People in colder climates: How do you handle night temps during winter?

[Tortus]

Without jacking the heat up in your entire house that is.

It's not even that cold in here yet (it's around 70 right now). I just had to put a CHE on the basking end because that's where my tortoise is deciding to sleep tonight. It used to sleep there all the time, but a few times it chose the cooler end where the CHE was originally.

I think during winter I'll need to have 2 heat emitters going all night. One on each end to make sure temps don't drop below 80. Either that or keep moving it over wherever it's sleeping.

 

[BowandWalter]

I have heat cables run through mesh covered thoroughly in rocks, keeps it nice and toasty, and only uses 15 watts.

 

[GBtortoises]

It depends upon the species needs. Most (actually almost every) tortoise species will be fine in temperatures as low as 65, most even colder, as long as daytime temperatures reach normal activity levels. Very few peoples homes get below 60 at night, most people maintain their home around 65 degrees in the winter so there is no issue.

No tortoise species needs temperatures of 80 degrees at night!

 

[Tortus]

No tortoise species needs temperatures of 80 degrees at night!

People here are telling me not to let the temps drop below 80. It's a baby leopard in a humid enclosure.

 

[Itort]

I maintain mine at room temp (68 degrees) with a CHE at one end of enclosure (80 to 90 degrees). As I keep forest type torts just ambient room light for illumination. For the highland types (Black Mountain Torts) I don't even use a CHE (they seem to avoid the higher temps). The temperate climate turtles I use UV B and basking lights.

 

[Edna]

People here are telling me not to let the temps drop below 80. It's a baby leopard in a humid enclosure.

For a baby leopard in a humid enclosure, keep it warm at night. The heat cables or CHEs can work for you. I've also used an under-tank heat mat (under the sleeping area in a glass tank) and a heat-pad designed for human use (under the sleeping area of a plastic tank). Either can be temp-adjusted to only get you the 80 degrees you want, no warmer.

 

[Tortus]

I also have an 11" x 17" heat mat under the enclosure. I think it's mainly good for creating humidity now (maybe a little ambient heat) since I keep the substrate over the area pretty moist. The problem I have right now is that the baby doesn't seem to have a set sleeping area, so I need to keep the entire thing warm. I don't know anything about heat cables.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

No tortoise species needs temperatures of 80 degrees at night!

People here are telling me not to let the temps drop below 80. It's a baby leopard in a humid enclosure.

I'm in the same boat as GB. I keep Russian tortoises, which need daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, and prefer nighttime temperatures in the 60s. During the colder months, we set our thermostat to 65-68*F, which happens to be good for all three species in our house: humans, cat, and Russian tortoises.

As for leopard tortoises, some say nighttime temps down to 65*F, others down to 70*F. I'm inclined to think the 60s would be fine, since nighttime temperatures in parts of the leopard tortoise's native range in Africa can drop down into the 60s, and leopard tortoises do not burrow. However, perhaps keepers of baby leopard tortoises would want to keep nighttime temperatures in the 70s or even 80*F in captivity if the enclosure has a high humidity level. So, I'll let leopard tortoise keepers advise you on that.

 

[wellington]

No tortoise species needs temperatures of 80 degrees at night!

People here are telling me not to let the temps drop below 80. It's a baby leopard in a humid enclosure.

I'm in the same boat as GB. I keep Russian tortoises, which need daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, and prefer nighttime temperatures in the 60s. During the colder months, we set our thermostat to 65-68*F, which happens to be good for all three species in our house: humans, cat, and Russian tortoises.

As for leopard tortoises, some say nighttime temps down to 65*F, others down to 70*F. I'm inclined to think the 60s would be fine, since nighttime temperatures in parts of the leopard tortoise's native range in Africa can drop down into the 60s, and leopard tortoises do not burrow. However, perhaps keepers of baby leopard tortoises would want to keep nighttime temperatures in the 70s or even 80*F in captivity if the enclosure has a high humidity level. So, I'll let leopard tortoise keepers advise
you on that.

For a leopard, 65 is way too cold. High humidity and high heat. If your humidity is around 80% or higher, do not let your temps go below 80. High humidity and cold will get your Leo sick or dead. I usually use two CHE for winter months. There should be no humid area below 80. Any kind of heat source suggested is fine. Just get the temp up to 80 day and night. When you Leo gets older and the humidity isn't kept so high, then the temps can come down a little.

 

[Tom]

No tortoise species needs temperatures of 80 degrees at night!

Gotta respectfully disagree here GB. I'll never argue any Testudo parameters with you, and trust your judgement there implicitly, but baby sulcatas and leopards fare much better with warmer night temps with humidity. Can they survive lower than that? Sure. I used to do it that way, but I NOW think it is better for them to be warmer, and it is a bit risky to go any lower with humidity or temps. Especially for a leopard with their propensity to contract respiratory infections.

 

[wellington]

 

[Tom]

GTT, looking at above ground ambient temps on the entire continent of Africa, the leopard's range, is of very limited benefit here. That slippery slope has caused all sorts of husbandry problems historically. 65-70 at night is fine for an adult leopard in a warm dry climate, in a heated night box, where day time temps will get nice and warm the next day. Not for a baby in an indoor humid enclosure.

Tortus. Your solution is a simple one: A closed chamber. Uses hardly any electricity and maintains perfect temps and conditions easily. Check it out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Closed-Chambers#axzz27IxZYT33

If you have a closed chamber, it doesn't matter if you live in South Florida or Northern Canada. The weather INSIDE your closed chamber will always be tropical, warm and perfect.

 

[lynnedit]

I don't know anything about heat cables.

Just to answer that comment;
Heat cables embedded below the substrate can be very successful at taking the chill off of the 'ground' and substrate of the enclosure, and (as you notice with the heat mat) raising humidity.
Even though you still need a night heat source, these work very well, and don't seem to use much electricity.

Here is a good thread (Redfoots, but you get the idea). The Big Apple are waterproof (unlike many that are water resistant), so you can keep the substrate moist.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Using-sub-soil-heating-cable#axzz27Gi05QnH

 

[Tortus]

GTT, looking at above ground ambient temps on the entire continent of Africa, the leopard's range, is of very limited benefit here. That slippery slope has caused all sorts of husbandry problems historically. 65-70 at night is fine for an adult leopard in a warm dry climate, in a heated night box, where day time temps will get nice and warm the next day. Not for a baby in an indoor humid enclosure.

Tortus. Your solution is a simple one: A closed chamber. Uses hardly any electricity and maintains perfect temps and conditions easily. Check it out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Closed-Chambers#axzz27IxZYT33

If you have a closed chamber, it doesn't matter if you live in South Florida or Northern Canada. The weather INSIDE your closed chamber will always be tropical, warm and perfect.

I'll look into this closed chamber thing more. I got my tort at less than a month old so I think I have a good chance of keeping it smooth.

This would be easy for me, actually. Its enclosure is kept relatively humid now (60-80%), but if I closed off the little nook it's in with something more secure, like maybe something as simple as a piece of plastic from ceiling to floor, I could definitely increase that and trap more heat. Right now I have a blanket hanging up and the area is warmer and more humid than the rest of the house.

Thanks for the advice.

---

Since respiratory infections were brought up, what are the signs of that?

I noticed mine seems to have a lighter color around its nose sometimes, but I'm thinking that may just be the calcium powder I sprinkle on the food every other day.

 

[Tom]

Signs of RI would be sneezing, nasal discharge, noises while breathing, labored breathing, gaping and yawning excessively, and possible lethargy and lack of appetite as it progresses.

White residue around the nose is DEFINITELY a sign of something else...

 

[laney]

My house gets pretty cold at night so I just leave their ceramic heater on, on the thermostat but turn the temp down just Incase it gets cold that way it will kick in if needed

 

[Tortus]

White residue around the nose is DEFINITELY a sign of something else...

That's good to know. Either it's the calcium powder or she's a coke fiend. lol

But it definitely seems healthy. Strong and active. She even eats from my hand now when she's in the soaking water. I dropped a piece of endive in the water by accident and she was practically diving for it. My uromastyx won't even do this out of the enclosure and I've had it for almost 9 years.

 

[Yvonne G]

If I have to have a habitat in the house for the winter, I usually set it up with a red/black light for night and a UVB light for day. Then, because my house gets pretty cold (frugal energy saver) at night, I take a couple sheets of aluminum foil and fold them together along the long edge. When you open it at the fold it makes a very large sheet. I put the foil over the whole habitat...lights and all. This keeps out the cold air from the house, and keeps in the warm air from the lights.

 

[Tortus]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm also frugal and I work at night, so during the night I usually have the heat off in the house. I'm just looking for the most efficient way of keeping my tort's enclosure at 80 degrees during those cold nights.

I'm keeping everything mentioned in mind. In another month or two we'll be down to freezing temps. Trying to get fully prepared now.

 

[EKLC]

build a closed insulated enclosure, and keep a CHE on a thermostat. You're going to save a lot of power and keep the temps very stable. Last winter when it was 50 in my house, my enclosure was able to remain at 80 with the CHE on no more than 10 minutes of the hour.