# How hot is too hot?



## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

I have a Greek tort. In her outside hide I keep a thermometer to make sure it isn't getting too hot in there. It's black plastic covered in sphagnum peat moss and mulch to help block some of the sun. Today it's right around 90F outside and inside the hide was ~110F. Just wondering at what temp it starts to become dangerous to keep her out there. I think I've heard temps closer to 115F can start to cause problems but I thought I'd ask. Thanks!!


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## blueturtle (Jul 15, 2013)

I'm bumping this cuz i'd also like to know. Where i currently live it sometimes gets as hot as 117F and no matter how much i water her substrate its always dries up within an hour and heats up. i'm scared of her overheating so i bring her in on days over 105F just to be safe. read somewhere that a cool tort is better than an overheated one.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

blueturtle said:


> read somewhere that a cool tort is better than an overheated one.



Yeah I don't feel like having tortoise legs for dinner


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## wellington (Jul 15, 2013)

Hatchling or adult? Will be a difference. Also, there are things you can do to make a cooler spot so they can still stay outside, mostly adults I'm talking about. Spray enclosure with cool water, set up a misting system, dig them a hide to go down into, usually always cooler, make them a mud/water hole. Change a black hide to a lighter colored one, dark colors attract the sun/heat. If its a hatchling to say 2 then I would put them out in the cooler morning or in the cooler late after noon for an hour or so, still being sure they have shade and a cooler spot, then bring them in.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

She was wild caught. I got her from Petco. I think she's from 5-7 years old but your guess is as good as mine. I might try to dig her a hide or something. Just recently it's been a problem because we've had a pretty mild summer in Iowa.


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 15, 2013)

Your hide shouldn't be hotter than the outside temperature.

You need to bury the hide a bit and then mound a bunch of dirt over it so it's a few inches under dirt. Then have a tall plant next to the hide so it's in natural shade. This will make a HUGE difference in temperature.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

Team Gomberg said:


> Your hide shouldn't be hotter than the outside temperature.
> 
> You need to bury the hide a bit and then mound a bunch of dirt over it so it's a few inches under dirt. Then have a tall plant next to the hide so it's in natural shade. This will make a HUGE difference in temperature.



This was how it was before but it shows you how I have the mulch sitting on there. I can't cover all of it in dirt because I made the lid into a hinge so I can open it up and take her out easily.




This is how it is now. Half of it is under dirt.





Maybe the answer is to put a big plant in there like you were saying. Or On the other side I have a makeshift "tent" that my fiance made. It's four sticks holding up a polypropylene bag cut at one of the seams.. Maybe we can just move that to the other side.


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## Millerlite (Jul 15, 2013)

As long as you provide shade, hides and water should be fine. Misters can also help keep him cool. Like mention above a den underground will stay cool. Water dish should also be in the shade.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2013)

There isn't a magic number to give here. Tortoises can overheat and die on a day in the 70s in the wrong circumstances, or they can be perfectly fine on a day in the 120s in the right circumstances.

Anytime the tortoises body temp is getting over the high 90s, it is getting very dangerous, if they don't have a cooler place to retreat to. Personally, I bring my smaller tortoises inside when temps start climbing into the high 90s. They aren't going to do anything outside, but hide from the heat anyway.

For people who live in areas where temps climb near or over 100 regularly, underground is the only way to go. Here's an example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-28662.html


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 15, 2013)

The current set up of the hide is ok IMO as long as you put something next to it for shade. Tall potted plant maybe or a beach umbrella..something. 

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app


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## wellington (Jul 15, 2013)

I use an umbrella for extra shade sometimes. You could also place some frozen water bottles in the hide to cool it down.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

Tom it would be awesome if I could do that. I totally would, and you did an awesome job on that. However, for right now we are just renting the house we live in. That's why I have her setup in two kiddie pools hooked together for her outside space. Otherwise she'd have a huge pen. But the landlord won't let me do any of that now so I have to settle for the kiddie pools.


I like that frozen bottle idea. That's pretty clever. I think we're also gonna move or make another shade spot over it like we did on the other half of the enclosure.


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## wellington (Jul 15, 2013)

Don't forget. A shade spot that doesn't get any breeze will still get pretty hot. Using plants as a shade spot, will still let in the breeze, keeping it cooler and moving the air around.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

The poly bag we used is pretty much like an umbrella so I think it'll be ok.


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 15, 2013)

OH and in addition too the frozen water bottle idea, I've been tossing lots of ice cubes into my Russian house on hot days. They love it. As it melts in there the dirt stays cool.


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## farber2028 (Jul 15, 2013)

Definitely awesome.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 17, 2013)

Tortoises and box turtles retreat into the ground to escape temperatures that are either too hot or too cold, or to endure rains and droughts. The more adapted a tortoise is to extreme conditions, the better its burrowing abilities. Sulcatas, Russians, gophers, deserts, and bolson tortoises are the champion burrowers, so they can go underground when it gets really hot. Other tortoises and box turtles can also excavate pallets (shallow depressions), which are cooler and moister than the surrounding environment, but are less effective at insulating them than true burrows.

Is your Greek a northern or southern? Either way, if temperatures _in situ_ (where the tortoise actually is) are getting into the basking temperature range (90*F and above), then that's not good. If your tortoise can't find a cool place to stay outdoors, then I would bring it inside.


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