Heat Wave Here! Russian Tortoises ?

[grogansilver]

We are having a heat wave here my god triple digits with humidity! Are my Russians safe in this kind of weather out side? They do have a house to shelter in and all around the sides of their pen! I do go outside and take the hose and mimic a rain shower on there compound so far 4 times a day since this heat wave has struck and they do come out every time from where there hiding and sit in the shower as if to show me they enjoy the quick cold shower, then after wards they do go back to there shelter! Does this sound like a good thing to be doing for them in this heat? Not too sure about Russian tortoises yet first year keeping them but they are interesting! Got to love them <3 and also is it normal for them I have (4) that eat a whole head of romaine lettuce in two days, every two days?

 

[Fernando]

What you are doing is fine. What I would SUGGEST is placing more shade. Sometimes they like to sit under shaded areas and still be outside of the hide. Maybe you can try placing a wood board right across the middle of the enclosure. Just in case they want to eat and relax outside.

 

[Tortoise]

Nice looking enclosure there!

 

[68merc]

I have sun screen over the top that gives filtered sun light during the hot part of the day. but i also have solid boards under that and even under that i have a hide. It gives my torts many options. I even have 2 water bowls, one in the sun most of the day one out of direct sun.
They just need choices!

 

[dmmj]

If you have plenty of shade there should be no problem, shade can drop the temp a lot. so I would not worry, of course wetting them down won't hurt either.

 

[Greg Knoell]

Russians are super tough and will burrow into the ground when temps get too hot. As most have mentioned above, shade availability is important. I have a colony of Russians that have been living outdoors in pens not much bigger than yours year-round here in blistering Phoenix, AZ. When temps get above 115F I run sprinklers to cool their pens. Albeit, in Phoenix's dry climate water evaporating from the pen can cool it 10-20 degrees. If you don't have one already get a non-contact thermometer and monitor surface temps in the pen and make sure the tortoises always have access to areas no higher than 90-95 degrees, whether it be inside a burrow or underneath shade.

 

[terryo]

It is 109 here now, and I just took Pio and Solo in this morning. They really never dig and burrow, just sit under a shrub or hosta, so they're in for a while.

 

[grogansilver]

Here is their compound updated since yesterday! More shelter added! This is just temporary a quick put together housing till next year, and then next year I am going to be bringing or I should say be setting up a green house for my tortoises!

 

[Fernando]

Good Job =)

 

[October]

Morla spends about 95% of her time invisible in this heat. She nestles in around my garden in the shade of my tomato plants. She'll come out if I call her in the evenings, but otherwise she's fines just hiding. I do soak her a couple times a week to be safe though.