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Hi,

Apologies if this has been asked before. But i keep my RES inside in a tank. When i am at home and the sun is out, i like to leave him outside in the sun in a fenced off area. The fenced off area has both sunny and shady areas. Just a couple of questions:

1. how long can would you advise leaving a RES outside without access to water?

2. since the area is secure, does anyone have a problem with me leaving the RES unattended (i never far away, just inside doing other things)?

Thanks for your help

I would not leave a RES outside by itself without access to water unless I was going to be with him (let him walk around a bit, for example).

How big is your turtle?

The only time I've left my turts unattended outside (in the summer) is when they were in stock tanks or pools (with basking areas) that I knew they could not get out of, and predators could not get in (from above as well). It's very easy to lose a turtle, even if you're not far away and leave him alone for a very short time...

My turtle is full grown female. Off the top of my head, i think my RES is about approx 6 inches long. I live in New Zealand and there are no predators that would be able to harm a fully grown RES.

My bigger concern was how long a RES in moderate heat (doesn't get that hot in New Zealand either) can suvive without putting him at risk. Even if it is only for an hour i think the sun's rays and fresh air would do my RES good.

Then I'd stay around him for that amount of time and bring him in when you think he's had enough.

Keep in mind that ambient temperature is not the same as basking temperature. A turtle's shell absorbs heat, so she will be hotter than the ambient temp. How hot is "that hot"? A RES should never be left in sun without a way to get out of that sun and into shade.

As for fully grown- most females get bigger tahn 6 inches. How old is your turtle?