So we have reached our triple digit heat, my question is how hot is the max temp your tortoise should get before they over heat? It was a 103 yesterday and a 108 in his favorite hide.
How hot should your tortoise get
- Thread starter Peggy Sue
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- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
That would kill a Redfoot.
Is this a Sulcata we're talking about?
Is this a Sulcata we're talking about?
Yes sorry about that he is a 2 yr old juvenile Sulcata
It needs to stay under 95-96ish for them. When temps exceed 100, they need a burrow to escape the topside heat. If you dig them a burrow and put them in it, they will run back out of it like the devil himself is chasing them. Be patient and keep trying. Keep putting the baby down there. Over time they will realize that there are no tortoise eating monsters in there, and they will eventually realize that this burrow is THEIR burrow and then they often will dig it out more themselves.
Without a burrow, surface temps are just too hot. You can use misters, sprinklers, shade cloth, and umbrellas to make cooler areas with more shade and evaporation. Or simply bring the tortoise back inside if you still have a large indoor enclosure.
Does your night box get that hot too? I have found that mine stay cooler due to the insulation and my tortoises use them to keep regulated hot or cold.. I have a temp probe on the inside with a digital display on the outside of the boxes so I can always read the temps.. I have not seen mine get above 91 when the temp outside is 101
Thank you @Tom we have dug a burrow for him and he loves its. But we ran into a problem our well pump went out so no water until later today which is why his enclosure to hot not able to use our irrigation ??♀️ I appreciate your quick answer, glad I went ahead and brought him back inside for a soak then a snack
Thank you Elliemae, his shed/night isn’t complete yet almost done insulating all the walls. Would have been done it well pump hadn’t quit ?
Thankfully the well is now fixed and we can go back to irrigating his enclosure. We also took out our small camping quick shade and placed it over his burrow so we will check the temps today as we are supposed to get up 107 today ? but will continue to bring him back inside if his area gets to hot 
