Callum Heathman
New Member
Hello,
I have a Hermann tortoise who is about 16 years old, almost all of his life he has been kept in an indoor enclosure with UV light and a heater, and brought outside in to the garden on the warmer days. He has NEVER been hibernated (although do like the idea of doing this).
Now I have my own place and I am able to, I would like to build him an outdoor enclosure, with access to the shed where I will have electricity.
before doing all this, I had a few questions:
1) can we hibernate him in the colder month, if he has never hibernated before? if so, how and when!?
2) his outdoor enclosure is partially built and is a considerable size, this area gets 50/50 sun and shade for majority of the day (between 9-5 ish). once done it will have a mesh type lid to stop him climbing out and to stop things climbing in! I would assume I do not need any sort of heat/light source out here? he has areas where he can dig and climb etc. as well as a small box he sometimes comes in and out of.
3) as mentioned above, I will give him access to the shed (probably via a small cat flap?) in the shed I will build an enclosure that he will have full access to (I may use what he currently has indoors, just adapted to fit). in the enclosure I will have a heat source with a thermometer and UV light. as well has an area where he can sleep. as my shed is not insulated, should I put a lid on this enclosure in the shed to help keep it warm enough? and possibly insulate the enclosures walls and base? or would you suggest insulating the shed? the only bit I have a lid on is his bedding part, the rest is open.
4) during the warmer months, the shed does get very warm so I do not anticipate using the heat, if we do not hibernate him, can he stay outside all year round if the heat source is there for him and we shut up access to the outside? obviously the shed itself can and probably will get cold.
First time moving him outside so want to get it right!
Thank you
Callum.
I have a Hermann tortoise who is about 16 years old, almost all of his life he has been kept in an indoor enclosure with UV light and a heater, and brought outside in to the garden on the warmer days. He has NEVER been hibernated (although do like the idea of doing this).
Now I have my own place and I am able to, I would like to build him an outdoor enclosure, with access to the shed where I will have electricity.
before doing all this, I had a few questions:
1) can we hibernate him in the colder month, if he has never hibernated before? if so, how and when!?
2) his outdoor enclosure is partially built and is a considerable size, this area gets 50/50 sun and shade for majority of the day (between 9-5 ish). once done it will have a mesh type lid to stop him climbing out and to stop things climbing in! I would assume I do not need any sort of heat/light source out here? he has areas where he can dig and climb etc. as well as a small box he sometimes comes in and out of.
3) as mentioned above, I will give him access to the shed (probably via a small cat flap?) in the shed I will build an enclosure that he will have full access to (I may use what he currently has indoors, just adapted to fit). in the enclosure I will have a heat source with a thermometer and UV light. as well has an area where he can sleep. as my shed is not insulated, should I put a lid on this enclosure in the shed to help keep it warm enough? and possibly insulate the enclosures walls and base? or would you suggest insulating the shed? the only bit I have a lid on is his bedding part, the rest is open.
4) during the warmer months, the shed does get very warm so I do not anticipate using the heat, if we do not hibernate him, can he stay outside all year round if the heat source is there for him and we shut up access to the outside? obviously the shed itself can and probably will get cold.
First time moving him outside so want to get it right!
Thank you
Callum.