Hawk]

Greetings,

My wife and I are moving form the high desert in Agua Dulce, California to the cooler mountains of Frazier Park still in Southern California. The average temperature in our new location runs about 10 to 15 degrees cooler. It does get cold in the winter at our old location of Agua Dulce often freezing with occasional light snow. The Leopard Tortoises are about 13 years old and are doing fine as we have a large Rubber Maid hut with a floor reptile heat mat plus an electric heater we keep them in when the temperature drops below 65. Is there a way to still keep them in our new cooler climate? Grateful for any feedback on keeping Leopard Tortoises in colder climates.

Best, John and Kasandra

 

[Tom]

I have friends all over Agua Dulce, and Acton too. I'm surprised we haven't met. I thought I knew most of the tortoise people around here.

Agua Dulce is 10 minutes from me and I work in Frazier Park all the time. It is WAYYYYYYY colder up in Frazier. Consistently cold and windy up there. You won't have those winter warm spells like you did in Agua Dulce. You'll have snow that sticks. We go up there to play in the snow every winter.

A rubber made shed with a heat mat is not going to do it. You are going to need a large walk-in shed that is very well sealed, well insulated and well heated, or you'll need to dedicate a heated room in the house to them in winter and at night.

Sorry to tell you that Frazier Park is not good tortoise weather. If possible, leave your tortoises down here.

 

[John Hawk]

I have friends all over Agua Dulce, and Acton too. I'm surprised we haven't met. I thought I knew most of the tortoise people around here.

Agua Dulce is 10 minutes from me and I work in Frazier Park all the time. It is WAYYYYYYY colder up in Frazier. Consistently cold and windy up there. You won't have those winter warm spells like you did in Agua Dulce. You'll have snow that sticks. We go up there to play in the snow every winter.

A rubber made shed with a heat mat is not going to do it. You are going to need a large walk-in shed that is very well sealed, well insulated and well heated, or you'll need to dedicate a heated room in the house to them in winter and at night.

Sorry to tell you that Frazier Park is not good tortoise weather. If possible, leave your tortoises down here.

Thanks for getting back Tom! That's what we figured. We're still not 100% on moving there, but if we do we will need to find a good home for Beep and Bug. Sounds like you might be able to help.

Best, John and Kasandra

 

[wellington]

I'm a live in the snow and cold person being in Chicago. It's not that hard to have leopards in the cold areas. An insulated heated shed for winter and with outdoor space off of the shed for summer. If your Summer's don't get very warm you could also add a small greenhouse to the shed. This way they would go from shed, to greenhouse, to outside.
Tortoises can be kept any place as long as you build the right things to keep them.

 

[John Hawk]

Thanks! That's something to consider. Late spring ,summer and early fall are quite warm during the day.