Spring is Here! (almost...)

Finally the warm weather has started to return to the high plains and rocky mountains where Reptile Mountain calls home. We are finally over 40F most nights and into the mid 70sF many days. Now, as many of you know, last year I started the quest to keep reptiles outdoors part of the year. I was able to successfully construct a few "paddocks" for skinks and tortoises to safely reside in the fresh air and under natural sunlight.

Outdoor paddocks for skinks and tortoises

The animals were able to enjoy the outdoors through October of last year without any issues and the tortoises were able to stay out until mid November even! Just before Thanksgiving I did bring everyone indoors for the winter. Once everyone was back indoors I tried to turn their paddocks into little green houses with heaters to determine if I could safely keep the temps high enough to keep the reptiles outside year round.

Outdoor paddocks with green house glassing for winter

Well, the results weren't horrible but also not great! The modified paddocks turned greenhouses did indeed work through most of December but once the bitter cold of January hit there was just no way to keep them warm enough (above 40F deg).

Male Dalmatian Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) in his winter habitat (IUCN: Near Threatened)

So, this coming winter I have to plan to keep the skinks indoors and the tortoises will brumate in my garage in a special brumation chamber I have yet to build (stay tuned for that experience).

But the good news is all the animals did wonderful over the winter while managed indoors and at least the torts are back outdoors taking in the fresh air. I'm excited to see how they do this season. Many of their plants are coming nice and strong and so soon they will have nice natural cover from the sun.

Female Dalmatian Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) on her first day back outside for the warmer months (IUCN: Near Threatened)