outside temperature

[turtlesailor]

At what temperature do you keepers keep your redfoot tortoise inside? I began to wonder what temperature can redfoot tortoise tolerate in the colder months...if i am going to keep in outside for this upcoming summer...I live in the desert where it can get extremely hot in the summer and winters can be cold especially at night where it gets 30 degrees F.
I'm very nervous about moving him outside when it get colder in the fall and winter months...I don't want my tortoise to get sick if he a tropical species.

 

[matt41gb]

I will bring my red-foots in if it gets below 55, but only if it's below 55 for several nights in a row. Here in Texas, the temps fluctuate so much. They are incredibly cold tolerant, but I still don't like to chance it too much. I think of them like they are batteries. If they're warm during the day and it is cool at night, I'll leave them out. If it's only in the low 60s and cloudy during the day, and it's going to be in the mid 50s that night, I bring them in. As long as it's not below freezing I don't worry too much, as long as they don't sit outside for hours when it's cold.

-Matt

 

[Mgridgaway]

The consensus I've heard is that as long as they can warm up to at least 70 during the day, they can tolerate as low as 50. That rule mostly applies to adults... hatchlings should definitely be brought inside and I wouldn't chance it for yearlings/subadults.

 

[turtlesailor]

Thank you for the replies. My tortoise is a yearling so he will be brought inside when the temperature become intolerable.

thank you so much!