Yesterday I found my 3 Sulcatas dead within 2 hours of putting them in the sand and rock habitat I built for them in my backyard. It was only 90 F outside and I had a place for shade. The only thing I can think of is that I sprayed for ants around the exterior wood board perimeter earlier in the day at the grass line to keep ants away. None of the spray had gotten inside. But the Sulcatas like to put their faces in the corners. Some poison must have seeped through where the wood meets up to make the angle. It had already been evaporated. There's nothing else I can think of. By trying to protect my tortoises I killed them...they were one year old. :-(

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My God I'm sorry to hear that. Sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss.

That is horrible. I am so so sorry. I had thought about doing the same thing. Glad I didn't. I wouldn't have thought, doing it like you did and like I thought about doing would have harmed them. Again, I am so sorry

R.I.P little tortoises. You will be missed. I am so sorry for your loss.

So sorry, RIP tort buddies

I'm so sorry. How devastating

My first thought is to offer condolences on your loss.

My second thought is to try to figure this out so you might gain some peace of mind and that it never happens to anyone else. It may be to soon for this, but I'm guessing its okay since you came here and presented this to us. My apologies if you are not ready for this.

I highly doubt a little residual ant spray did this. I have used ant spray in and around my enclosures many times over the years, while the tortoises were not in them, and I've never had any issues with any of my animals with residual spray.

My guess is going to be overheating. On that sort of sand on a 90 degree day, temps would be much too hot for them. Do you have a temp gun or a remote probed thermometer? Check the ground temps in there today. Can we see a pic of the entire enclosure? How much shade, and what kind of shade was available? Did you see any other symptoms?

Please don't feel like I am blaming you or trying to make you feel bad. My ONLY intention is to try to figure out what happened with the goal of preventing it for you or someone else in the future.

I'm so sorry for you losses!

I have a feeling Tom is spot on.

Oh my...That is just terrible.

While I was reading your post, my first thought was also like Tom's...sand - too hot.

Just so everyone reading this knows and understands, sand is not a good substrate. Besides absorbing the heat like it does, it also causes impaction when the tortoises eat it (when it is stuck to their food).

Please stick around. We'd like to get to know you. And you know darned good and well, that you're going to get another tortoise when the hurt goes away. We'll help you all we can.

Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry.

And although a bit too late, maybe there is something that others (including me) can learn from experts here.

Well, I feel sorry too, 3 at a time
Hope you can share your enclosure setup though.

Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them- George Eliot.

Aw im sorry for you lost

Sorry for your loss