How long outside?

[Jenley]

So...I'm a new tort mommy..and I'm sitting in here worrying about Crush being outside alone. I know he is fine, but the mommy in me is worrying. Is there a time limit on how long he can be out there? Or a minimum he should be out there? I feel like I have a newborn baby!

 

[JoesMum]

What predators do you have? Is Crush protected from them? Is the weather OK? Is then pen escape proof?

It is so easy to worry, but they survive outside in the wild and it may be that you just have to chill...

I stess about my own children just as much as I do about Joe still... and I have had all 3 for a every long time now!

 

[tiff3grl]

Does Crush have proper shelter and cover? Right now it's 102 degrees out so I would be extra careful with your little one. Due to his size there are a lot of predators out that will swoop him up in an instant. I would make sure to have a covered area that prevents predators and I would check on him often. He can dehydrate quickly. (only referring to it as a him because it's easier haha)

 

[Jenley]

What predators do you have? Is Crush protected from them? Is the weather OK? Is then pen escape proof?

It is so easy to worry, but they survive outside in the wild and it may be that you just have to chill...

I stess about my own children just as much as I do about Joe still... and I have had all 3 for a every long time now!

Only potential predator would be my dog but she is in the house...and even then I have some wire fencing over his pen. It's 102 degrees F right now outside. And no, he can not escape. So you're telling me he will be perfectly fine and to leave him be LOL.

When hubby brought him home I didn't think I would even touch him, let alone become attached to him! I'm not really a reptile person. (or I guess wasn't)..but now I feel like he's my new baby.

 

[JoesMum]

As long as he has food, water, shelter from the sun, somewhere to bask and places to sleep he will be happy

Why not post a picture of the enclosure for us to admire?

I think it's natural... a Mom never stops worrying about her kids; even the ones with shells

 

[Jenley]

So technically it's not wire fencing..but my son didnt need his crib anymore so this was the only thing I could think of that we had on hand...He has 2 shelters, shade, a 2 water things (although he decided to drag stuff into his little one so I changed out the water after I took this pic. FYI I do plan on making a better pen for him, please don't think this is a permanent one. It's just things I had on hand at the moment! Oh and I'm waiting for the seeds to start sprouting in his pen...

A special thanks to my 4 year old, who let me cut his halloween pumpkin in half lol

 

[Tom]

He can overheat way too easily in an enclosure like that on a 102 degree day. Be careful. 30 minutes outside twice a week is enough to prevent MBD. I do about an hour a day for hatchlings. Once they get over 100 grams, I gradually start leaving them out longer and longer. I don't leave small ones out when temps get over 95 or so. If an older tortoise is in a large, well planted enclosure with heavy overhead shade, like from trees or umbrellas, they should be fine. A hatchling in a small box or kiddie pool on the ground in the sun can cook really fast. Sulcatas really need to be able to get underground to escape the summer heat in AZ. Here's how I decided to do it: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-28662.html

If they must stay above ground, I recommend misters and sprinklers throughout the day. They have to have access to lots of deep shade and mud wallows and flood irrigation really helps too.

Remember that the vast majority of the people giving advice on this site, including me, do not truly understand the Phoenix heat. It's like nowhere else on earth. Use extreme caution. It is really easy to over heat and kill a small tortoise. It happens all the time. Better to leave them inside most of the time, and its better for their shell growth too, since its so dry outside.

I also soak mine on the way back in. Makes sure they are hydrated after being out in that intense heat and dryness. My weather isn't quite as bad as yours, but its pretty similar in the summer. We are around 100 here everyday from mid June until late September, but the big difference is that our nights usually cool into the low 60s.

 

[JonAz]

He can overheat way too easily in an enclosure like that on a 102 degree day. Be careful. 30 minutes outside twice a week is enough to prevent MBD. I do about an hour a day for hatchlings. Once they get over 100 grams, I gradually start leaving them out longer and longer. I don't leave small ones out when temps get over 95 or so. If an older tortoise is in a large, well planted enclosure with heavy overhead shade, like from trees or umbrellas, they should be fine. A hatchling in a small box or kiddie pool on the ground in the sun can cook really fast. Sulcatas really need to be able to get underground to escape the summer heat in AZ. Here's how I decided to do it: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-28662.html

If they must stay above ground, I recommend misters and sprinklers throughout the day. They have to have access to lots of deep shade and mud wallows and flood irrigation really helps too.

Remember that the vast majority of the people giving advice on this site, including me, do not truly understand the Phoenix heat. It's like nowhere else on earth. Use extreme caution. It is really easy to over heat and kill a small tortoise. It happens all the time. Better to leave them inside most of the time, and its better for their shell growth too, since its so dry outside.

I also soak mine on the way back in. Makes sure they are hydrated after being out in that intense heat and dryness. My weather isn't quite as bad as yours, but its pretty similar in the summer. We are around 100 here everyday from mid June until late September, but the big difference is that our nights usually cool into the low 60s.

Tom, what about sulcatas in the 4-5 pound range? Or does this only pertain to hatchlings? Mine have been outside permanently for a year now (this is their second summer). They are still growing great, eat well, and pooping =)