Looking for people who keep their Russian tortoises outside year round

[LRTortoises]

I live in Arkansas with weather like this
Average low gets to mid 50s in April and in October. Then down to Average lows of 35 in January and February. I have a nice sunny spot for my large outdoor enclosure and am wondering about leaving my tortoises out all year this year.

I have 3 males 6 females. With 1 male and 4 females who are of breeding size and do mate alot when I have them together. I have a 2nd outdoor enclosure and have built a 8ft by 4 ft indoor enclosue in my garage. I'd rather not use that as my Indoor enclosure is smaller than my outdoor.

All tortoises have been vet checked and are worm free.

My question is do I need to add a heating device outside? Do I need to enclose one side of the enclosure like a cold frame to hold in some heat?

I am very active on the Russian Tortoise Facebook Group and Katie said ask here as GBTortoises keep his outside year round in upstate New York.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I keep my 1 male 1 female russian outside during the summers. I do take them in at night. There box out side is 4 by 8 ft and they have room to dig and eat grass. I live in. Northern cali.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have 1.3 Russian tortoises that live outside 24/7. When it looks like they're ready to hibernate I try to find them and set them up in unplugged chest-type freezers inside an old house on the back of my property. I put a pencil across one corner so the lid doesn't close tightly. The temperature equalizes inside the freezers and eventually stays at or around 40-45F degrees.

It is a death sentence to allow a hibernating Russian tortoise to get wet while he's hibernating. That's why I pull them in for winter. I lost several really nice ones their first winter when I left them outside in the ground.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I have never hibernated my russians is it bad not to hibernate them?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I have 9 Russians and they stay outside year around . Now I have a plastic house that I fill with hay to help insalate . But I live in AZ


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[Grandpa Turtle 144]

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[Abdulla6169]

I have never hibernated my russians is it bad not to hibernate them?

There aren't any clear negative health effects in not doing that... Some people think hibernating is a must, but if you cannot hibernate them properly then do NOT hibernate them!

 

[Tom]

I have never hibernated my russians is it bad not to hibernate them?

VERY debatable. Opinions will vary. I think they should hibernate, but I don't think they must hibernate.

 

[Tom]

LR, I would not leave your tortoises outside during and AR winter. I suspect that will will have far fewer to take care of in the spring time if you do.

 

[Abdulla6169]

VERY debatable. Opinions will vary. I think they should hibernate, but I don't think they must hibernate.

What about Syrian Greek? Hibernate or not? This topic is confusing since sometimes the temperature drops below freezing in some areas there

 

[Tom]

What about Syrian Greek? Hibernate or not? This topic is confusing since sometimes the temperature drops below freezing in some areas there

Some greeks in some parts of the range hibernate in the wild and some don't. I don't know Greeks at all, so I couldn't tell you about Syrians any more than any other. Sorry. Even though I'm sometimes accused of being a know-it-all, I most certainly don't know it all.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Some greeks in some parts of the range hibernate in the wild and some don't. I don't know Greeks at all, so I couldn't tell you about Syrians any more than any other. Sorry. Even though I'm sometimes accused of being a know-it-all, I most certainly don't know it all.

Ok, you're an almost know-it-all... So based on a thread I read here it's a no, but I'm slightly hesitant simp nice there are sometimes cold snaps there ... I just want to study them more now!

 

[LRTortoises]

I guess I could keep them out through October and hibernate them inside November through February

 

[LRTortoises]

LR, I would not leave your tortoises outside during and AR winter. I suspect that will will have far fewer to take care of in the spring time if you do.

I had only thought about this after reading a great article from Tortoise Reserve about keeping their Greeks and Russians out year round. http://www.tortoisereserve.org/captivehusbandry/goldengreek.html I may just bring them in for late Nov.-mid February and I can actually cooler refrigerate them in a shed where I can control the temperature.

 

[Tom]

I had only thought about this after reading a great article from Tortoise Reserve about keeping their Greeks and Russians out year round. http://www.tortoisereserve.org/captivehusbandry/goldengreek.html I may just bring them in for late Nov.-mid February and I can actually cooler refrigerate them in a shed where I can control the temperature.

Sounds like a great plan!

 

[lynnedit]

I don't think this needs to turn into a conversation about brumating tortoises. The OP has a very specific concern.

LRTortoises, this is Lynne Clarke from the RT FB site. I sent GBTortoise a pm for you.
You need advice from people who live in colder climates, and he does.
I live in a different climate from yours in the PNW, to some extent. But it is more similar to North Carolina (the location for the article) than the Southern parts of the country.
And we both deal with colder winters than other areas.
Our extreme low was 10f last winter. We get more rain than snow, and cold and rain is a terrible combination for Russian tortoises.

I have a greenhouse that has basking lights and background heat from a oil filled radiator. It has wood on the lower walls, and the polycarbonate upper walls are insulated with Reflectix insulation on the North and East side, and GH bubble wrap on the ceiling and South and East walls.
This works extremely well, because most of our nights don't get below the 30'sf.
I think your plan for a shed with windows or skylights that is insulated would be even easier to warm comfortably above freezing.
I would consider a floor that is insulated as well (my GH is not).
My Russians have been outside 24/7 for the past 2 years. They brumate in the GH for the most part. That would be your best bet (or shed).
I will say that being outside causes them to naturally wind down by October. They stop eating, although I continue to soak them several times to clear their guts.
It is very difficult to keep them awake over the winter. So mine brumate and this has worked well, with a controlled environment.
They seem to be very healthy and 'happy' (I assume, lol). Their growth and weights are good.

 

[tortluvr8]

I live in Arkansas with weather like this
Average low gets to mid 50s in April and in October. Then down to Average lows of 35 in January and February. I have a nice sunny spot for my large outdoor enclosure and am wondering about leaving my tortoises out all year this year.

I have 3 males 6 females. With 1 male and 4 females who are of breeding size and do mate alot when I have them together. I have a 2nd outdoor enclosure and have built a 8ft by 4 ft indoor enclosue in my garage. I'd rather not use that as my Indoor enclosure is smaller than my outdoor.

All tortoises have been vet checked and are worm free.

My question is do I need to add a heating device outside? Do I need to enclose one side of the enclosure like a cold frame to hold in some heat?

I am very active on the Russian Tortoise Facebook Group and Katie said ask here as GBTortoises keep his outside year round in upstate New York.

I highly suggest a heat lamp with temperatures as cold as that. I live in Arizona and I have a heat lamp for our two Russians for the nights the temps drop into the 30s. I'm assuming your Russians have a burrow... ours have a hot weather burrow (summer temps are in the 100s, sometimes 110s) and a cold weather burrow. Once they are hibernating, I block the cold weather burrow entrance with newspaper to allow air flow, but keep the cold air from coming in. You mention your one male and 4 females "mate a lot"... have you had successful hatchlings? Good luck