Tortoises indoors over winter

Hello All,

I recently acquired a 1.1 pair of red-foot tortoises. We built a nice outdoor pen for them, and they've enjoyed our summer weather here in Michigan.

Now that the weather is changing, their time outside is limited, and will soon be over, until springtime. My question is, for those who keep tortoises in colder climates, how do yours fare indoors over the winter?

I have them set up in a rigid plastic "kiddie" pool, so they have plenty of room. I hung a light fixture from the ceiling, and have a mercury vapor bulb for basking heat and UV light. I have them in their own room in my basement, with auxulliary heat, keeping the room temp at 80 degrees. I know that natural sunlight is best, but I want to provide for their needs as best I can this winter.

Any tips or suggestions from experienced tortoise keepers will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Kathy Robbins

I would add a fogger near a CHE.

One big suggestion that I would give is to get your enclosure off of the ground. You will have a difficult time keeping substrate temperatures at an acceptable level if the pool is resting on the floor, especially during winter.
I've not found a foggier necessary, even for animals that require high humidity, but this doesn't mean that humidity isn't a critical part of their indoor care. To provide the necessary levels of humidity you will need to use the proper substrate (cypress works very well) and mist it lightly each day to prevent it from drying out completely. Also, provide a humid hide by using the appropriate sized storage container (obviously not a clear one) with lid, and cut a hole in the side big enough for the animals to easily get in and out of. Line it with moist unmilled sphagnum moss that has been wrung out to get rid of excess moisture. You can reduce the frequency of how many times you need to spray inside the hide by attaching a few sponges to the inside of the lid with zip ties. Every few days pop off the lid, moisten the sponges, and pop it back on.
Good luck and don't worry too much. I've gone through this routine for years with a number of species and the animals have always thrived.
Here's one of mine I used for years. What you can't see is there is a Rubbermaid container countersunk in the floor under the light. When the females are ready to lay I'd just pop off the lid and they haveinstant access to 80lbs of topsoil.

Originally Posted by nickolasanastasiou

I would add a fogger near a CHE.

Thanks Nick - I will probably give that a try, as humidity in the house is dropping with the cooler weather.

Originally Posted by NocturnalNature

One big suggestion that I would give is to get your enclosure off of the ground.

It is - I've got it on stacked milk crates, so it's almost 3' off the ground.

To provide the necessary levels of humidity you will need to use the proper substrate (cypress works very well) and mist it lightly each day to prevent it from drying out completely. Also, provide a humid hide by using the appropriate sized storage container (obviously not a clear one) with lid, and cut a hole in the side big enough for the animals to easily get in and out of. Line it with moist unmilled sphagnum moss that has been wrung out to get rid of excess moisture.

I've been using cypress, and it seems to work well for them. I bought one of those huge resin tortoise hides, and will put the moss in tonight. One advantage to using the plastic pool, is no worries about damaging a wood bottom.

Should I use any heat source under the hide?


Good luck and don't worry too much.

Thanks - I probably will anyway though!


Here's one of mine I used for years. What you can't see is there is a Rubbermaid container countersunk in the floor under the light. When the females are ready to lay I'd just pop off the lid and they haveinstant access to 80lbs of topsoil.

Awesome enclosure! I was thinking of a set up like that, but maybe when they get a little bigger. The pool is pretty big, and gives them plenty of room for now.

Thanks, Jackie and Nick - great advice for a tortoise newbie!

Kathy

Kathleen,
No need for a heat mat under the hide box provided you are offering a nice temperature gradient for your animals. The animals will bask, hide, eat, bask, hide, etc., throughout the day and will utilize the appropriate area if it is provided for them. If you happen to notice they never use the hide then move it closer to the heat source.
Please don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have as the year progresses. Most folks here are more than willing to share proven techniques to help you avoid any potential pitfalls.
Above all else, enjoy your new additions! They don't stay small long and soon enough you'll be producing your own lovely little gems.

Originally Posted by NocturnalNature

Kathleen,

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have as the year progresses. Most folks here are more than willing to share proven techniques to help you avoid any potential pitfalls.
Above all else, enjoy your new additions! They don't stay small long and soon enough you'll be producing your own lovely little gems.

Thank you Jackie - I'm sure I'll have more questions over the winter. I am enjoying them very much - always loved the red-foots, but never took the plunge. I happened onto this pair, and they were located within driving distance, so it worked out well.

I did take them to my herp vet for a general check-up and fecal, and they were pronounced healthy, and parasite-free.



Kathy

Very pretty tortoises.