Hi all,

My wife and I are wanting to build a run for our wee horsfield but I have a few questions first so I can make it the best I can for my wee guy.

1. I remember reading on here before that Horsfields like to dig so do I need to put a hard base in the run to stop him digging out? If so how deep do I need to make it?

2. Will he need a heat source just incase it gets a bit cold, we live in North-East Scotland?

3. Will it need a cover of some sort other than netting?

4. How much room should one Horsfield have?

5. Is there any other special requirements needed for a wee Horsfield?

Thanks for the help

Dom

I can answer a couple of your questions (from advice given from Sue on horsfield enclosures, not my own knowledge as I don't keep horsfields) but not all I'm afraid:

1. Your enclosure will definitely need reinforcing around the edges as horsfields burrow and go down to their hides... as to specific depth I'm not sure, sorry.

2. Additional heating for horsfields is only needed as a frost protector.

Netting that will keep the birds out is definitely needed... I've read so many horrible stories about hatchlings and juveniles being taken by magpies and crows and stories how even fully grown torts have been pecked by birds.

As for room... how big is your horsfield? If he's only tiny then you don't want too huge an area to have to find him in if you need to bring him in because of bad weather.

Sorry I can't help more. Hopefully someone who keeps them may be along who can advise more.

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Thanks Tina,

I don't mean to ask the same question again but just to make sure I know what you mean if we leave our wee guy out during summer he won't need a heat source as we don't get any frost in the summer?

Thanks again

No, you won't need a heat source for a horsfield in summer

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I think in the weather we are having I would have a heat sorce, though I don't have Horsfields! My Hermanns don't have any heat if they are out in the day, but they do have a sun tunnel to go into if they want to warm up, otherwise they would just dig down and go to sleep when they got cold. Anc come evening they are back in their shed.

I think their substrate needs to be a couple of feet deep so they can dig their tunnels.... Any deeper and you probably won't find him until he decides to surface!

I don't want to sound to stupid but would he need a heat source in my house then as it seems to sit about 20-22 inside which is the sort of temps we get outside up here in summer.

Also I am thinking about a run 6 x 1.2 m our wee Sherbert is only 100mm long at the moment, is that ok?

Thanks again

Do you not have a basking light or uvb tube for him indoors?

He should have a basking area of around 30-32 degs and a cool area of around 20 degs in his table.

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Yeah we have a UV tube and a basking light inside which has a temp of about 30 degrees. So if I need a basking light indoors why doesn't he need one outside? We don't often get temps of about 30 degrees up here.

Thanks

If he has had time to bask under his heat lamp before you put him outside, he should be ok outside for a few hours before he gets too cold.... Depending on his size. On a normal sunny day he wouldn't need any heat outside as he would just bask in the sun to warm up, but with the horrible weather we had last year and are having up to now he might need extra heat.... Buy a sun tunnel from B&Q, he can go under that to get a bit warmer then.

Thanks shelley. We were hoping to let him live outside during the summer is that a good idea or is it better to bring him in at night?

Thanks