this may be a really silly thing to ask and i may sound really silly but i just been thinking like you do when your tortoise grow out  of there home inside what you  do do you just let them stay outside as much as they can in the summer  and bring them in in the night time but if that is the case where would they sleep and would they still need some sort of heat lamp ?

Hi, no this isnt a silly question!

The tortoise enclosure should always be big enough to house the tortoise comfortably with plenty of space for it to move around and be able to move into the different temperature ranges.

As you say during the warm months it is best to keep them in large outdoor enclosures.  Its personal choice how you do this.  Some people have enclosures with heated greenhouses or sheds that the tortoise has free access to, they can then be tucked up at night in these, with the heater set to come on if the temps drop too low at night.

Other people have heated wooden enclosures in the tort garden, such as dog kennels with ramps and a door, again so that the tort can be safe at night.  And some (large) torts are left out in gardens and sleep under bushes etc.

As the weather gets cooler, the torts need to be kept in heated/insulated accomodation, such as garages, sheds or in the house.

Hope this helps, regards Vivienne