Overnight outdoor temps

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Teddy28
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Joined: 06 May 2017, 10:57

Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Teddy28 » 21 Jun 2020, 23:09

Hi I just need to check about safe overnight temperatures for Boris to be in his outdoor enclosure? He's been staying out overnight because it's been nice and warm through till late evening when he's taken himself off into his tunnel and then comes out to bask in the morning. He has a Lumisol cover on his enclosure but should I be bringing him in if the overnight temps drop to a certain level? Thanks

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Nina
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Nina » 22 Jun 2020, 08:18

Great to hear from you, and it sounds like Boris is doing very well outdoors, and he is acting exactly as tortoises do in the wild. I think it's fine to leave him outdoors all night, unless the temperature drops below about 12C (or it could even drop to 10C for just one night, but not more). As long as it is nice and warm in the mornings for him to come out and bask he should be fine.

The only thing I would worry about is predators, but if the lumisol covers the whole enclosure, or there is some other way that predators are prevented from getting in then that should be fine. He would probably be fine even without predator prevention, but given the number of rats and foxes around these days it's a bit of a risk.

Nina

Teddy28
Posts: 156
Joined: 06 May 2017, 10:57

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Teddy28 » 22 Jun 2020, 17:41

Thanks Nina it looks like it was just last night when it dipped to 9c so i bought him in this morning for a warm under his lamp then put him out again. Rest of the weeks the temperature overnight is much higher. When I checked him a short while ago he was balanced precariously on top of his tunnel, both back legs and one front leg stretched out in mid air fast asleep!!
His enclosure has a wire mesh cover and the Lumisol is over the half of the enclosure where his tunnel is, plus I've got padlocks securing it just in case of human predators.
I've an abundance of sow thistle in the garden which he's been getting plenty of, to the extent he wont eat anything else except dandelion flowers, plus he keeps grabbing a buttercup if I let him roam on the grass. Found some lovely cats ear flowers and leaves today - will he eat them? Will he heck!!! I think there's going to be a battle of wills at some point.
Thanks again

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Nina
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Nina » 22 Jun 2020, 19:36

Aww, I love to hear about Boris -- he's such a character. It won't hurt for him to be outdoors if it dips to 9C, as long as he's able to warm up in the morning -- which you did -- so I think he's leading a charmed life.

There's been a big discussion on the Tortoise Trust about 'long fibres' being so good for them, which you get from rougher plant material and things like stems, so I've been giving mine the stems and flowers of Cat's Ear, sowtistle and other plants, and I have loads of Smooth Hawksbeard growing in my garden and I'm giving them those stems too. The problem with giving stems is you are cutting parts of the plant off that might produce more leaves if you left them, so it's a balance, but I have so many that it's no problem. Also, I think eating harder material like stems is good for keeping their beaks in trim.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine that's coming,
Nina

Teddy28
Posts: 156
Joined: 06 May 2017, 10:57

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Teddy28 » 22 Jun 2020, 22:05

Thanks Nina, I'm just hoping as the sow thistle goes out of season that he 'll latch on to some other weeds again. Honestly though I've been growing pansies, violas, pot marigolds, campanula, ice plant, sempervivum, cranesbill, lavatera, evening primrose and many other plants and he's just not interested. He's a character and I can't think of anything more chilled than a basking tortoise so he's in for a lovely week.
Thanks again

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Nina
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Nina » 23 Jun 2020, 11:38

Tortoises do develop preferences, but there is a little technique that you could try. Pick some sowthistle leaves (or others that he likes) and cut them into pretty big pieces -- or leave them whole. Then cut the food you would like him to eat (campanula, evening primrose, etc.) into very tiny pieces. Thoroughly wet the sowthistle leaves and then sprinkle some of the tiny confetti of other leaves that you've made onto a sowthistle leaf, so that they stick to it. When he bites on the sowthistle leaf he will also get tiny pieces of the other stuff. Start by only sprinkling a small amount on, and then gradually increase the amount of other stuff until eventually he is eating equal amounts and then you can probably just start feeding the other stuff whole. Good luck!

Nina

Teddy28
Posts: 156
Joined: 06 May 2017, 10:57

Re: Overnight outdoor temps

Post by Teddy28 » 23 Jun 2020, 16:56

Thanks i'll give it a go.

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