Southern California - Winter outdoor enclosure

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Hello,
I got my Abe in the Spring and now approaching to fall/winter, I would like to understand how I should keep him outdoor. I read most of the threads here, some said I should have outdoor lighting. My garden has no outlet for the lighting… so should I take him inside to sleep?
Some said it’s ok to keep him outside. He has a little house, maybe I should add more substrate.
But sometimes cold winter could go to 40F.
My enclosure is outdoor, with dry and bushy areas side by side.

Should I also cover the top of the enclosure with tarp during rain?

What should I do?

 

[Tom]

Hello,
I got my Abe in the Spring and now approaching to fall/winter, I would like to understand how I should keep him outdoor. I read most of the threads here, some said I should have outdoor lighting. My garden has no outlet for the lighting… so should I take him inside to sleep?
Some said it’s ok to keep him outside. He has a little house, maybe I should add more substrate.
But sometimes cold winter could go to 40F.
My enclosure is outdoor, with dry and bushy areas side by side.

Should I also cover the top of the enclosure with tarp during rain?

What should I do?

You need a temperature controlled shelter. If you intend to brumate him, it will not be cold enough, or consistently cold enough, to do it outside where you are.

In this thread, I explain and demonstrate the outdoor housing and shelter:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

In this thread, I explain brumation:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Its not cold enough here to brumate a Russian tortoise without refrigeration.

This is all a lot to process. Questions and conversation are welcome. We will help you get through it all successfully.

 

[SinLA]

What Tom said. What region of LA are you in? I am in Burbank and have just started to bring mine in at night because its getting below 60 outside. I have an indoor enclosure that I use as his "night box" or inclement weather location. Its supposed to be 90s again later this week so he'll be back out full time, but slowly he'll be inside more and more until I can hibernate him per Tom's directions above.

That said, it is often recommend your FIRST year you do not brumate them since you don't know their full health conditions. What do you know about yours from before you got him?

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

I am in Pasadena. What is temperature controlled box? I don’t have any power outlet in my backyard. This is his enclosure. I don’t anticipate to be cold until perhaps January anyway, even cold December is usually only about 50F at night. But still, I want to he ready.
I will read Tom’s links.
SinLA, do you mind taking picture of your outdoor enclosure and indoor box?

 

[SinLA]

That looks really nice, what are the dimensions?

First thing, though that water bowl is a potential hazard, they can flip over and drown. you should replace it with a terra cotta saucer you can get for $5+ at Home Depot or Lowes. What are the dimensions, and how old/what do you know about your tortoise? Their age makes a big difference for how they are kept.

A temperature controlled box is a box that does have heating set up, but if you don't have power as an option you won't be able to do that. 50 is low for him to be outside.

Do you have somewhere you can bring him indoors that is temperature controlled? I use my renovated garage. Below are pics of my indoor space in my garage and my backyard outdoor space.

 

[Tom]

What is temperature controlled box?

That is in the thread I linked for you.

I don’t have any power outlet in my backyard.

That is what extension cords are for. Or you can hire an electrician to put an outlet in for you.

Its too cold at night now, and your tortoise needs a night time shelter that you can latch closed to protect him fro cold damp conditions and from predators and rats. This will make more sense after you read the linked threads that I left.

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Yes, the enclosure is completely predator proof with lock. I opened it when I took the photo, but the box can be opened and closed. It has 8” deep base as well so Abe cannot dig too deep. It is pretty big, 3’x5’. After looking at SinLA’s box, I think I can make a little attachment box with lamp etc… let me think how I should design it… perhaps for him to sleep at night. Like a real bedroom. Does that sound right?