Pure Tortoise Power
Active Member
Hey all. I'm wondering: should the temp at night be lower than that in daytime? My enclosure's warm side is 34°c all day, basking 37-38°c. Are these temps too high for the night? Or that's alright?
Night temperature
- Thread starter Pure Tortoise Power
- Start date
U should let it drop but try to stay at 25 °c in the night
Pure Tortoise Power
Active Member
I see, thank you
Temps should be no lower then 80f at all times.
The answer to this question depends upon how old your tortoise is.
34 is okay for a day time high, but it should drop down to 26-27 at night for a sulcata.
Avuwyy
Active Member
This completely, hatchlings are not acclimatised so try to keep them in the mid 20s low 30s night time. As they grow older you can steep to lower temperatures, 20°c lowest.
20°C is too cold for a sulcata. They would never have to deal with that where they come from. Most of the sulcatas we see today came from imports from Mali. In the "depth of winter" there it occasionally dips to high teens (C) overnight. But it seems everyone is so mislead by this. Tortoises live by using the ground to regulate extremes. The ground temperature surrounding their burrows (when outside it is 18° on that rare night) is 30°. That's the coldest part of their winter. A sulcata never has to deal with a body temperature below 28° - ever.
A temperature of 20°C for all of us is VERY DIFFERENT than a temp of 20° in Mali. Most all of us have ground temperatures cooler than 20° when we let them get that cold and in Mali, not only is the ground temp still 30° but that day the temperature will climb to 34° in full sun - no clouds that time of year.
Pure Tortoise Power
Active Member
So after turning off the night time heat lamp, the temp dropped to 25.5°c. And with the releasing of heat from respiration, I assume its body temp should be around 27-28°c. Is that good enough guys?
Is this a sulcata under 2500g ? If so I would not want temps under 28° for a low.
Pure Tortoise Power
Active Member
It's a two month old hatchling so yes. And 28 for enclosure or body temp?
If the enclosure never gets below 28° than the body temp should stay at least that. So, yes to both.
