Hi,

I am just about to go and buy an enclosure for outside so that I can start to put my Leopard tortie out - obviously when it's warm enough. Can any other leopard tortie owners give me any advice - I am not sure how long to leave him out for or what type of outdoor enclosure to get. The other question is - if I put him out in the morning before work and the temperature drops or weather turns will it be a problem so long as he has an area where he can get out of the rain etc until I get home. Any help gratefully received !!

I have a 6 x 4 outdoor rabbit pen for the young redfoots, think it cost about £80-90, very sturdy, nice big hinged lid. I didn't buy the hutch section for indoor accomodation but made a shaded hide area down one side. I know some people do use the hutches placed on the ground with straw or similar in for an indoor / cool hide. I had to dig a trench around though to place the base in, as if you just place it on the top of the soil they can dig under.

The weather lately I've just been putting the red foots out first thing in the morning and they're loving it. I'm a bit more careful with them as their temperature needs are higher but I would think lately it's been absolutely fine for a leopard too. My horsefields don't care about temperature as long as they can run around like crazy!

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I must admit I would be dubious about leaving torts out unattended. Depending on where you live, there could be problems with theft, foxes etc.

Also, because of the reasons you mention above, I always think in this country torts should have access to a heated house so they can go in of their own accord if the weather turns. I appreciate it's not always feasible to have a heated house with an outdoor run attached in your garden, but if your going to leave them on their own, I think this would be important.

Saying all that, my view is that, especially in this hot weather, access to the outdoors and sunlight for a graze on fresh grass etc is invaluable for a tort's health.

Thanks Guy's - this is the first summer I have had him so not sure of what to do . If he has been out all day in nice weather then in the evening when inside will he need his basking lamp on or can I just have a heated pad on .

If you get a rabbit hutch, or dog kennel, or similar, it's actually usually pretty easy to run electrics outside and get a heat mat / heat bulb in there on a thermostat, just make sure you weatherproof it and let that dry before the tort goes in there. Obviously this isn't space enough to keep a tort in the winter, but it would do if there was just a cloudy / rainy patch in the summer.

I don't leave my tortoises out at night because of theft issues, so that could well be a consideration in the day.

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I was planning on bringing him in at night and putting him back in his tortie table. Until now I have had his red basking lamp on at night inside but wondered if I actually do need this on at night if I use a heated pad instead.

I think I will get a rabbit hutch for outside with a sheltered bit at one end and bring him in at teatime - does that sound ok ?

Hi ,I havent been using any extra heating at night for my leopards as their room has been at 20 c with the weather being so warm . In the day mine bask and warm up all morning and then go out for the afternoon and come back in their room for the evening . Mine are large though so take longer to heat up . I really wouldnt leave mine outside unsupervised but thats due to the area I live as I would be worried about theft .

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alicia x

how big is your leo?? mine are all sub adult and have a greenhouse of there own. it has basking lights and uv fitted into it. they go out in the morning and stay out until 7 ish. then we bring them in just to be safe. I only leave my torts outside in the day time if i am out as my dogs have full run of the garden (not the torts garden) so anybody brave enough to try and get through two teritorial rottys deserves what they get!

If your tort is still a baby, then al you need for him is a rabbit run covered in mesh (for security, they can get carried away by magpies NO JOKE) and a small insulated/waterproof dog kennel or similar. then put a ceramic heat element or tubular heater in there, attached to a stat to prevent it getting too hot. it should be set at 22-24c for the day, and if you want to leave him out, 18-20c for the night. thiswill be fine for the summer, but in the winter you need to think about more hi-tech accomodation when he is bigger. they can be a very expensive hobby and if mine are outdoors in the winter, my leccy bill is an extra £30ish a week.

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he shell is about 4 inches long so hes only a baby really - it's the expense bit I am trying to work out when it comes to electricity -what is the most economical way to look after him.

During the summer if he goes out during the day with no heating then if the cage has some straw at one end in a covered area he can go out of the weather and I can bring him in when I get home fromwork around 6pm.

In the winter ( the expensive bit !) and up till now I have been leaving his basking light on all the time - 24 hours - a day which I am not sure I need to do - can I just have it on fro a certain number f hours and have a heated pad for overnight - I am sure the heated pad would be cheaper than having the basking light on all night - heeelp I am a novice.........................

ok leopards 101!

day time

they need a backgorund temp of NO LESS than 22C. they can go in the garden and graze after they have basked for a little while. but their batteries will rapidly run out and they will stop wherever they are and sleep. you should really have a heated area just in case, leos are very susceptible to pneumonia and respriratory infections from cold conditions. this is normally first seen with the tort holding his head high up and breathing with an open mouth. NOT GOOD, and very often, fatal. They DO need basking lights, even in the summer, mine are adults and still have access to basking in the greenhouse. either way, you need to make sure that he has an area that NEVER goes below 22-24c in the daytime, as our weather is so unpredictable. nighttime minimum is 18-20c. he does not need a basking lamp on 24-7, this will interupt his sleep pattern. they need LOTS of basking light in the day time for atleast 12 hours, then the rest dark.

an ideal outdoor setup for your tort in the daytime is a small dog kennel (cover most of the door so he can just get in and out) with a basking lamp and UVB tube so he can retreat away from the cold and stay healthy. if you put a nightime ceramic heater in there then he canstay out in the night too. it shouldnt cost much to setup. so all together you will need

dog kennel/wooden box
basking lamp
uv tube and starter
outdoor run covered in mesh for protection.

hope this helps

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