Too cold in Florida?

Crush da Baum

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I live in Tampa Florida and it has been getting pretty cold. What temps do you think is fine for night time for two full grown Russians with no heating. Any people in Florida, I would love to hear what you guys do for winter.
 

FrankIinTheTortoise

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I'm in Orlando and boy oh boy is it cold. I don't suggest letting your Russian outside at night. I let mine out at night yesterday in my backyard and he just walked until he found a good place to burrow and slept in there. If you don't want your Russian to hibernate, don't expose it to temperatures under 75 degrees, I learned that the hard way. You shouldn’t your Russian dig his own burrow. Your Russian is at risk from flood, tunnel collapse if it rains heavily and from the local wildlife, eg rats. Your Russian is also at risk from a cold and damp created respiratory infection. I don't recommend taking them outside when it's this cold, especially with no heating. For now, I'm just sticking to letting Franklin out in the backyard every morning.
 

Blackdog1714

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Just build a night box and it would suffice for cold snaps. It is large enough that your tort could move around inside and allow for forays outside
 

Maggie3fan

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Cold in Florida? Hahahahahahahaha, oh, sorry ? A heated night box really is necessary, even in a warmer state like Florida. I live in the PNW so I need a heated area for my tortoises. You can get away with a heated night box. This is where my tortoises live for about 7 months.
Anyway, it is kinda necessary for you.
100_5818.JPG
Their habitat has a 4 ft solid cedar fencing100_5660.JPG
 

stjensen92

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Just not sure of what you mean by 'too cold'? I was under the impression that the good ol' Russian tortoise was a pretty hardy tortoise that could handle very low temps.
 

Blackdog1714

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Just not sure of what you mean by 'too cold'? I was under the impression that the good ol' Russian tortoise was a pretty hardy tortoise that could handle very low temps.
The issue is in the fall to winter they want to bruminate due to the weather getting colder (relative) and they do so in a low spot AND it rains! The burrow filling with water is the greatest danger not the cooler temps. That is why if you bruminate your tort it should be done in a very controlled manner.
 

Neon_xero

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I live in Tampa Florida and it has been getting pretty cold. What temps do you think is fine for night time for two full grown Russians with no heating. Any people in Florida, I would love to hear what you guys do for winter.
I would not have your tortoises out under 70-75 degrees because in texas I left my tortoise out twice before and it was from 65-70 degrees at night but no wind and he was in my dogs toy with insulation and they do get pretty cold you don't want to have them freeze
I mean Russian tortoises do stay n freezing weather but their burros are insulated pretty well in the wild but i would not go under 70
 

Maggie3fan

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Just not sure of what you mean by 'too cold'? I was under the impression that the good ol' Russian tortoise was a pretty hardy tortoise that could handle very low temps.
"could" and "should" are the key here. They "can" handle lower temps, but that does not mean they "should". In my experience Russians do like to be cooler at night. But they should NOT be forced to colder temps 24/7
 

Tom

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In this thread I show pics and explain how to house any temperate species. A night box where you control ambient temps, and then offer a basking bulb during colder weather will do the trick.
 
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