# How can know if she's too hot?



## Moozillion (Jun 16, 2013)

I've had my first-ever tortoise, Elsa (a 4-year old Hermann's) for 7 months, so this is her first summer here with us in hot, humid South Louisiana. One of the reasons I got this species is the temperatures and humidity in their native home (the Balkans: think Greece and areas east of there) is not too unlike ours. Nevertheless, I'm a little nervous. It doesn't matter how much shade you have: the air temps are in the 90s. The thermo-hygrometer in her "cool" hide currently reads 91* F and 72% humidity. 

She is eating like a champ and practically running laps around the inside perimeter of her 8 x 12 foot "Summer Villa." Despite a 5" sight barrier, she sometimes tries to climb out- she slides down and occasionally tips over but rights herself quickly. Although she has the same water dish she had in her indoor enclosure and it's always full, I saw some grainy urates on her food slate last week so we've been giving her cucumber with all her meals to increase hydration (that's the only reason we ever give her cucumber- for its water content). The temps get down into the 70s at night, even if they were in the 100s during the day. 

What are the signs of hyper-thermia (over heating) in a tortoise?
Does anyone ever bring their tortoise back into an indoor enclosure for a day or so if the outdoor temps are going to be exceptionally high?


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## wellington (Jun 16, 2013)

If you don't soak her, you still should be, about twice a week, even as adults they can still benefit from a soak. I will spray my Leo's enclosure down with water from the hose to cool it down when it gets too hot. You may have to do it a couple times a day, but it will work to cool it.


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## WillTort2 (Jun 16, 2013)

Yes, I keep my Russians inside if the temps are going to be in the 90's.

Does she have a hide that goes down into the earth? The ground temperature in your area is probably 65 to 75 degrees once you get below the surface. 

You could build a hill above her hide to provide insulation from the high temperatures. Check temperatures with a probe or a temperature gun.


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## JoesMum (Jun 16, 2013)

If a tort gets too hot, it will head for cover. Shaded spots are essential. Have an outdoor soaking spot for lounging and cool down. In a very hot climate, expect your tort to be aftive very early and very late in the day... possibly after dark. During the hottest parts of the day, your tort will find somewhere cooler and sleep it out. This means that you put food down in the evening and leave it. Your tort might snack at midnight or 5am, and you won't see it, but at least he gets something to eat.


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## Moozillion (Jun 16, 2013)

Thanks for the quick replies.

She HATE soaks and is constantly trying to climb out, but I soaked her, briefly, today anyway. But I will try it more often. I wonder what temps I should use for the soak water: would my goal be to cool her down, so water at 75* or so? or just keep her really warm (85*) but wet?

I know that digging down into the earth is definitely cooler, unfortunately, down here our water table is really high. I had originally dug down 4-6 inches for her cool hide, but I hit mud and it stayed that way all week, so I filled it back to ground level. I was afraid that even if she was cooler, if she stays wet she could get shell rot.

We have very bad fire-ant problems. The fire ants hate wet soil and are AMAZINGLY adept at seeking out dry soil: If I even have a plant in a flower pot set on the moist ground, the ants will burrow UP THROUGH the hole in the bottom of the flower pot and over night I will find a fire ant mound filling my flower pot! I fear if I build a hill above her hide, the fire ants will move in, which brings up the issue of how to get rid of them without harming her or contaminating her enclosure with pesticides etc. I could still do this: food grade diatomaceous earth WILL get rid of the fire ants and would hopefully not harm her if it's food grade? (people really do eat this stuff-)


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## JoesMum (Jun 16, 2013)

Just leave a shallow dish in her enclosure outdoors that she can walk in and out of. She will use it. Some owners use an upturned dustbin lid to create a soaking pool.


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