Early riser

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I have noticed, lately, that when I go check on Carl before his
morning lights turn on, he is very often times already up. He's awake already, and getting warm under his red heat lamp...

Can he hear everyone else waking up in the house which wakes him up, or would the red from the heat lamp be keeping him up at night?

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

He also seems to be thirstier lately. This morning I took him out to soak and he drank the water for probably five minutes. I had to double check to make sure but there was definitely water left in the dish in his enclosure, water that he started to drink as soon as I put him back... he looks well hydrated and isn't acting abnormal other than the drinking and the lack of sleeping... hmm... he's always trying to keep me worried, isn't he?

 

[GBtortoises]

What are the night time temperatures in your tortoise's enclosure? It's most likely not the red light from the heat lamp, but the heat from the heat lamp that causes him to be more active. Unless the temperature your Hermann's tortoise indoor enclosure drops below 50 degrees there is no need for heat at night.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I would say that right now, since it's too warm during the day to have our heater on, it could very easily drop to the low 50s, maybe even the high 40s, at night.

 

[GBtortoises]

"it could very easily drop to the low 50s, maybe even the high 40s, at night."

temperatures that low indoors? Have you checked the actual temperature with a thermometer?

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

"it could very easily drop to the low 50s, maybe even the high 40s, at night."

temperatures that low indoors? Have you checked the actual temperature with a thermometer?

During the day it's mid 60s in the house, but at night, around 2 or 3am, the outside temperature hits a low of probably around 40-45 so I wouldn't be surprised if it got down to the lower 50s at night. I will check, though. At the very least, the red lamp is hooked up to a dimmer so I could just turn it down to keep him in the low 60s at night. He likes to sleep in the most humid part of his habitat though I so I would be worried about letting it drop that low.

 

[GBtortoises]

"it could very easily drop to the low 50s, maybe even the high 40s, at night."

temperatures that low indoors? Have you checked the actual temperature with a thermometer?

During the day it's mid 60s in the house, but at night, around 2 or 3am, the outside temperature hits a low of probably around 40-45 so I wouldn't be surprised if it got down to the lower 50s at night. I will check, though. At the very least, the red lamp is hooked up to a dimmer so I could just turn it down to keep him in the low 60s at night. He likes to sleep in the most humid part of his habitat though I so I would be worried about letting it drop that low.

A thermometer should be used to check and know the actual temperature. But nights down in the 50's, even into the upper mid 40's would be okay as long the daytime temperatures reach activity levels of above 68 degrees into the low 80's,