Sulcatas love being outside in natural sunlight. They like to roam and walk. They like to graze on fresh grass. But depending on where you live and what season it is, the weather may not be ideal to put your tortoise outside, much less leave him outside. Sometimes it can be too hot, especially for baby sulcatas, but other times it’s too cold to put a sulcata outside.
How Cold is Too Cold for a Sulcata Tortoise?
Tortoises can handle cold temperatures as low as 45-degrees Fahrenheit, but that doesn’t mean you should leave your sulcata outside if the weather is that cold.
If you have an insulated, heated house where your sulcata can keep warm, colder weather, like 45-degrees, is fine. BUT, if you don’t have a heated house, you’ll want to consider a warmer location to house your sulcata when the temperature drops.
Should I Put My Baby Sulcata Outside When It’s Cold?
Larger sulcata tortoises can handle colder weather better than baby sulcata tortoises.
Baby sulcatas are much more fragile than larger tortoises, which means you don’t want them outside when it’s too cold. You’ll want to have a properly heated enclosure for days it’s too cold.
If the weather is below 60-degrees Fahrenheit, keep your baby tortoise inside. The warmer it is, the better, so 70-degrees is safer than 60, but you can put your baby sulcata outside when it’s 60-degrees. Just be careful and keep an eye on your tortoise’s carapace temperature with a digital temperature gun.
Cold and Sunny
If it’s sunny and feels warmer, you can get away with taking the tortoise outside for a little bit, but keep an eye on the carapace temperature. You don’t want the tortoise to get too cold.
Cold and Humid
If it’s cold and humid, the weather may feel colder than it is. You may want to leave your tortoise inside.
If it’s cold and dry, then it probably feels a little warmer than the thermostat reads, so you can take the tortoise outside. If you take your sulcata outside when it’s cold and dry, keep an eye on its carapace temperature.
