Tortie temps

[MarthaJaneCanary]

I know this is likely a silly question, but instead of reading through a thousand sites, I thought I'd check with the forum. I have a sulcata tortoise and she is about 16 months old. I keep her indoors during the winter since I live in Pennsylvania and the temps drop significantly. At what temp is it safe to take her outside for a romp - even for an hour? She is thriving and I'd like to keep it that way, but honestly, she wants to go out and roam a bit.

Also, I've read mixed reviews....is getting another sulcata a good or bad idea. I have read pros and cons to both.

Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

On sunny days if you can find a sheltered spot in the yard where it's not windy, usually right up next to a building where the sun reflects, you can take the tortoise out for sun any time. In a sheltered area the temperature will be much warmer than what your thermometer or weather man says.

Not a good idea to keep tortoises in pairs. You end up with a dominant and a submissive. The submissive never fairs well.

 

[MarthaJaneCanary]

On sunny days if you can find a sheltered spot in the yard where it's not windy, usually right up next to a building where the sun reflects, you can take the tortoise out for sun any time. In a sheltered area the temperature will be much warmer than what your thermometer or weather man says.

Not a good idea to keep tortoises in pairs. You end up with a dominant and a submissive. The submissive never fairs well.

I appreciate your response Yvonne. I see my little girl clammering to go outside on a 50 degree sunny day and I feel badly about it. Thank you for the insight.

 

[Markw84]

The air temperature has only a little to do with what is "safe" for a tortoise. You (and most all of us) live in an area where when we need to question temperatures, that time of year, ground temperatures are WAAAYYYY lower than anything a sulcata would ever experience in the areas they evolved. They use the ground to moderate their temperature. Their body design with a flat plastron is to maximize contact with the ground. Since they are "programmed" knowing ground temperatures are always safe (they never dip much below 80° in their coldest times) they know they are safe tucked away. However, a tortoise is also "designed" to take advantage of solar heating very efficiently. The keratin of their shells has a absorption frequency that allow them to heat quickly in sunlight. (just as a dog or cats fur heats very quickly as it lays in the sun neat the window). So as long as you watch your tortoise and ensure it is basking in the sun, even a day in the high 50°s can do well to heat a tortoise. But be careful as when the tortoise soon feels comfortable and looks for a place to tuck away and nap, it can be disastrous as they loose heat quickly with our unnaturally low (for them) ground temperatures.

So - the answer is not so much the temperature. A 60° day late winter in Pennsylvania is way different than a sudden overnight cold spell in Niger that drop to 60°. Where you are the 60° is the high and the ground they use so well is 42° a few inches deep. In Niger on that cold 60° early morning, the ground is 80° just a few inches deep.

Watch your tortoise. Be sure it is sunning, not tucked away resting. Then a brief outing in the full sun can be a good thing.

 

[MarthaJaneCanary]

The air temperature has only a little to do with what is "safe" for a tortoise. You (and most all of us) live in an area where when we need to question temperatures, that time of year, ground temperatures are WAAAYYYY lower than anything a sulcata would ever experience in the areas they evolved. They use the ground to moderate their temperature. Their body design with a flat plastron is to maximize contact with the ground. Since they are "programmed" knowing ground temperatures are always safe (they never dip much below 80° in their coldest times) they know they are safe tucked away. However, a tortoise is also "designed" to take advantage of solar heating very efficiently. The keratin of their shells has a absorption frequency that allow them to heat quickly in sunlight. (just as a dog or cats fur heats very quickly as it lays in the sun neat the window). So as long as you watch your tortoise and ensure it is basking in the sun, even a day in the high 50°s can do well to heat a tortoise. But be careful as when the tortoise soon feels comfortable and looks for a place to tuck away and nap, it can be disastrous as they loose heat quickly with our unnaturally low (for them) ground temperatures.

So - the answer is not so much the temperature. A 60° day late winter in Pennsylvania is way different than a sudden overnight cold spell in Niger that drop to 60°. Where you are the 60° is the high and the ground they use so well is 42° a few inches deep. In Niger on that cold 60° early morning, the ground is 80° just a few inches deep.

Watch your tortoise. Be sure it is sunning, not tucked away resting. Then a brief outing in the full sun can be a good thing.

That is great advice, Mark. Thank you kindly.

 

[Maro2Bear]

That is great advice, Mark. Thank you kindly.

Wow....Tamaqua PA - Yeah for Schuylkill County!

As noted above, get urself a good IR Temp gun & check the ground temps or your deck tempersture, etc whete you might put your Sully out. Put a brick on your deck & take it’s temp. You could get a nice large rubbermaid contsiner, put some cypress mulch inside, and use that for some outside time. The walls will block the wind, but let sunshine in to warm up.