# Too hot?



## leigti (Jun 28, 2015)

Hello, I had a question about my Russian tortoise and what temperatures are too hot for her outside. I read somewhere that Russian tortoises will try to sleep during very hot weather. What constitutes hot? I have not hibernated my tortoise during winter so I am not familiar with the process at all. Will she naturally just try to sleep? It has been over 100° for the last four days and will continue this way for possibly two weeks. Usually gets down into the 70s and occasional 60s at night. We are breaking temperature records almost daily. It's very unusual for it to be this hot for this long hair. I hosed down the enclosure a couple times a day and half of the enclosure is in shade starting around 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
She seems to be staying relatively active as far as I can tell. And is eating, gave her cactus today and she loved it as usual. Her enclosure is only 12 inches tall so she can't borough down very deep. Should I soak her every Day during this hot time? This is probably going to be an extremely hot summer here so I don't really see an end in sight. Am I just being overly concerned? What do people do who live in hot climates? I just want her to be safe and healthy, thanks for any information or suggestions you might have.


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## Blakem (Jun 28, 2015)

My shade starts in my Russian enclosure about the same time, 1 o'clock. It's been 98-105 lately and I make sure to do a soak in the morning when I know it's going to be really hot. I try and spray the food to make sure he's getting more hydration than the terra cotta saucer. I usually soak about once a week, but I now do 2-3 times. It hasn't been up to 100 everyday here, but it's been hot.


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## leigti (Jun 28, 2015)

Blake m said:


> My shade starts in my Russian enclosure about the same time, 1 o'clock. It's been 98-105 lately and I make sure to do a soak in the morning when I know it's going to be really hot. I try and spray the food to make sure he's getting more hydration than the terra cotta saucer. I usually soak about once a week, but I now do 2-3 times. It hasn't been up to 100 everyday here, but it's been hot.


Thanks. It was 113° today. She is mostly eating the plants in the enclosure right now, maybe I'll throw in some cucumber just to get more hydration.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jun 28, 2015)

I live in a very hot climate, also 113° today, but this is usual for us and will possibly last for months.
Tidgy is a Greek, but much the same applies, I suppose, i soak her every morning and sometimes in the afternoon also, she also gets a nice spray of water on her when I feel her carapace is too warm. I too feed soaked foodstuffs. 
She manages fine through the summer and remains very active, though I do understand that Russians come from a slightly different climate.


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## leigti (Jun 28, 2015)

Tidgy's Dad said:


> I live in a very hot climate, also 113° today, but this is usual for us and will possibly last for months.
> Tidgy is a Greek, but much the same applies, I suppose, i soak her every morning and sometimes in the afternoon also, she also gets a nice spray of water on her when I feel her carapace is too warm. I too feed soaked foodstuffs.
> She manages fine through the summer and remains very active, though I do understand that Russians come from a slightly different climate.


 I think Russians natural habitat spreads over a pretty big area. And I've heard that they will sleep when it gets too hot just like they do if it's too cold. So far mine hasn't done that. If she does is it a full-blown hibernation type sleep or will she just get less active? And should I do anything differently or just keep going status quo with what I've been doing? Should I expect her to lose some weight during this hot time? I have noticed for the first time since I've had her that she comes back out from her hide in the evening when it cools down, well it cool down to 100  but at least it was cloudy. That helped a lot. I personally cannot stand hot weather and don't tolerate it well, maybe I am projecting too much on to my tortoise?


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jun 28, 2015)

It is true that in very hot weather, some tortoises, including Russians, aestivate, kind of like a summer hibernation.
But usually, they lose their appetite first.
In the wild when conditions become unbearable for them in the day, they will aestivate, but it is not as deep a sleep as hibernation or brumation and often the tort will just sleep for the hot part of the day and become active again in the cooler evening. When aestivating they often go into a burrow or lightly bury themselves in the earth.
In captivity, you can allow them to do this, but I like my tortoise to enjoy the summer, and sunshine, so I keep her as cool as I can, and she shows no signs of stopping eating or trying to sleep, but I have heard Russians are more likely to try it.
For more info you're better off waiting for a Russian owner, but this is how I understand it.
Sorry, if I'm of little use.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jun 28, 2015)

I live in AZ and it gets real HOT . My enclosure has a cover over one third of it . And it's made of wood every morning I wet the wood down . ( and hot weather is hard on plants also ) and torts are a lot like kids , so I flood the enclosure with water . And all of my torts look happy , just like kids in a pool . I have Russians , Greeks , Hermanns , Marginals , Leopards , Pancakes , AZ desert torts ,and box turtles .


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## leigti (Jun 28, 2015)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> I live in AZ and it gets real HOT . My enclosure has a cover over one third of it . And it's made of wood every morning I wet the wood down . ( and hot weather is hard on plants also ) and torts are a lot like kids , so I flood the enclosure with water . And all of my torts look happy , just like kids in a pool . I have Russians , Greeks , Hermanns , Marginals , Leopards , Pancakes , AZ desert torts ,and box turtles .


Thanks. My enclosure is also made out of wood, covered with hardware cloth. I will make sure I get all the wood really wet. She does come out when I water it down. There are multiple hide areas that she digs down into and under. Wow you have a lot of tortoises! Time, money, and space are the only things that keep me from having a lot of tortoises.


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## leigti (Jun 28, 2015)

Tidgy's Dad said:


> It is true that in very hot weather, some tortoises, including Russians, aestivate, kind of like a summer hibernation.
> But usually, they lose their appetite first.
> In the wild when conditions become unbearable for them in the day, they will aestivate, but it is not as deep a sleep as hibernation or brumation and often the tort will just sleep for the hot part of the day and become active again in the cooler evening. When aestivating they often go into a burrow or lightly bury themselves in the earth.
> In captivity, you can allow them to do this, but I like my tortoise to enjoy the summer, and sunshine, so I keep her as cool as I can, and she shows no signs of stopping eating or trying to sleep, but I have heard Russians are more likely to try it.
> ...


Thanks. That information was helpful. Makes me feel better. I'll keep doing what I'm doing.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jun 28, 2015)

leigti said:


> Thanks. My enclosure is also made out of wood, covered with hardware cloth. I will make sure I get all the wood really wet. She does come out when I water it down. There are multiple hide areas that she digs down into and under. Wow you have a lot of tortoises! Time, money, and space are the only things that keep me from having a lot of tortoises.


No one third is covered in wood to shade the torts .


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## Alaskamike (Jun 29, 2015)

It gets hot here in South Florida too, but we are in the rainy season so it rains almost every afternoon, sometimes like a flood  for a few hours. 

One thing I always keep in mind, there are 2 kinds of "hot", one is air temperature in the shade, and the other is in direct sunlight. We all know this once we step on concrete in bare feet on a 90f + day. I have a temp gun, and the readings on that can be quite enlightening. As long as my torts can get into shade, have plants to hide under, water, and for my sully, an underground "cave" he can retreat to, I don't worry about the air temps too much. Course here 95f is about as high as it gets and that's usually with 80+ humidity. In AZ its a "dry heat" , but at 113 it still feels like sticking your head in an oven. At those temps water / sprinklers are their friend. (long as you keep the water dish out of direct sun - even the water can get too hot quick)


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## Jodie (Jun 29, 2015)

It is crazy hot, isn't it? Makes me afraid of August this year.


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## leigti (Jun 29, 2015)

Alaskamike said:


> It gets hot here in South Florida too, but we are in the rainy season so it rains almost every afternoon, sometimes like a flood  for a few hours.
> 
> One thing I always keep in mind, there are 2 kinds of "hot", one is air temperature in the shade, and the other is in direct sunlight. We all know this once we step on concrete in bare feet on a 90f + day. I have a temp gun, and the readings on that can be quite enlightening. As long as my torts can get into shade, have plants to hide under, water, and for my sully, an underground "cave" he can retreat to, I don't worry about the air temps too much. Course here 95f is about as high as it gets and that's usually with 80+ humidity. In AZ its a "dry heat" , but at 113 it still feels like sticking your head in an oven. At those temps water / sprinklers are their friend. (long as you keep the water dish out of direct sun - even the water can get too hot quick)


I think part of my problem is I can't find my temperature gun. And I know how much warmer it usually is a ground-level in the enclosure when the air temperature isn't necessarily very warm. So I'm just imagining how hot it is now when the air temperature is very hot. I guess I'll have to go bye another temperature gun. This will guarantee I find the old one  I do know that hosing down the enclosure and the plants drops the temperature a good 15 to 20+ degrees. As long as I can do that once or twice a day she'll be fine I guess. I was just worried about the summer burmation.


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## leigti (Jun 29, 2015)

Jodie said:


> It is crazy hot, isn't it? Makes me afraid of August this year.


Wow isn't that the truth. August is really not going to be fun. You guys up there or even less used to this hot weather than we are down here. How are your tortoises handling it?


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## Tom (Jun 29, 2015)

Its around 100 every day here from late June through October. My russians have never aestivated. Lots of shade, sprinklers, hoses, water dishes and underground retreats. When its hot like this I find them all in their underground boxes every night. In milder weather, I have to put them away every night.


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## leigti (Jun 29, 2015)

Tom said:


> Its around 100 every day here from late June through October. My russians have never aestivated. Lots of shade, sprinklers, hoses, water dishes and underground retreats. When its hot like this I find them all in their underground boxes every night. In milder weather, I have to put them away every night.


Well, that's a lot of hot weather. My Russian always puts herself to bed every night no matter if she's indoors or outdoors. So it's beginning to sound like peoples Russian tortoises are not sleeping in the summer. Maybe it's because we provide them with things to cool them down such as the shade and hosing down the enclosure and freshwater etc.


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## Tom (Jun 29, 2015)

leigti said:


> Well, that's a lot of hot weather. My Russian always puts herself to bed every night no matter if she's indoors or outdoors. So it's beginning to sound like peoples Russian tortoises are not sleeping in the summer. Maybe it's because we provide them with things to cool them down such as the shade and hosing down the enclosure and freshwater etc.



I think that with our help, that our enclosures are not as extreme as what they would encounter in the wild. Sure they wait out the heat of the day, but all the water, food and cooler areas allow them to continue to function when in the wild the lack of cover, water or food would force them to aestivate or die. So, I think you are right.

At least here we get cool nights in summer. On a 100+ day, we still usually get 60s at night.

Where @Grandpa Turtle 144 is, it gets 110+ during the summer days and then stays in the 90s all night... Right Grandpa?


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## leigti (Jun 30, 2015)

I think you're right Tom. I have a friend in Phoenix and it stays well into the 90s and even one hundreds at night. Yuck yuck yuck! I'm sure the tortoises adapt after a while.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jun 30, 2015)

Tom said:


> I think that with our help, that our enclosures are not as extreme as what they would encounter in the wild. Sure they wait out the heat of the day, but all the water, food and cooler areas allow them to continue to function when in the wild the lack of cover, water or food would force them to aestivate or die. So, I think you are right.
> 
> At least here we get cool nights in summer. On a 100+ day, we still usually get 60s at night.
> 
> Where @Grandpa Turtle 144 is, it gets 110+ during the summer days and then stays in the 90s all night... Right Grandpa?


Boy are you right !


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## Jodie (Jun 30, 2015)

leigti said:


> Wow isn't that the truth. August is really not going to be fun. You guys up there or even less used to this hot weather than we are down here. How are your tortoises handling it?


They are all active and good. I am thankful for automatic sprinkler system. Lol think they are too.


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## johnsonnboswell (Jun 30, 2015)

"Too hot" is not entirely based on a temperature reading. It also depends on shade, the ability to burrow into damper & cooler substrate, availability of cool water, etc. Spraying the walls & substrate also bring the temps down. In a hard scaped enclosure with a lot of rocks & no shade, the temps will be much higher than the ambient air temperature.


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## DawnH (Jun 30, 2015)

I swear, I feel like I need to knit a holder for my temp gun lately. I am totally like you and OCD on these outside temps!! (Best $11 I ever spent!)


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## CanadianTestudo (Jul 1, 2015)

Every Summer so far my tortoise has had her little summer rest where she is inactive for maybe a month. This summer so far seems very cold though (lucky me I don't have to deal with the crazy temps you all have to deal with). Once she goes into this I just let her be (turn of the lights to save on the hydro bill) and wait for her to wake up


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