Keeping Our Red footed tortoise warm?

[windy mom]

HI Forum:
I just read the other ladies post about her sulfata tortoise and want to ask more advice on how to keep our tortoise warm as well in Southern California.? The temps have been cold (40's) and (60's) in the day with this last storm. We just bulit them a big enclosure in the backyard and there inner enclosure has a heated pad that the thermostat reads 74 degress. But, they are not coming out for water and are staying still. Should we ut them back in the smaller enclosure for the winter in our garage and up to the temperature?? It seems to be a cold winter coming. Advise please and thank you. We have 2. Male and Female.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, if you can keep the garage enclosure at around 80F degrees all the time, day and night, then it would be best to put your RF tortoises back in the garage. They won't eat if they're too cold.

. . . and, Welcome to the Forum!!

 

[jeannettep]

I don't know if this info will help, I haven't tested it yet. But I followed a design idea of Tom's, but I made the box smaller with the option to make it double the size later. I bought a 600 watt radiator (like a space heater), put a barrier to keep the turtles away from it. I plugged into a thermometer to turn off at 80. We made an adjustable size doorway so we can make it larger as they grow. We lined it on all sides with some radiant barrier that looks like it is metallic bubble wrap, added substrate and they like a log to hide under. Then I found these insulation foam boards to put on the outside. https://www.homedepot.com/p/STYRO-I...Brown-Foundation-Panel-SFL-200-2101/203929085

I just got them. Then I also found on amazon a tarp/emergency blanket. One side is a funny feeling plastic and the other side is metallic. So I attach that over their house and I can flip it over for the metallic side pointing out when I need to keep it cooler in the summer. I planted grasses and plants they like around the doorways to encourage them to come out and still feel like they are covered.

My plan is to run aquarium tubing attached to an underwater pump to have a drip into one of those pottery saucers on a timer since it doesn't need to run all the time. I set up something similar to the aviary. Unfortunately, I had too many things plugged into the same circuit and the plug caught on fire! So I haven't tackled that job yet. I have a great water filter and sterilizer that I used on the aquarium that I plan to put outside with their spa (I call it that) to keep the water extra clean. My concern is keeping the outside of the filter protected from the elements since my last bad idea! I have 2 water sterilizers in the pond that work great! So I know those would be fine for them, but I don't need the power of a pond water pump!