Outside in So Cal?

[amanda712]

I have this lovely Russian tortoise, Herschel, who is living inside my home right now, but I'm thinking of moving him outside to my patio, but the temps concern me. I live in Southern California. The temps in the day get up to 80-90 degrees and down to 60-65 at night where I am. I know that Russians like a warm basking area around 100, so is it not warm enough outside or will he be fine? By no means does he have to go outside, I'm just thinking the natural sun might be better for him than the UV light and slightly more "energy efficient."

 

[Millerlite]

Good temps. Russians can be kept all year round outside in so Cali. Only thing is don't let it drown in winter unusually rought mine in when it rained

 

[Tom]

You need to build some sort of secure, covered pen for him and let him live outside full time. Its nice to have an indoor enclosure for inclement weather and night time if you want, but they really ought to be outside most of the time.

For indoors we set our basking lights so that they don't get much over 100, but outside they can sit in the sun and get over 100 on a 60 degree sunny day. Gotta love that solar power!

 

[lynnedit]

Yes, you have a great opportunity for your tort.
Just make sure you post pics, and make it as big as you can manage!

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

As long as your Russian tortoise has access to ground where he can excavate a burrow, he will do well in California, and in many other places here in the US as well.

Russians are active at temperatures roughly from 68-85*F on clear days, and like to bask in the sun for several minutes at a time, bringing their body up to a temperature of around 95-100*F so they can digest their food. But of course, nature does not provide those precise temperatures all the time. At night and on overcast or rainy days, the temperature may be much lower, and the ground may be wet. And in the middle of summer, temperatures may soar well above 100*F. But Russian tortoises don't mind, as long as they have a dry burrow they can retreat into when the weather is not to their liking.

Actually, Russians prefer nighttime temperatures in the 60s. And they're fine with cooler temperatures, too, because their burrows will keep them relatively warm. In the winter, they prefer to hibernate in the 40s. But again, it's okay if air temperatures get colder than that, because deep burrows will stay closer to the optimal temperature. Just like the basement of a human home, temperatures in the burrow are more stable than above ground. So, when it's hot out they stay relatively cool, and when it's cold out they stay relatively warm.

 

[pdelpizzo]

If you have a temperature probe or gun you'll probably find it's warmer than you think. I live in San Diego and my patio enclosure will have ground temperatures in some spots that are well over 100 degrees on a clear day when the air temperature is in the 70s.

 

[conservation]

Keep him outside just make sure he has a nice shady area. They really do not need to bask very long to reach temps. Too much direct sunlight without a shady retreat is more dangerous to a tort then a cold day. For my adult greeks, I have a small dog house with hay on the bottom. I place carpet and a piece of plastic in front of the door to prevent rain from getting in. They have been hibernating that way for many years. My concern has always been that during a heavy rain storm, water could pool around the dog house, eventually flooding it. It has never happened but I still have that concern in the back of my mind. I think it could be a problem during an EL Nino year.

 

[JoesMum]

I agree... Keep him outside. Even in the UK tortoises thrive outdoors. Days in the 90s are much rarer here, but those sunny corners get very hot even when the ambient temperature is less high. Weather stations measure the temperature in the shade!

 

[ChiKat]

I just moved to SoCal two weeks ago. It has been in the 80s but one day when I used a temp gun in Nelson's enclosure, the hottest spot was 130 degrees!!!!
So I wouldn't worry.