Outdoor enclosures in the UK

[JJ]

This is not to exclude anyone in the States or those in warmer climes but here in not so sunny England, we cannot rely on the weather as much as other countries. Are there any members from the UK who can post some photos of their outdoor enclosures and if you include any additional outdoor heating...or do we rely on a couple of hours sunshine during the day in the months of July/August! I can't wait that long.
Obviously open to all who have suggestions regardless of location.

 

[brendaed]

Hi JJ. I am new and also UK (wiltshire). Am also very curious about outdoor enclosure in our wonderful weather..

 

[JJ]

Hi brendaed. I am in South Glos so looking forward to any suggestions out there....

 

[DutchieAmanda]

There are some threads by members from the northern colder parts of the USA, some even have snow in their enclosure. They often use heated boxes. I'm also open for good ideas, for my redfoot in the not so warm and sunny Netherlands ❄️

 

[donna torti]

I'm uk too I'm wanting to put my torts out as long as possible wud love ideas on how to do it overnight they would love it .

 

[WithLisa]

I'm not in the UK, but it's not much warmer here and my Hermann's are outside the whole year. They have a high quality cold frame, which helps a lot, and if the weather is really bad for more than a few days, I can also put a heat lamp inside.
During brumation in winter I use a heating cable to keep the frost out. Works quite well for me.

 

[donna torti]

I'm not in the UK, but it's not much warmer here and my Hermann's are outside the whole year. They have a high quality cold frame, which helps a lot, and if the weather is really bad for more than a few days, I can also put a heat lamp inside.
During brumation in winter I use a heating cable to keep the frost out. Works quite well for me.

Hi thankyou I'm going to give it a go . Do you put your heat lamp on during the night because it can get really cold on summer nights

 

[Lyn W]

I'm in South Wales and having trouble deciding what to do too. I have been looking at various options for a heated hide, but because I don't yet have an outdoor electricity supply and our summer nights can be quite chilly I'm thinking that I may have to bring my leopard in each evening again. Hoping to get my brother to help with that though. My first summer with him last year he was an unexpected lodger, and I didn't have chance to sort out a decent outside enclosure - just made sure that when he was out he was safe and had as much space as possible, but every evening he used to wander in to his inside hide when it was his bedtime. I must admit I am a bit nervous about leaving him outside, but can't wait to let him enjoy grazing and exploring again.

 

[WithLisa]

Do you put your heat lamp on during the night because it can get really cold on summer nights

The cold frame cools down slowly, so in short summer nights it's still a few degrees warmer than outside in the morning. But if necessary, I would use a heat mat or a CHE because light would disturb the tortoises.

 

[JJ]

That's really helpful advice thank you.

 

[tortdad]

I use one of those mini oil filled radiator heaters and it works fantastic But Some people use radiant heat panels. Whatever you use put it in a thermostat so it only come on when you need it.

 

[JJ]

Wow that is a very nifty idea!

 

[WithLisa]

@tortdad does the tortoise has to sit inside the dark box, even by day (on cold days in spring and autumn)? A cold frame or greenhouse makes more sense to me.

 

[tortdad]

@tortdad does the tortoise has to sit inside the dark box, even by day (on cold days in spring and autumn)? A cold frame or greenhouse makes more sense to me.

I do not have any lights but what you can't see because the angle of the picture is a doggie door where he can come and go as he pleases. This design is one of @Tom night box designs. If you do a search you can see many examples. It is 6' long 4' wide and 3' tall. Completely insulated all four walls and floor/ceiling. Even when it's below freezing outside it stays a nice warm toasty 86 degrees inside. A green house would take far more energy to stay heated. The space is so small and well insulated that the oil filled heater only comes on a handful of times a night for just a few minuets at a time. Even in the sad of winter my Electic bill is only a few dollars more that what it was before I hooked it up. Some people put lights in them with timers but I don't have it in mine. He just comes out for a bit in the day to eat then goes back in the box. In the wild they stay buried in a burrow most of the time and they don't have a light in there so I figured why out on in his box.

 

[WithLisa]

My torts also have a door, but in spring and autumn it's often just too cold. Today it was 45°, they can't go outside on days like this and I would not want them to sit in a dark box the whole day.
I want them to have natural light, that's why I keep them outside after all.

 

[Shirley the tortoise]

I've built an outside enclosure, just waiting to get chance to use it! I'm on the south coast so we tend to have fairly mild nights, so once it's warmed up enough I'll try it out.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Hello I'm writing from a cold highly elevated part of America with a very short growing season. Much of America is not the warmth and sunshine many people have the impression it is.

I sympathize with the feeling that is being shared on this thread... We want our tortoises to have outside access without having to live in a horrible little box for most of the cold uglier parts of the year. I've actually been keeping track of cold climate threads and even cold climate owners in a word processing program and also am "following" them here. <Poor cold climate people probably don't even realize I'm stalking them! >

Some people have better setups than others, but I'll post some links that I've gathered in hopes that it may help your discussion. Although, I'm in America, I too would be interested to see what more keepers are doing across "the Pond" , so please share!

Just in case you're interested...

A Brief Log of my Cold Climate Stalking:
(some of these have GREAT PHOTOS!)

The following two threads have some of my very favorite photos by @Jemo in Germany. You'll have to look through the thread to find his stuff, but his tortoise room is very close to how I aspire to keep my Sulcata over the winters. I'll just have less windows(-too bad!), more grow lights, and hopefully more grass and plants. (Crossing fingers!)

Here's the cold climate thread with Jemo's photos throughout...
****http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/i-dont-know-how-you-cold-weather-people-do-it.107671/

On this Aldabra thread, Jemo also posted cute photos of his Aldabras on a bed/bench in his indoor tort room, so you get a little more shots of the room. He doesn't seem to post too often, but what he does post is GOLD...
****http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/aldabra-ramp-possible-for-uncle-bri.85706/page-2#post-802059

****This thread also has some great discussions and photos. Some of my favorite photos posted on this thread are by @Turtulas-Len and @maggie3fan . I'm uncertain but I believe their photos are around the 3rd page or so...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/winter-adult-sulcata-housing.103555/page-3#post-965280

Here's another cold climate keeper thread...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-in-alaska.98300/ @argus333 is in New Jersey and shows photos of a heated shed he built. He also says he attached a greenhouse to this. I think attaching a greenhouse as discussed on this thread is a really nice idea.

On this thread a member posts a video on how he keeps his tortoise during the winter in Canada...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-i-keep-my-sulcata-in-a-canadian-winter.110312/#post-1036255