Is 104 F Degree basking spot too hot?

jsheffield

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How are you reading the temperature, and what are temperatures nearby and in cooler parts of the enclosure?

Jamie
 

Lyn W

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Hi again glad you made it from Profile posts to the Introductions.
I think 104 is probably too high for a Russian, but this is the caresheet you need to follow to make sure you get the temps and living conditions right.

Temps must be read with a reliable thermometer. When deciding on the height lamps, I use a stone or upturned bowl about the same height as my tort under basking bulbs/che to check the temps on the surface so that I know how hot it is on his shell. If you hang the bulbs you can adjust the temp by raising or lowering them.

In your profile post you mentioned that you thought your tort has shell rot but I'm wondering if the lamp is burning him. Please post some photos of it so that you can get advice on what it is and how to treat it.
If you post pics of his enclosure and lamps you'll also get advice on making sure is enclosure is as safe as possible for him.
 

Lyn W

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Where is it 104? On the surface directly under the bulb, or did you measure at tortoise height with a digital thermometer that cooked under the bulb for an hour?

Also, what species and size tortoise are we talking about?

There is a 2nd post from the OP here


 

jsheffield

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I think Tom's superb care guide suggests 95-100 in the basking zone, but 104 is probably acceptable, so long as the tort is properly soaked and hydrated and the temps in the rest of the enclosure allow it to cool down as it wishes.

Jamie
 

Tom

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Probably not. Depends on ambient, enclosure size, and how it is being measured.
 

jaizei

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Unless there's a specific reason for it, and there are redundancies built in, I think a 104F basking spot is too hot for an indoor enclosure. There is significantly less margin for error with heat/hot temperatures.
 

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