Moving tortoise outside, still nervous about her returning to her heated house when cold

HoosierTort

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lol, I’ll definitely be making sure she’s locked up safe for the night! Did yours every start doing it on its own? And how is yours houses in the winter?
I have an old male Russian who goes into his cold frame every night about the same time. He’s figured out what works, but he’s the only one. Must be his age? Lol
 

jso

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I would not let a leopard roam in the cold northern snow states. Those are mostly large sulcatas that are allowed out in the cold areas. Most likely they let them out and are either home to keep an eye on them or they just have always gone in.
I live in Chicago, cold and snow. My leopards do not get outside in winter. I have one leopard that in the spring or fall when we still have cold night, he wants to bunker down outside in the cold. He has always liked the cold for some reason. I find him every night before dark and make him go in. The other one goes in on his own.
Member Elohi lives in Texas and brings her leopards into her house when it's going to be too cold.
Is it that “ he always likes the cold for some reason” or more that as temperatures drop, being ectothermic, he finds he has no choice but to stay where he finds himself. Although curious that the other one manages to go in by itself! Interesting!
 
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Tom

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When you have a lot of tortoises of varying ages ad species, you really see a greater cross section of behavior in regard to this issue.

In colder weather, ALL of my tortoises of all species put themselves away every night. During hot weather, all the Sulcatas, the male SA leopards, and all the stars, all put themselves away, but I'll occasionally find a radiata or female SA leopard parked in a corner outside at night fall.
 

jso

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When you have a lot of tortoises of varying ages ad species, you really see a greater cross section of behavior in regard to this issue.

In colder weather, ALL of my tortoises of all species put themselves away every night. During hot weather, all the Sulcatas, the male SA leopards, and all the stars, all put themselves away, but I'll occasionally find a radiata or female SA leopard parked in a corner outside at night fall.
Very interesting. Thanks.
 

wellington

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Is it that “ he always likes the cold for some reason” or more that as temperatures drop, being ectothermic, he finds he has no choice but to stay where he finds himself. Although curious that the other one manages to go in by itself! Interesting!
I have no clue except he's weird lol. He has always done it though. Even in the shed there is a colder spot that's by the door to their ramp to go out. The ramp goes into another shed area and then to the outside. The door has gaps and the addition is not yet heated so even though the cold can't blow in it's still a cold spot, around 68. He lays there about 50% of the time. Even when he was much younger, he would find the colder spot in his enclosure.
 
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