Outdoor Time During the Winter

[Michael Raymond]

I have an 8 year old African Leopard Tortoise. This was the first summer I felt comfortable enough to leave him in the fenced yard unattended. He really seemed to do well. I live in South Carolina, and the highs during the late fall and winter months are generally between the high 40's and low 60s. Is this too cold to put him out for a couple hours of natural sunlight a day?

 

[wellington]

i would not put him out in those temps. 70 and sunny. This is when an infrared temp gun would help. Sometimes when the sun is out and the weathermen says it's going to be say 65 today. If you temp the actual ground that's in full sun, it's usually warmer. This will help to know more if it's really to cold or not

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please be kind enough to post pictures of your tortoise as well as its enclosure.

Reading the "Beginners Mistake" Thread, as well different care sheets would also help you. Good luck!

 

[dmmj]

depends on how warm the ground is, but if the temperature is 60 I wouldn't do it

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome I have a leopard too, but he only goes out if the 'ground' temp is 70+ (and no chilly wind). Unfortunately the UK didn't have many warm enough days even in the summer this year - very disappointing!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Too cold for me, never mind a tortoise!

 

[Yvonne G]

At eight years of age, I should think it would be ok to allow him out during sunny days. Can you put him in a protected area? A lot of times, when the thermometer reading is 60F, in a sheltered, but sunny area a tortoise's shell can get heated up to much higher than that. Wind is a big consideration.

My leopard tortoises are allowed outside whenever they want to go. They have vinyl strips over the doorways to their shed and if the sun is shining, no matter what the temperature is, they will come and go at will.

 

[kingskettle]

I put my leopards out on sunny days. Their lawn is protected all round by polycarbonate sheets and their is an old metal framed window at an angle in the pen so they can sit under it to get some heat if needed. One prefers the shade lean to and one prefers the glass. I put them out for a few hours a day from maybe 11 til 3 say, hoping they'll poop outside!! They often have grass hanging from their mouths when I bring them in so I know they've been eating. I met someone last year from the north of Spain where it gets very cold and snowy and he told me his leopards live outside all the year round! I wouldn't allow mine to do so and if there's no sun or if it's below 55, they stay in with heat. They eat more it seems at this time of year than they did in the hot summer. I soak them 3 times a week in a warm bath; sometimes they walk straight out and sometimes they sit and drink and soak til the water is cold.