- Joined
- Nov 5, 2011
- Messages
- 385
I looked up whether or not reptiles feel temperatures very well through their scaly skin. I couldn't find any formal papers (disappointing lack of findings, really) but the idea on the internet seems to be that reptiles, especially on their thick, scaly skin, can only feel more extreme temperatures like burning and freezing. Otherwise, they know it's cold simply from their metabolism slowing down.
Torts can feel temperatures well through their necks, by that logic, since they don't have scaly necks. Makes sense, as they always stretch their necks out to the sun and stick their legs out so their softer skin shows.
So I wonder, is letting a tortoise wander around a cold floor in a house bad for them at all? A bit of a temperature change to the body does happen, but their feet are so thick and scaly that I doubt they can feel it. I also doubt they can feel the cold of the floor through their shells, which are particularly thick underneath.
A lot of tortoise owners here have said their torts willingly go onto the cold floor. I know my Sheldon does this often. He gets huffy with me when I don't open my study door and let him out onto the tiled floor.
Just my two cents...
Torts can feel temperatures well through their necks, by that logic, since they don't have scaly necks. Makes sense, as they always stretch their necks out to the sun and stick their legs out so their softer skin shows.
So I wonder, is letting a tortoise wander around a cold floor in a house bad for them at all? A bit of a temperature change to the body does happen, but their feet are so thick and scaly that I doubt they can feel it. I also doubt they can feel the cold of the floor through their shells, which are particularly thick underneath.
A lot of tortoise owners here have said their torts willingly go onto the cold floor. I know my Sheldon does this often. He gets huffy with me when I don't open my study door and let him out onto the tiled floor.
Just my two cents...