Outdoors Hermann - Newbie Nerves

[Huw]

Hello!

We have a 7 year old Hermann who currently spends most days indoors and only goes outdoors on warm days when we are around.

I really don't like the idea of him staying in when we are at work though, especially when the sun is shining. The trouble is we really nervous about leaving him outside all day. My girlfriend is worried about what he'll do when it rains, while I am worried about neighbouring cats having a go at him (I have heard a horror story about a cat and a tortoise).

Are we right to be cautious or should we bite the bullet and stop being so over-protective?

Any advice gratefully received!

Huw

 

[Gillian M]

Hi @Huw and a very warm welcome to the forum!

Personally, I would NOT leave the tort to roam around outside, particularly due to the fact that there'd be nobody around him/her. Let alone the rain, cats, and so on, the tort may "disappear" whilst roaming around in the wild no matter how slow torts are.

Any pics of your tort?

 

[Huw]

Hi Gillian!

Our yard is bricked in so no escape routes, though im sure cats could get in!

Youve more or less confirmed my fears. He'll just have to wait for evenings and weekends.

 

[Huw]

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A lot can happen to a tortoise outside. Although I wouldn't worry about cats, there are many other animals that I would worry about, including human children.
I have four 3.5 inch Redfoot tortoises and 7 adults outdoors now, 24/7. But they are in enclosures that defend against attacks from birds of prey, etc and there are no raccoons around.
There are dozens of feral cats. If that's your only "predator", don't let that stop you. The cats will try to sleep in your tortoise houses when it is cold or rainy and they will poo everywhere. Unfortunately, tortoises like to eat cat poop. Otherwise, I have never had a cat even look twice at a tortoise as a food item. Not an adult, anyway.

 

[RosemaryDW]

What a beautiful tortoise!

Have you asked your question in the Hermann's subforum or the enclosures forum as well as here? You might get some answers more specific to your little one. It would also be helpful to know where you live and the general climate.

 

[Huw]

Thanks Rosemary, i may just do that.
I live in Liverpool. The one in England. Had some lovely Tortoise friendly weather recently. Just hope it'll last.

Cant understand why anyone would eat cat poo tho!
I think Monty eats his own too.
Its a good job i love him dearly or id be having serious words

 

[RosemaryDW]

How heavy/big is your tortoise? I have a 15 centimeter/900 gram Russian and my cats run from her but she's a bully.

It's warm here so she's an outdoors tortoise when she isn't hibernating. She has a heated box she uses at night and when it's cold or rainy; it took a few days and a lot of human anxiety to "train" her to put herself away.

@JoesMum has a good thread about outdoor accomodations in the UK at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/.

 

[Huw]

Thanks for that link. Most useful.
I wish I could get heating outdoors, but its just not possible at the moment.
He does have a Rabbit Hutch outdoors but I've never seen him willingly go into it. I've put him in there a couple of times but he just peers out the door as if he's thinking "I'd like to get out of here but that ramp looks a bit steep for my little legs". I've sawn the legs off the hutch so maybe he'll use it. Dunno tho.

He is around 725 gms and nearly 10 cms, so a bit smaller than yours. And these Liverpool cats seem tough.

The thing is that I just love seeing him outdoors so much. He's such a lovely little geezer. He'd love to be in Sunny California I'm sure!

 

[Big Charlie]

Thanks for that link. Most useful.
I wish I could get heating outdoors, but its just not possible at the moment.
He does have a Rabbit Hutch outdoors but I've never seen him willingly go into it. I've put him in there a couple of times but he just peers out the door as if he's thinking "I'd like to get out of here but that ramp looks a bit steep for my little legs". I've sawn the legs off the hutch so maybe he'll use it. Dunno tho.

He is around 725 gms and nearly 10 cms, so a bit smaller than yours. And these Liverpool cats seem tough.

The thing is that I just love seeing him outdoors so much. He's such a lovely little geezer. He'd love to be in Sunny California I'm sure!

We have a little house in our yard that we built for Charlie. We were kind of hoping he would use it in the summer and if he wanted to dig, he would dig there. He never uses it. He does use the heated house we also built. I don't think a house has much appeal for them unless it is heated.

 

[Huw]

Well, we've had something of a heatwave over here in England so for the first time ever we've gone to work and left Monty out on his own.
I'm a bag of nerves to be honest.
He tried so hard to climb out of his tortoise table yesterday morning that he ended upon his back!
Fingers crossed please everyone!

 

[JoesMum]

Well, we've had something of a heatwave over here in England so for the first time ever we've gone to work and left Monty out on his own.
I'm a bag of nerves to be honest.
He tried so hard to climb out of his tortoise table yesterday morning that he ended upon his back!
Fingers crossed please everyone!

It's actually a bit hot at the moment here in the UK.

Make sure:
- the enclosure has areas of deep shade so your tort can escape the heat
- the enclosure is secure from escape
- your tort has free access to water. Sink a saucer into the earth

Don't be surprised if your tort does very little apart from early morning and late evening. Joe would be in the shade through the hottest part of the day in weather like this. It was quite common for him to be out grazing when it was nearly dark.

It's plenty warm enough for your tort to be out 24/7 without any need for booster heat.

 

[Huw]

Thanks JM!

There is definitely plenty of shade, no escape routes and water. We have checked, double checked and triple checked!

Was funny seeing him sat in the shade yesterday, wanting to come and join us in the sun, but every time he walked out of the shade he got too hot and walked back to the shade again. Such a cutie.