Are the temps here too high for my home's?

[Scooter]

The temp is in the mid 90's during the day and low 70's at night with about 90% humidity. Almost daily there is an afternoon thunderstorm which they love. Half of the enclosure gets no direct sunlight and the other half only gets about an hour a day. They tend to stay on the shade side. I am worried it is getting too hot for them to stay out all the time. They do have a water bowl to soak in that is always full.

 

[egyptiandan]

That is a bit warm You can run a sprinkler in the late morning and that will lower the temperatures in the enclosure.

Danny

 

[Scooter]

Ok I was thinking it was a little hi, I don't have a sprinkler but will just mist them down with the hose and see how that goes. Thanks Danny.

 

[Itort]

The weather here has been about the same and mine behave the same. They now have a brush pile of trimmings from my mulberry that they spend the day in coming out at dawn, dusk, and when I sprinkle. They are eating and breeding (today we grubbed out an old stump and the got the wood grubs). In other words with leaf and brush piles they do well.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Using the cool ground soil is another good option in addition to the misting. Building a safe underground burrow for them to retreat to in the heat of the day can help them cool down, if you don't already have this. It will be cooler down below the soil then in the shade. I would be on the look out for signs of heat exhaustion in them, and if you see this, bring them inside during the hot part of the day when the temps are so high. Signs can include increased or decreased activity level, breathing problems, and bubbles or foaming at the mouth. The activity level changes are more often the first signs, and the other ones are more severe.

 

[chairman]

I allow sections of my lawn to get really overgrown (8"-12"), hand trim the grass, and toss piles in shady areas. My tortoises love to hang out in there, and the temperatures can be as much as 20 degrees lower than the rest of the enclosure.

 

[Itort]

I was just reading a treatse on K. homeana and K. erosa by Dwight Lawson that says temps in Cameroons for these guys ranged from 62.6 to 91.4 degrees F with the optimun temps of 64 to 71.6. Habitat use and activity of 56% found in closed canopy forest, 44% in forest gap, 18% in streams. Hope this gives some insite.

 

[Scooter]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I just got home from work and have them soaking now and am going to work on a leaf/grass pile for them. There activity level has not really changed and they are eating great and seem to be doing fine I was just worried. I will keep soak/misting them though in the afternoons to keep them from getting to hot.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Sounds good. I think you are being a great owner and planning ahead for if you see issues with the heat in the future.

 

[Scooter]

Thanks Kate I am trying to be a good owner. I want to give these guys the best life I can.