ok so I'm nervous about keeping Kornjaca outside because he is a digger I've put him in a pen in my garden but scared the death out of me when I couldn't find him bc he dug him self into a hole and was buried!!! Is this a. Concern how deep will they go? Little guy I have to tortsit me n my boyfriend take shifts where's jaca??
It's about size rather than age. I'd say about 4" for short trips out to a secure enclosureHow old would be the right age for a Russian ?
Thry all grow at different rates. Russians can stop growing between 6 and 10 inches in length.Thanks and can anyone tell how big a 1 year old look compare to an adult
My climate (Northern Utah) has a lot of fluctuation in temperatures in the spring. If I waited until night temperatures are consistently above 55-60°F it might be June before they go outside. That time outside in the 'shoulder season' is a tradeoff between the healthier condition of outside sun/space and the inside conditions of temperature stability. In my opinion (and I'm new to this game) the tortoise needs the ability to get warmed up enough to be active and digest food on a regular basis and you have to prevent exposure to super cold nights. Even on some of our 50°F days, as long as the sun is out my tortoise has been able to find a warm spot in the enclosure (a protected sunny place usually next to the wall) and I've measured her temp in the 80°F (with an IR), she has been actively eating and pooping despite somewhat cool temperatures. If it is overcast, she just isn't as active despite the temperature.
Granted because a week of cool weather isn't uncommon ( despite seeing 70s in early march, it has yet to reach 55F this week), I built a warming house, it looks like a small dog house but with some glass windows to let in sun and a thermostat controlled ceramic heater to prevent frosty nights. Our last frost day averages mid-May (and I've seen frosts in June), so I'm pretty careful to make sure she's in the box before I go to be for the night.
If I'm too far off base a more experience keeper pleas correct me, but I believe the overall benefits of sunshine and space offset some of the downside of spring cold (with the proper due diligence).
P.S. The above is only applicable to Russian Tortoises as they are naturally found in harsher environments than other Testudo species.
Here is the post on her enclosure (the bottom few pictures show the house with the CHE and controller).Do you have a picture of your little tortoise warming hut?.
personally I would wait until it gets warmer just to be safeAt what temp is it safe to move my Russians outside? Right now it's 60s day but still gets to 40s at night