Temps and Rain

[Tony the tank]

Quick question I'm in Florida .. Temps at night are hitting 60-65 is this ok for a pair of sub adult Russians. It's also going to rain. They have a dry hide but they are burrowing instead. Thoughts opinions?

 

[Jodie]

If it were me, I would put them in dry hide. I would be worried about that cool and wet.

 

[dmmj]

cold and wet is always bad. I bring my Russian in at night when it rains

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Cool is O.K.
Wet is O.K.
The two together often are a cause of breathing and other issues.
Next week in Florida will be cold every night. Just get two totes and bring them inside.

 

[Tony the tank]

I brought them in for the evening.. I really don't want to be bringing them in and out in the winter.. .what is a considered to cold and to hot..? The elevated pen does have a Wooden hide 10"deep by 30" wide... Which stays somewhat dry... But it does have a dirt floor so when it it rains hard ( we got 5" of rain in about an hour)the moisture wicks in.... .i have ordered two small waterproof heat pads which I intend to fasten to the rear of the hide box....if my calculations regarding BTU are correct it should be able to raise the ambient temp 35* on all but the coldest days... Average winter temps at night would be 40-50* with an occasional soft freeze..( below freezing for an hour or so)... Could Russians be taught to use the hide instead of a burrows like my Sulcatas? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[Millerlite]

I would build a dry hide that you know will stay dry. You can even put substrate inside of it so they can dig in a little. Fl so get a seen pretty mild compared they can handle the temps. Just gotta keep them dry. Build or buy a dog house or something if that matter. Raise it up and have a ramp going to it so it stays dry.

I'm in so. Cali. And our winters are much the same with less rain. I had a rabbit hutch with a shingles roof. I took the floor out. Fitted a rubermaid run to the bottom. I sat it on cinder blocks and had a ramp going up to the door. The Rubbermaid tub was not the big Tall ones maybe a foot Tall of that . but it worked well the hide stayed dry was off the ground in case of floods. Tortoises seemed to like it. Wish I had a picture

Kyle

 

[Tony the tank]

I elevated the hide that is on one end of the pen by placing more dirt and pin straw under it making it about 4-5" taller than anything else in the pen..I also placed a stand alone roof over the hide..the pen drains well. But just in case I ordered 2000 night crawlers which I intend to release in the pen to aerate the soil.