Outdoor UVb

[Violanna]

So I’ve seen a couple posts that ask similar questions to mine but nothing that has a good answer.

How long would be a good amount of time for a tortoise to be outside and get enough UVB?

Also what temperature would be too low to be outdoors even on a sunny day in a warm area? (Meaning like my patio that get direct sun and is naturally warmed, not the air temp)

We finally get our tortoise tomorrow so my mind is in overdrive with hypotheticals so I can make sure we get this little guy as healthy as possible! Keep in mind we have a UVb and basking lamp in the enclosure.

 

[wellington]

What kind of tortoise and how old? The answer will be different depending on age and species. An adult Russian can take a colder temp. But a hatchling Russian can't. Same with a Hermanns and a few others. Now an adult leopard can't take as much cold as an adult sulcata and they both need to be in no less then 80 as hatchlings.

 

[wellington]

Also will a warmer area be available for the tort too go into if the outside temp is too chilly for it?

 

[Violanna]

What kind of tortoise and how old? The answer will be different depending on age and species. An adult Russian can take a colder temp. But a hatchling Russian can't. Same with a Hermanns and a few others. Now an adult leopard can't take as much cold as an adult sulcata and they both need to be in no less then 80 as hatchlings.

We get the tortoise tomorrow from the pet store, they claim it’s a Greek, but I don’t know more than that. I’ll be posting pictures once we get it. It’s not a hatchling, but I don’t think it is quiet an adult unless it’s growth has been stunted which is entirely possible

 

[Violanna]

Also will a warmer area be available for the tort too go into if the outside temp is too chilly for it?

It will only be outside with me and only if temperatures are adequate. That’s why I want to know. Our temperatures are up and down right now here in Texas. 60s some days 80s others. But I want to know when it needs to be indoors only. As our winters are similarly crazy with 60s some days and 20s the next.

 

[Tom]

It is probably a Russian tortoise.

As long as it is dry, sunny, and not to windy, they are fine outdoors in temps as low as 60. The ground will be much warmer when warmed by the sun, and so will the tortoise. Use an infrared temp gun to check ground and carapace temps early and often.

The tortoise should never be loose outside, even with you standing right there. You might not lose it on day one or day two, but you eventually will. Make a safe and secure enclosure. There are many ways to do this cheaply and easily. Some examples:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/cheap-easy-simple-sunning-enclosure.14680/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-enclosures.121732/

 

[Violanna]

It is probably a Russian tortoise.

As long as it is dry, sunny, and not to windy, they are fine outdoors in temps as low as 60. The ground will be much warmer when warmed by the sun, and so will the tortoise. Use an infrared temp gun to check ground and carapace temps early and often.

The tortoise should never be loose outside, even with you standing right there. You might not lose it on day one or day two, but you eventually will. Make a safe and secure enclosure. There are many ways to do this cheaply and easily. Some examples:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/cheap-easy-simple-sunning-enclosure.14680/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-enclosures.121732/

Yeah come spring we are making a huge outdoor enclosure for it. For now we are just quarantining off a part of our yard with large logs. We have 2 acres we own and a 36 acre field behind us owned by family, so I need to go through as much area as I can to find the safest place. So far I’ve found 5 weeds/plants on the toxic list., and only 2 safe.

 

[wellington]

Yeah come spring we are making a huge outdoor enclosure for it. For now we are just quarantining off a part of our yard with large logs. We have 2 acres we own and a 36 acre field behind us owned by family, so I need to go through as much area as I can to find the safest place. So far I’ve found 5 weeds/plants on the toxic list., and only 2 safe.

Post a pic when you get him and someone can confirm its species.
If you find the area you want too make his permanent outdoor enclosure, you could spray it heavily with weed killer if there are unsafe weeds and then by spring the weed killer shouldn't be a problem for your tort. Pull up all the now dead weeds that hopefully won't come back. You could then plant edible safe stuff and even transplant some of the safe weeds you found.

 

[Violanna]

Post a pic when you get him and someone can confirm its species.
If you find the area you want too make his permanent outdoor enclosure, you could spray it heavily with weed killer if there are unsafe weeds and then by spring the weed killer shouldn't be a problem for your tort. Pull up all the now dead weeds that hopefully won't come back. You could then plant edible safe stuff and even transplant some of the safe weeds you found.

I actually plan to make it a project for my kids to dig everything up, roots and all

 

[wellington]

I actually plan to make it a project for my kids to dig everything up, roots and all

That's a good plan.

 

[Tom]

If you find the area you want too make his permanent outdoor enclosure, you could spray it heavily with weed killer if there are unsafe weeds and then by spring the weed killer shouldn't be a problem for your tort. Pull up all the now dead weeds that hopefully won't come back. You could then plant edible safe stuff and even transplant some of the safe weeds you found.

To each his/her own, but I'd never use those kind of chemicals anywhere near me or my family, and certainly not in a place where I intended to house a pet or grow food for one. I'd much rather pull them out by hand one at a time. In a really large area I learned a technique from a farmer where you simply till the whole area, weed seeds and all, and then water to make them all germinate and sprout again, then till the area again. He said two or three tillings after the last year's seeds germinate and no more weeds.

 

[Violanna]

That’s actually how I got our grass to grow. Works wonders!

 

[Lyn W]

Yeah come spring we are making a huge outdoor enclosure for it. For now we are just quarantining off a part of our yard with large logs. We have 2 acres we own and a 36 acre field behind us owned by family, so I need to go through as much area as I can to find the safest place. So far I’ve found 5 weeds/plants on the toxic list., and only 2 safe.

Some species are good climbers (and/or diggers) which makes them great escape artists so make sure he can't get over the logs especially in the corners, but if you have a wire cover on it to stop predators, including birds, picking him up that will help.
Good luck with your new addition.

 

[wellington]

To each his/her own, but I'd never use those kind of chemicals anywhere near me or my family, and certainly not in a place where I intended to house a pet or grow food for one. I'd much rather pull them out by hand one at a time. In a really large area I learned a technique from a farmer where you simply till the whole area, weed seeds and all, and then water to make them all germinate and sprout again, then till the area again. He said two or three tillings after the last year's seeds germinate and no more weeds.

Thru a long winter there won't be anything left to harm an animal. Heck a couple good rains and it's worthless and couldn't even kill a weed. I use one in my front yard, where I have a spot that I don't want anything growing and several times a summer I have too spray it. It just doesn't stay long. I wouldn't use it or recommend for a short time of letting it sit. But what most consider a winter it's just not going to last. Not any I have used.