Outdoor living question

Subersibo

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Yoshi (3 yrs old next month and about 10") has been living in the great outdoors 24/7 in a heated house since May this year. He has a planted enclosure 15' x 13' but he seems to spend all day in his house. The only time I see him graze is when I put him out but then he will go straight back in after eating a little. If I don't put him out I think he would just stay in there forever lol.
Even when the weather is nice, sunny and warm (low 70's) he just stays in there.
He seems to be healthy still and super heavy but I've never seen him poop.
When he lived indoors he would devour lots of food, drink a lot, poop regularly and go out of his hide to bask under the mvb. He also loves to roam his indoor enclosure. Now I dunno how he gets his sunshine cause he is always in the heated house.
So would it be okay for me to close up his house during the day so he would spend time out of it and just open it again late afternoon? He does have a lot of shady parts in the enclosure as well as tall grass and weeds to hide in.
 

Jodie

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I have a leopard that does this as well. Some close the box, so they have to be out. I do not. I open the box frequently. The top opens, so I prop it up. Forced sunshine. Mine goes out to eat. She does not lose weight being outside, so I know she eats.
 

Robber

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My largest does this too on certain days; he doesn't stay out all night though. Some days he will stay out and graze only a few minutes in the morning and then again in the late afternoon while others he will wander about grazing for hours at a time. It's hard to say what makes the difference, the weather can be varied on either type day. He seems to be most active on days that are between 88 and 94 or so, but there are exceptions both ways. I would say they generally won't be too active if it's only in the 70s though, except maybe a bright sunny 78 degree early morning.
 

wellington

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OMG, what is with these guys. My female is doing this same thing too. Last year i had to put my torts in and out. She acted very normal. This year they can go in and out as they please. Everyone but my female will roam, go in hide, come back out and roam and I assume graze. The female only stays in the inside area. I finally started making her go out and would shut her door. I also noticed she doesn't walk normal now either. She doesn't lift herself like she used too. I would not let them just hide and sleep all day. Not only do they need the sun, they need exercise just as much. I'm now doing hydrotherapy on her daily and making her walk as much as I can make her. She can lift herself she just doesn't do it to walk.
 

Subersibo

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I'm thinking of giving the bigger enclosure for my russian who would probably use all the space cause he loves to roam since Yoshi doesn't seem to use much of it anyway.
I'll also probably keep him indoors this winter to make sure he eats lots.
 

Tactical Tort

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I'm having the same experience with my guy. Rarely see him out.
Finally put Uvb lights in his house so he's still getting uvb.
 

Levi the Leopard

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I think they go through seasons..

Levi (my 4 year old/12" Leopard) doesn't want anything to do with his house lately. He comes out early in the morning and goes to sit under my kids bikes until he's ready to go warm up in the sun. He is out and about almost constantly.

He's had times where he's in his house more..

I am in the "close the door to keep them out" camp. If it bugs you and you want him out, then do it.
But, if you don't really care as long as he isn't negatively affected, then don't worry about it.
 

Tactical Tort

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The reason I opted to put a uvb bulb in my tort house (on a timer) was because we have predators of the sky around. (Hawks) I worry about locking him out of his house with them flying around and nesting so close to our place.
 

TerrapinStation

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I think they go through seasons..

Levi (my 4 year old/12" Leopard) doesn't want anything to do with his house lately. He comes out early in the morning and goes to sit under my kids bikes until he's ready to go warm up in the sun. He is out and about almost constantly.

He's had times where he's in his house more..

I am in the "close the door to keep them out" camp. If it bugs you and you want him out, then do it.
But, if you don't really care as long as he isn't negatively affected, then don't worry about it.


+1 on the seasons, especially when they are young. I think it is a survival instinct that tells them to take it easy and relax in the shade when it is super hot. I notice my Leopard more active early in the morning and then around dusk when it is hot.
 

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