help needed - what would be best for them

[sammykins]

to live in outside... they already have an outside enclosure with a rabbit hutch that has a lamp in to keep them warm, but i only keep them out during the day when its sunny, and in their tortoise table inside at all other times.

I wanted to build something for all year round (dont want to hibernate as too young - i have 2 year olds, 4 year old and 8 year old horsfields)

Should i get a greenhouse - dog house - wooden shed - bigger cold frame??? god not sure what to get but i would make sure it was warm enough inside with them also having access to outside at all times?

Can someone advise me as i would like to get something sorted today.

Obviously if the weather was too bad i would bring them in over winter. Just didnt know if there was something that would be suitable all yaer round?

[wizzasmum]

[quote=sammykins;3761090]to live in outside... they already have an outside enclosure with a rabbit hutch that has a lamp in to keep them warm, but i only keep them out during the day when its sunny, and in their tortoise table inside at all other times.
What species are we talking about?

I wanted to build something for all year round (dont want to hibernate as too young - i have 2 year olds, 4 year old and 8 year old horsfields)
Hiberating species can hibernate shortly after hatching. No-one saves them from this in the wild.

Should i get a greenhouse - dog house - wooden shed - bigger cold frame??? god not sure what to get but i would make sure it was warm enough inside with them also having access to outside at all times?
The more roaming space the better.

Can someone advise me as i would like to get something sorted today.
It's not likely this can be done in a day unless you have a lot of stuff laid on ready.

Obviously if the weather was too bad i would bring them in over winter. Just didnt know if there was something that would be suitable all yaer round?
The best option would be to hibernate through winter in this country

[wizzasmum]

Oh just realised these are horsfields - in which case you need to dig out an area, line it and back fill so you will need to think about this carefully before going ahead. Also a horsfiled is the last tort I would keep awake over winter - have a look here www.tortsmad.com/horsfields.htm

[sammykins]

yes their outside enclosure has concrete on the bottom and is built up as a big flowerbed, so they have no chance of escaping!

I wouldnt need to do that if in a greenhouse or shed type enclosure,

Ive read alot of places that they shouldnt be hibernated until at least 5 years old and should be a certain weight? maybe this is wrong then. I didnt think you had to hibernate either according to alot of other websites i have read. Theres so much conflicting advice on the web, i get confused half the time to know what the right thing to do is.

I would then have to find out how to hibernate - hmmm which website should i follow i wouldnt want to kill them .

Thanks for your link i shall read soon.

[wizzasmum]

[quote=sammykins;3763689]yes their outside enclosure has concrete on the bottom and is built up as a big flowerbed, so they have no chance of escaping!

The soil needs to be around a foot deep with lots of fibrous suff left in to help tunnels to stay in place.
I wouldnt need to do that if in a greenhouse or shed type enclosure,

Ive read alot of places that they shouldnt be hibernated until at least 5 years old and should be a certain weight? maybe this is wrong then.

All you need to think of is tortoises in the wild - they have been doing this for millions of years with no intervention from man. It is natural and beneficial for them. Horsfields that are not hibernated 'usually' have poor shell construction and shape.
I didnt think you had to hibernate either according to alot of other websites i have read.
Probably pet shop or dealers websites. Most of these people have not kept tortoises long term if at all, so often give bad advice on most aspects.
Theres so much conflicting advice on the web, i get confused half the time to know what the right thing to do is.
Follow the advice of sites that are based on wild habitats, observation in the wild etc rather than those which advise on tank housing, artificial feeding etc and you will not go far wrong. Other my own website I always recommend Lins www.tortoises.net

I would then have to find out how to hibernate - hmmm which website should i follow i wouldnt want to kill them .
I have 32 tortoises, 29 of which hibernate. I have hibernated torts for well over 25 years and not lost one during that time, so you could look on www.tortsmad.com or again www.tortoises.net

[Shelley66]

Just to say about hibernating, mine have hibernated since I first had them, so they were about at most a year old . Providing you wind them down properly, keep your eye on the hibernating temps (I hibernate mine in the fridge), and their weight then they will be fine

[sammykins]

Originally Posted by Shelley66

Just to say about hibernating, mine have hibernated since I first had them, so they were about at most a year old . Providing you wind them down properly, keep your eye on the hibernating temps (I hibernate mine in the fridge), and their weight then they will be fine

thanks for your reply, i would just be worried about doing it as ive never done it before, should i get a little fridge just for the torts so i can put in the garage? I will research and hibernate them over this winter, that will give me a little break from them, they are like my little kids at the mo! lol

[wizzasmum]

Originally Posted by sammykins

thanks for your reply, i would just be worried about doing it as ive never done it before, should i get a little fridge just for the torts so i can put in the garage? I will research and hibernate them over this winter, that will give me a little break from them, they are like my little kids at the mo! lol

I would not keep a fridge containing hibernating torts in the garage as if the temps drop below freezing so will the fridge

[sammykins]

see i would have killed them!!! could you imagine putting all 15 in my fridge, my kids would be rather confused as to what to eat for tea!! lol

[LiamRatSnake]

I'm thinking of using a beer fridge, with a glass door and keeping a digi thermometer in there, for my two this year