# Can tortoises get sunburn?



## Merlin M (Apr 8, 2012)

I know most animals if skin is exposed to lots of sun get sunburned but do tortoises?


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## JoesMum (Apr 8, 2012)

I think the answer is no on this forum too


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## Merlin M (Apr 8, 2012)

well getting the same answer in two places makes me more likely to believe it...


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## JoesMum (Apr 8, 2012)

Merlin M said:


> well getting the same answer in two places makes me more likely to believe it...


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## Tom (Apr 8, 2012)

I've wondered about this many times myself. Especially with brand new hatchlings straight out of the egg. I've never seen any studies or read anything on it. I only put brand new babies out for short amounts of time for the first couple of weeks. They seem to get a "sun tan" within that time. When they are out they have the choice to move in and out of the shade, but they still get tan. For the first 6 months or so they hide in the shade quite a bit when they are outside too. My adults will literally spends hours just sitting in the sun on a cool sunny day. I have never seen any evidence of sun burn on any of my tortoises of any species of any age.

So I'm inclined to say no they don't get sunburned under any normal circumstance.


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## tortadise (Apr 8, 2012)

they do not. HOWEVER if they get too much direct sun especially with warm temps they will have a heat stroke. Even sulcatas and leopards. Tortoises dont have cellular breakdown of layers of skin like we do as humans or mammals I should say.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Apr 8, 2012)

tortadise said:


> they do not. HOWEVER if they get too much direct sun especially with warm temps they will have a heat stroke. Even sulcatas and leopards. Tortoises dont have cellular breakdown of layers of skin like we do as humans or mammals I should say.


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## dmmj (Apr 8, 2012)

I recall a report on this a long long time ago, apparently their thicker skin tends to lead to them not getting sunburn as easily as mammals do.


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