Heat source at night? New to this

[JenniferMarie]

We have a very russian tortoise that we got in June for my daughters birthday, she has been doing great. My brother came into town and purchased a second for my other daughter whose birthday is next week. They seem to get along well. However now that it is getting to be fall I worry they are getting too cold overnight. Do I need to get a night heat light? Or some other type of heat source for them?

 

[Jodie]

The 2nd one was a mistake. Tortoises are solitary and territorial. They will not get along, and even if you can't see it, they will suffer under the stress of being trapped in the same territory.
As far as night heat, we need a bit more info. What size are they? Babies may need heat, but unless your house gets really cold at night, adults do not. Assuming they are in an indoor enclosure.

 

[JenniferMarie]

They are inside while the kids are at school and put out when we come home to play, if its cold outside they are just out to roam around in the house. We try to not keep them caged too often. Just when there is no one around to look after them. I thought they were social? I live in washington so it does start getting very cool at night. The tank gets around 60 degrees over night right now but we are just getting to fall.

 

[Jodie]

I am in Spokane. Several risks in what you are doing. They are escape artists. Check Craig's list there is almost always a lost Russian on there. Keeping them in a safe enclosure at all times is the only way to ensure you won't lose one. Wandering also poses the risk of injury or impactation from eating something.
I promise they are not social, and would be much happier in seperate enclosures. Groups can work, 3 or more, in very large outdoor enclosures. They often still fight. This can be bloody, and deadly.
In the 60's at night is ok for adults as long as they have a 95F basking area to warm up the next day.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Very good advice from Jodie here. She said it all. You really need to separate them and stop letting them loose in the house. You are headed toward disaster and I hope you will let us re-direct you onto a safer path for your tortoises.

Here are some care sheets for reference:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[JenniferMarie]

Okay well separate it is. I was just talking to my girls at work after reading the replies and one here has an extra enclosure I can pick up tonight. Our outside area is about 6 feet by 8 feet and it is a wooden fence on three sides and a short picket fence that they can't fit threw on the other side. Do you think they would be okay together out there with supervision? The girls take their tortoises outside to roam and stuff?

When we let them loose in the house I have a wire cage that goes around them. It was made for guinea pigs and we set up two connected together in the floor of my kids' room. It covers their 8x10 area rug so they can be out of their enclosures. There kids are with them the entire time. Not loose loose like completely free. I guess I worded that wrong. Just loose from their enclosure.

 

[JoesMum]

The problem with taking them away from their enclosure is that they are away from their lamps (UVB and heat) and their shelter and their food and their water. They can't behave naturally.

There is benefit in letting them have outdoors enclosure where they have plants and the sun and earth and grass, but letting them roam in a guinea pig run indoors is of doubtful benefit to me.

It is better to have a properly sized, equipped and setup indoor enclosure where your tort is happy.

And it is unlikely they'll be any better together outdoors. You will need to divide that too. They really aren't social creatures at all.

 

[JenniferMarie]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...oises-outside-in-the-pacific-northwest.95878/

Here is a lady who has quite a few Russians in her outdoor enclosure and all the posts show positive remarks for them being together. What would be different about mine?

 

[Tom]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...oises-outside-in-the-pacific-northwest.95878/

Here is a lady who has quite a few Russians in her outdoor enclosure and all the posts show positive remarks for them being together. What would be different about mine?

Groups of adults with the right sex ratio and the right enclosure can work. Pairs are the problem.

In most tortoise species, groups get along fine. Russians tend to be very scrappy and aggressive.

Want to read more?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/bad-day-for-baby.114328/

This one is from the same lady that posted the thread you linked. She is a lovely human being and a forum friend of mine. The threads were written just one month apart:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...earned-the-hard-way.94114/page-5#post-1387038

Here is my explanation:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/

 

[Jodie]

I also keep a breeding group of Russians. 3.6. I know someday I may have an injury. I keep them in a very well planted 25 foot by 25 foot garden enclosure. I have several walls to divide things up as well. They have 2 night boxes with 3 doors, so I can separate 1 or 2 from the group at any time. In spring and fall, I keep the males all seperated when I have less sight barriers from plants, and shrink the enclosure so I can find everyone at night.