Lowest outside temp?

LisaLew

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
54
Location (City and/or State)
DFW Texas
I’m in DFW. I’ll be bringing 2 year old Fallon in and out this Fall depending on the temperatures. She loves her outdoor enclosure and is much more active outside. What’s the lowest temp that I should look for to bring her inside? I read one post that said 75, the other 50! (50 seems too cool?)
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
It's TRUE that they CAN SURVIVE overnight temperatures into the lower 50s.
I bring mine inside if its below 55. Even though I have heated night houses.
As long as it is warm during the day, they can go back out.
Temperatures below 77ish and let's say above 92ish make them uncomfortable.
Will they die right away?
No.
Just like if your house was 25 degrees at night and 100 degrees during the day. Your family wouldn't die in a day or two. But it would affect them in general.
We need to make things as close to ideal for them as we can.
So even though Redfoot absolutely can tolerate cooler temperatures, let's do what we can to avoid that.
 

LisaLew

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
54
Location (City and/or State)
DFW Texas
It's TRUE that they CAN SURVIVE overnight temperatures into the lower 50s.
I bring mine inside if its below 55. Even though I have heated night houses.
As long as it is warm during the day, they can go back out.
Temperatures below 77ish and let's say above 92ish make them uncomfortable.
Will they die right away?
No.
Just like if your house was 25 degrees at night and 100 degrees during the day. Your family wouldn't die in a day or two. But it would affect them in general.
We need to make things as close to ideal for them as we can.
So even though Redfoot absolutely can tolerate cooler temperatures, let's do what we can to avoid that.
Right, I agree this is all about her comfort. That’s why I take her out, for her enjoyment. If you feel she’s uncomfortable in less than 77 degree weather, I can bring her in. Love the Weather Channel app! ?
 

LisaLew

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
54
Location (City and/or State)
DFW Texas
Right, I agree this is all about her comfort. That’s why I take her out, for her enjoyment. If you feel she’s uncomfortable in less than 77 degree weather, I can bring her in. Love the Weather Channel app! ?
I just reread maybe I misunderstood- if you leave yours out at 55 degrees and it’s sunny, you feel they comfortable? I’m really just looking for a parameter to follow. She loves loves loves being outdoors.
 

pawsplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
226
Location (City and/or State)
Nashville, TN
I would be careful with a young one. I didn't take Beasley out unless it was at least 70 and planning on warming up when she was that young. She's now 22. By the time she was 8-10 I was putting her out if it was 60F in the AM, as long as I knew it would warm up to the 80s during the day. I assume you are not leaving her out at night?
 

LisaLew

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
54
Location (City and/or State)
DFW Texas
I would be careful with a young one. I didn't take Beasley out unless it was at least 70 and planning on warming up when she was that young. She's now 22. By the time she was 8-10 I was putting her out if it was 60F in the AM, as long as I knew it would warm up to the 80s during the day. I assume you are not leaving her out at night?
I always bring her in at night. So far she hasn’t been out in less than 72F, Thanks for your input, I’m dreading Fallon missing her outside joy this fall and winter.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
I use 70 degrees as the cut off, anything lower than that and I keep mine inside.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
That sounds reasonable. Off topic a little - do you let them stay outside when it’s raining?
Yes, they love the rain. Mine come out of hiding and explore when it rains.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I use 70 degrees as the cut off, anything lower than that and I keep mine inside.
Digestion can't happen at much below 80 degrees.
Prolonged periods of less than that are harmful.
I have heated night boxes that can handle cooler nights.
Just not cold ones.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I just reread maybe I misunderstood- if you leave yours out at 55 degrees and it’s sunny, you feel they comfortable? I’m really just looking for a parameter to follow. She loves loves loves being outdoors.
55 at night and warm in the day=ok.
55 and night and still cold during the day=not ok.
They must be allowed to warm up and get their bodies up to "operating temperature".
Mine only come indoors 2 or 3 times a year because no matter how cool it gets outside at night, it always gets warm in the afternoon. In fact, last winter, they stayed outside every night.
You can hang CHE in your night boxes or even make more elaborate, insulated night boxes for overnight low temps.
Of course your situation will differ.
 

pawsplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
226
Location (City and/or State)
Nashville, TN
I always bring her in at night. So far she hasn’t been out in less than 72F, Thanks for your input, I’m dreading Fallon missing her outside joy this fall and winter.
Yeah, winter is hard. Beasley is less active, even though her temps are the same. So I figure she misses the outdoors. Not much one can do though, other than move to FL.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Yeah, winter is hard. Beasley is less active, even though her temps are the same. So I figure she misses the outdoors. Not much one can do though, other than move to FL.
When mine are indoors, they are jammed into totes. One each. With shredded newspaper for the night. Not much room to move and miserable.
I actually have no long term plan for it being cold outside.
 

jeannettep

Active Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2019
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
I’m in DFW. I’ll be bringing 2 year old Fallon in and out this Fall depending on the temperatures. She loves her outdoor enclosure and is much more active outside. What’s the lowest temp that I should look for to bring her inside? I read one post that said 75, the other 50! (50 seems too cool?)
My red foots are a little older than yours and I'm near Galveston. I try to maintain them at 70. My goal is to provide for them similar to how they would be living in the wild. A little easier to do here, than there. There are a lot of ideas here how to extend their outside time on this forum. I use a short greenhouse over part of their yard. Nice in our areas that we usually don't have rough winters, although you probably get snow regularly.
 

pawsplus

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
226
Location (City and/or State)
Nashville, TN
When mine are indoors, they are jammed into totes. One each. With shredded newspaper for the night. Not much room to move and miserable.
I actually have no long term plan for it being cold outside.
I'm confused I guess. You've been a member her for 5 years and have 5 redfoots and for 5 years they have been in totes with newspaper all winter? Or did you just get them?

I see that you are in FL. If you make secure outdoor pens with tops, and add a large heated and humidifier houses, you may be able to leave them out all night, and all winter eventually (depending on age). If that is not yet an option, then you need large indoor enclosures for the winter. How large are yours?
 

Zoeclare

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
700
Location (City and/or State)
Uk
I'm confused I guess. You've been a member her for 5 years and have 5 redfoots and for 5 years they have been in totes with newspaper all winter? Or did you just get them?

I see that you are in FL. If you make secure outdoor pens with tops, and add a large heated and humidifier houses, you may be able to leave them out all night, and all winter eventually (depending on age). If that is not yet an option, then you need large indoor enclosures for the winter. How large are yours?
He means that on the very rare occasion it is too cold for them to be outside they spend the night indoors! Trust me @ZEROPILOT knows what he's doing!
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
I'm confused I guess. You've been a member her for 5 years and have 5 redfoots and for 5 years they have been in totes with newspaper all winter? Or did you just get them?

I see that you are in FL. If you make secure outdoor pens with tops, and add a large heated and humidifier houses, you may be able to leave them out all night, and all winter eventually (depending on age). If that is not yet an option, then you need large indoor enclosures for the winter. How large are yours?
I'm from the same county as Zeropilot. It only gets below 60 degrees a couple times a year there.
 

New Posts

Top