Cooler Weather

[lavender25]

Hey, we have one Little redfoot called, Gem. We live in Central FL. This morning I woke up it was 55 F. She usually lives in and enclosure in our backyard and we bring her in to her tortoise table on our screened patio at night. What options do we have for keeping her warm outside or on our patio? ALso if we do bring her in how would we make a temporary enclosure inexpensively? oh she is 5 inches long.
Thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

What do you put her in on the patio? Would it be possible to add a couple fixtures for a light and a CHE?

 

[lavender25]

What do you put her in on the patio? Would it be possible to add a couple fixtures for a light and a CHE?

She has a wooden Tortoise Table that is 4'X8' on the patio. Yes we would be able to add lights.

What kinds of bulbs, and how does a CHE work?
Thanks again

 

[cdmay]

At the very least bring Gem inside each night and if need be, just keep her in a carboard box. Anything inside is better than leaving her outside in the cold.

 

[Kristina]

In the fall I do as Carl said, and just bring them in for the night. I use sterilite storage tubs with shredded leaves or mulch in them, in case they pee, but a cardboard box does the trick. Each tortoise gets its own tub, but they aren't enclosure sized, only big enough for the tort to turn around. They are only sleeping anyway so it doesn't matter.

A CHE (ceramic heat emitter) is similar to a light bulb, but it emits no light, only heat. They come in wattages like light bulbs, i.e. 60, 100, etc. They screw into a regular incandescent socket like a regular light bulb, and keep the enclosure warm. They are nice for nighttime because no light means the tortoise can still get a good nights sleep, and they do need that.

This is what the CHEs look like.

 

[HLogic]

For anyone in FL north of Naples... It's gonna get cold tonight!

I'll be spending the rest of the day [re-]testing thermostats/heat in the outdoor refugia, installing heating in those that don't yet have it and bringing in those critters for which heating is not an option. Rounding up the stragglers and 'locking' them in the refugia will finish off the day.

It was 45 here this morning - not much of a problem for a one-time exposure for those that decided to 'rough it' last night but not something that should be repeated.

Just a word to the wise...