Is Outdoor Temp too High?

[Merilyn (Tortoise lover)]

Hi all,
My Russian tortoise is getting pretty big and we want to move him outside(permanently) soon. Since I live in Phoenix it gets REALLY HOT during the summer. The highest will be at around 115 F degrees but that is only for a week, at most 2-3 weeks. During most of the summer it is in the 100-105 range during the day and at night it'll drop to around 90 F. In his outdoor enclosure there is plenty of shade and there will be a constant water supply(tiny sprinkler that goes off every morning). I know this is really hot for a Russian tortoise but is it too hot?

Also, this is kinda off topic but the tree that provides most of his shade has yellow flowers that drop into his enclosure. They smell really good and a year ago my other Russian actually tried to eat one(before I took it out of his mouth). If these flowers are poisonous, will my tort still eat them because they smell amazing?

Thanks everyone

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Merrily all of my Russians are outside , but I water the enclosure every other day real good ![emoji217]

 

[Tom]

Those temps are much too high for any tortoise in an above ground flat enclosure. The solution is to make a "sanctuary" deep underground with lots of shade and cover overhead. You can dig a hole a couple feet deep with a 40 degree entry. Then lay some plywood over the hole and put all the hole dirt, and more, on top of the plywood. Use a thermometer with a probe, or stick a digital thermometer down there and watch the temps carefully. If it cool enough, and the tortoise uses it, you won't have to worry about those scoring temps in summer.

There are many ways to do this. The above is one suggestion. Here is what I did with similar summer temps to yours, except our night get cooler. Our daily highs are near or above 100 all summer long like yours though:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/semi-underground-russian-box.98590/#post-922226

 

[RosemaryDW]

Russians live in places that are VERY hot and dry much of the year but during that time they are mostly underground. Make a good underground enclosure. You can go Tom’s route or you could investigate instructions available for digging summer burrows for desert tortoises in your area, as they are fairly common. As I understand it, the summer burrow should open in a direction that does not face the afternoon/setting sun, which would heat the burrow. Your local tortoise association can give you more specific help.

Your tortoise will need more than a burrow in a location that warm so be sure to add some options for plant cover.

We can’t answer plant questions without a picture.