Shady enclosure

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Recently I've built my Hermann's tortoise a brand new outdoor enclosure for her to live in during the warmer months here in the UK. However, the enclosure receives little to no direct sunlight for the majority of the day (any time after 10am-ish).

I was wondering if she will be okay temperature and UV-wise, especially in the spring or early summer. I'll attach a picture of her enclosure here.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Recently I've built my Hermann's tortoise a brand new outdoor enclosure for her to live in during the warmer months here in the UK. However, the enclosure receives little to no direct sunlight for the majority of the day (any time after 10am-ish).

I was wondering if she will be okay temperature and UV-wise, especially in the spring or early summer. I'll attach a picture of her enclosure here.

It's good to have areas to retreat from the sun, but they do need sun for at least 12hrs a day.

Is it possible to move it?

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

It's good to have areas to retreat from the sun, but they do need sun for at least 12hrs a day.

Is it possible to move it?

I could move it if I really had to, but it would be difficult and messy since it has the soil and substrate within it. I'm also not really sure of where I could move it to, since that's really the only space in the garden where it can fit.
The shade is very light, though, so could she still get adequate UVB/A light despite not having direct sunlight? If i implemented a coldframe/small greenhouse structure, would that also be enough to up the temperature, even in the shade?
I've been worrying about this, and kicking myself for not thinking about the sun exposure before building the actual enclosure!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

He will get enought UVA/UVB in shade in summer. However, a lack of basking spot will severly limit "outside season". It looks like you can extend enclosure to the left on photo and make it L-shaped, if it helps to capture more sun.

You can try to make a greenhouse. Maybe you can use special UVB-transparent plastic/glass to get all benefits of sunlight.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

He will get enought UVA/UVB in shade in summer. However, a lack of basking spot will severly limit "outside season". It looks like you can extend enclosure to the left on photo and make it L-shaped, if it helps to capture more sun.

You can try to make a greenhouse. Maybe you can use special UVB-transparent plastic/glass to get all benefits of sunlight.

Okay, it could be feasible to shift it to the right to get more of the sunlight for longer. I'll keep an eye on the area to see if it would be worth it in terms of the extra sun exposure.

Do you think this kind of thing would work as a greenhouse structure (with an entrance cut into it)? https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=small+coldframe&crid=2EK5MI5MS5ZX6&sprefix=small+coldframe,aps,118&ref=nb_sb_noss_2&tag=

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Okay, it could be feasible to shift it to the right to get more of the sunlight for longer. I'll keep an eye on the area to see if it would be worth it in terms of the extra sun exposure.

Do you think this kind of thing would work as a greenhouse structure (with an entrance cut into it)? https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=small+coldframe&crid=2EK5MI5MS5ZX6&sprefix=small+coldframe,aps,118&ref=nb_sb_noss_2&tag=

Sometimes Amazon messes with links so I'm not completely sure if I'm looking at the same cold frame as you do The one I see is too small.

You may look at polytunnels and raised garden beds with covers - they are available in more sizes.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Sometimes Amazon messes with links so I'm not completely sure if I'm looking at the same cold frame as you do The one I see is too small.

You may look at polytunnels and raised garden beds with covers - they are available in more sizes.

Okay, thanks! I'll check those out.
I was planning to use the coldframe just as a little extension to her enclosure, not necessarily to cover the whole thing, but I'll have a look at those for sure x

 

[Tom]

Recently I've built my Hermann's tortoise a brand new outdoor enclosure for her to live in during the warmer months here in the UK. However, the enclosure receives little to no direct sunlight for the majority of the day (any time after 10am-ish).

I was wondering if she will be okay temperature and UV-wise, especially in the spring or early summer. I'll attach a picture of her enclosure here.

Tortoises are solar powered. Keeping a tortoise in the shade is like setting up solar panels in the shade. Its not going to work. The cooler and wetter the climate, like yours, the less this is going to work. Someone in a climate like mine where daytime high get near 37C all summer long, every day, might be able to get away with a shady enclosure like this, but without direct sunshine for most of every day, there isn't much point in an outdoor enclosure. Your tortoise would be better off indoors under the correct lights and with the correct temperatures.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Tortoises are solar powered. Keeping a tortoise in the shade is like setting up solar panels in the shade. Its not going to work. The cooler and wetter the climate, like yours, the less this is going to work. Someone in a climate like mine where daytime high get near 37C all summer long, every day, might be able to get away with a shady enclosure like this, but without direct sunshine for most of every day, there isn't much point in an outdoor enclosure. Your tortoise would be better off indoors under the correct lights and with the correct temperatures.

This makes perfect sense. I do have a place that gets sun pretty much the whole day, so I could move the enclosure over there in theory, though it would be quite a feat. My mum takes pride in her garden and it took quite some persuasion to build the outdoor enclosure in the first place, so I'll have to work on making a case for moving it, since it would take a bit of repositioning of other things.
Thank you!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I could move it if I really had to, but it would be difficult and messy since it has the soil and substrate within it. I'm also not really sure of where I could move it to, since that's really the only space in the garden where it can fit.
The shade is very light, though, so could she still get adequate UVB/A light despite not having direct sunlight? If i implemented a coldframe/small greenhouse structure, would that also be enough to up the temperature, even in the shade?
I've been worrying about this, and kicking myself for not thinking about the sun exposure before building the actual enclosure!

Don't beat yourself up. I've done worst😂.
She'll still get UV. My aquatic turtles bask on days with overcast, not a peep of sun in the sky.
Since you can't move the enclosure forward a little, is there a chance you can maybe trim some branches from the canopy to let in more sun? Or is the shade from your home?

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Don't beat yourself up. I've done worst😂.
She'll still get UV. My aquatic turtles bask on days with overcast, not a peep of sun in the sky.
Since you can't move the enclosure forward a little, is there a chance you can maybe trim some branches from the canopy to let in more sun? Or is the shade from your home?

The shade comes from a fence that separates my garden from my neighbour's. I would take it down, but I don't think he'd be very happy about it 😂
I'm glad that she'll still get UV - that makes me feel better, but I'm still concerned about the temperature. Like I said when replying to Tom, I'm considering shifting it over to a sunnier spot, but it will be a multi-person job!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

The shade comes from a fence that separates my garden from my neighbour's. I would take it down, but I don't think he'd be very happy about it 😂
I'm glad that she'll still get UV - that makes me feel better, but I'm still concerned about the temperature. Like I said when replying to Tom, I'm considering shifting it over to a sunnier spot, but it will be a multi-person job!

Good luck. Second times the charm.

 

[Markw84]

Just a note for those of you giving adequate UV advice. The poster is in England. Even though southern England, it still is at a lattitude of 51°. There is a reason tortoises do not naturally exist in places at that high a lattitude. What you see as adequate UV in the shade in the southern US is quite different.

@Second Hand Tortoise - you need to take advantage of any sun exposure you can get!

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Just a note for those of you giving adequate UV advice. The poster is in England. Even though southern England, it still is at a lattitude of 51°. There is a reason tortoises do not naturally exist in places at that high a lattitude. What you see as adequate UV in the shade in the southern US is quite different.

@Second Hand Tortoise - you need to take advantage of any sun exposure you can get!

Good point, I hadn't thought of that..

 

[Yvonne G]

The shade comes from a fence that separates my garden from my neighbour's. I would take it down, but I don't think he'd be very happy about it 😂
I'm glad that she'll still get UV - that makes me feel better, but I'm still concerned about the temperature. Like I said when replying to Tom, I'm considering shifting it over to a sunnier spot, but it will be a multi-person job!

In the meantime can you run an extension cord and set up a heat lamp over a corner of the enclosure?

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

In the meantime can you run an extension cord and set up a heat lamp over a corner of the enclosure?

I considered that, but there's not really a way of doing it that would allow me to shut the back door fully, since the cord would have to run through it 😕

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Maybe you can cooperate with mum and build a "state of art" garden section for your tortoise? So it looks more like "landscape design" and less like a pen? There are many examples on the forum, and this one is just for inspiration: https://startortoises.net/tortoise-pens.html

 

[Kidfunk83]

Okay, thanks! I'll check those out.
I was planning to use the coldframe just as a little extension to her enclosure, not necessarily to cover the whole thing, but I'll have a look at those for sure x

Alex, could @Second Hand Tortoise somehow incorporate that plexi box that was linked on to the side of the existing frame. Cut a door out of the plexi and a door in the frame to allow the tort to be outside in the shaded area in the warmer plexi area, fisxed on the side like you origionally stated when talking about extending the enclosure. Just an idea. Im also from the UK and will be looking to put my new Horsefields outside too but our summers can be short and unpredictable so this thread is very useful to me also.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Maybe you can cooperate with mum and build a "state of art" garden section for your tortoise? So it looks more like "landscape design" and less like a pen? There are many examples on the forum, and this one is just for inspiration: https://startortoises.net/tortoise-pens.html

That's a great idea! I have started to do that type of thing, even incorporating a mini vegetable/herb garden into the enclosure so far, so I'll continue to develop it keeping the landscape design idea in mind :')

She's beginning to come round to the idea of moving it (after a long debate), so hopefully things are looking up!

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Alex, could @Second Hand Tortoise somehow incorporate that plexi box that was linked on to the side of the existing frame. Cut a door out of the plexi and a door in the frame to allow the tort to be outside in the shaded area in the warmer plexi area, fisxed on the side like you origionally stated when talking about extending the enclosure. Just an idea. Im also from the UK and will be looking to put my new Horsefields outside too but our summers can be short and unpredictable so this thread is very useful to me also.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I thought I could cut a section in the short side of the base big enough to fit the entrance of the coldframe. Then I could prop it up on bricks, leaving a gap so that Pip can come and go as she pleases, if that makes sense.
I got inspiration from this picture, especially how the cold frame is elevated instead of having a door cut into it:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/881438958310021086/