Tortoise temperatures?

[quinnl]

Hi
I recently got a male Russian tortoise but now it looks as though I will be moving to Northern CA. I want to be able to keep him outside now that it will be warmer (I live in WA) but idk if it is going to be warm enough? How warm does it have to be to keep them outside without them hibernating? Can I supplement outdoor heat with lamps? The average temperatures can dip down to the 50s even in the summer but it's usually 70-80. Is it bad to switch between indoor and outdoor on a daily basis?

 

[Yvonne G]

That sounds like ideal Russian tortoise weather. Main thing to keep track of is don't let him be cold if it's wet out. Or say it the other way around...don't let him be wet if it's cold.

 

[quinnl]

Is there a way to keep him dry? Should I have a roof over it for the rain or something?

 

[hunterk997]

Maybe for raining/wet weather, you could keep him inside for that day?

 

[quinnl]

So I can switch between inside and outside as the weather changes?

 

[hunterk997]

I think so. Unless you can create a greenhouse sort of thing, or a big enough shelter with heating. But I think the easiest thing to do would be to keep him in for the day(s).

 

[quinnl]

Ok thank you

 

[Tom]

There are many ways to do this. Many people build them outside enclosures in NorCal and just let them live out there. Some make shelters that stay dry and others just let them dig down into the dirt, which they might do anyway. Some people cover the area where they dig down in late fall with leaf litter and tarps to keep it drier in the rain, and some people do nothing. Some people use a large outdoor enclosure for nice weather and bring them inside to a large indoor enclosure over winter and on cold or rainy days. Any of these ways can work, and they all have their good and bad points.