Hosing/Spraying my Sulcata down with water?

COmtnLady said:

All species of tortoises need to have high humidity and warm temps for the first two to three years of life. They need a completely closed habitat to contain and maintain the high humidity and temperatures. If you were in their native habitat you wouldn't see them until they are that old/size because they burrow down and pretty much hide in the damp layers until they mature.


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In answer to your question - the water would evaporate off. Your tort probably would prefer be in shade trying not to cook from the heat and sun, though. Can you create some double shade/deep shade ? (Perhaps a shade tarp, umbrella, or sheet of wood/roof above another/lower sunshade/hide, so that the second one shades the first and holds onto the overnight coolness as long as possible. You'd probably do better with keeping the floor of that damp than spraying your tort's shell - though as hot and dry as your area is, doing both is probably a good idea.)


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Alice Sulcatia said:

Hey neighbor, gotta love triple digits and all the extra work that comes with it to take care of our Sulcata babies!

Onto your first concern - yes, it's perfectly ok to hose down torts, and it does not negatively affect their shells. I do it in the morning and in the evening when the big guys come out from their burrows. While they eat, I soak them really well, creating a mud bath and watering everything around as much as possible. So don't be afraid to water like the water bill doesn't matter! Haha Make a huge puddle for yours; it helps cool them off, + humidity factor in our wonderfully dry air! Secondly, as @COmtnLady suggested, create a deep shade. Maybe you can string up a shade cover on the tree she likes to go to? Or with yours so little maybe even putting a lawn chair there and covering with something, creating a makeshift shady hide? Another thing I used to do when one of the big guys liked to hang out on the patio during the scorching hours was to use a cooling pad. Or a regular pee pad (18x24) works too. Soak it, ring it, throw it in the freezer for a bit until it gets crunchy cold, and place it over the shell. It cools them down, and while water melts and evaporates gives a humidity factor. As well, giving them cucumbers during the hot time helps with hydration. On the other hand, have you considered giving her a little pool, like a kiddie pool from Walmart? I have one in the back, cut out a section, and they can easily walk in and soak. Regarding your outdoor schedule, with this heat, I would cut it back to 11/12 before it gets too much. Little ones are not meant to withstand scorch. Hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.

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TammyJ said:

Can you post some pictures of your outdoor space and your tortoise?
What size and weight is he?

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Tom said:

They all grow at different rates, so my question is the same as Tammy's: What size tortoise are we talking about?

Smaller ones do better staying indoors in a large closed chamber most of the time. You can spray, hose or mist any size tortoise, and it's good for them. One caution though: If you are using hose water, it will eventually cause hard water stains on the carapace as that water evaporates and leaves all the minerals behind. I wash mine of with regular water and then spray them with collected rainwater to wash away the minerals before they are deposited on the carapace. It’s just cosmetic and it doesn't hurt them, but I like them to look nice too.

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ZarZar said:

I’ve attached photos of my sulcata and the area outside I let her roam for a few hours.
She is 7.5 inches and weighs 860grams. When I got her, she wasn’t in the right living conditions so she has a little bit of pyramiding, but if there’s anything else you see wrong with her shell please let me know as I want to take the best care of her.
I’m open to feedback. The area that she roams is about 25 x 25 foot. I plan on making her a more permanent enclosure in my backyard, I have about an acre of land, where I plan to grow grass, and add some bushes or trees for shade, etc.
Thank you so much!

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Alice Sulcatia said:

Hello, little beauty! What is her name? There are some great testudo grass mixes out there. If you plan on getting some trees and bushes, fruitless Mulberry, Rose of Sharon, and hibiscus would be fantastic, as they're good for them to eat! Oh, and dandelions, can't forget about those! I have had no luck in growing them here, but maybe your area is better

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ZarZar said:

Her name is Zara she’s a shy little cutie. I can’t seem to get her comfortable with me, I try to be so gentle and slow with her but she remains so shy. I will continue to work with her no matter how long it takes! Thank you!! This is so helpful, I jotted those down.

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ZarZar said:

Thank you so much for your feedback! I provided pictures of my sulcata and enclosure on Tammy’s message. Open to feedback. She is 7.5inches and weighs 860 grams.

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