Tom, does this mean that once we have gotten him to the point of habit I can allow him the choice to get out in the sun and grass even if I have melting snow? Or at his size you would not let him even have the choice of leaving? I understand to make sure he's in his heated enclosure when he plops down for sleep but do I keep him locked in no matter what during my winters like this one?
I would not let a tropical species of tortoise outside to romp in snow. I would not keep the tortoise "locked up" for months on end either, I would provide a large heated area if I was going to keep a species like this in a climate like that.