Florida Hot & Humid

[Mikki]

I live in Florida and I have a 4 year old Sulcata. It's starting to get hot and the humidity is coming! Last year it seemed so hot at night I'm his enclosure so this summer I wanted to see about putting a small fan or something in his house to help move around the air. He does have a window I opened but temps still rad high in the 80s at night during dead of summer. I'm not sure if I put a fan inside to help push the hot air out and honestly it's so humid in Florida during summers I'm not concerned about lowering humidity. He doesn't have the humidity during the winters here but during the summer time that's all it is. I am also able to flip his plastic flaps up in the door way & snap them so they stay up but at night I put them down and want his doors shut. The window is a shutter so I could put a fan in there and just open the luvers to push the heat out. Can anytime give me suggestions please!! I've attached his house and the doors slide shut they just aren't shut in the photos but you can see the window.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions or opinions

 

[wellington]

80-85 is not too hot for a sulcata. They need to be able to always warm up in those temps if it's a bit cooler out.
You can install a fan and if temps get higher, you could then turn it on.

 

[Mikki]

80-85 is not too hot for a sulcata. They need to be able to always warm up in those temps if it's a bit cooler out.
You can install a fan and if temps get higher, you could then turn it on.

Yes I know it's not too hot to be 80 to 85 but that's what it is now and it's only May. Come July it's high 90s in his house unless it rains. I do open the flaps but it's still hot humid air and at night time its 88 to 90 July to Sept. He always always puts himself to bed but during mid summer he'll at times try to stay out in his hiding spot because it's so hot in his house. I live in 3 acres with wooded areas all around me. With Racoons and foxes that come around I can't take that chance to have him out. I'll install a very little fan just to blow the still hot air up and out the window but not blowing on him if that would be ok

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Yes I know it's not too hot to be 80 to 85 but that's what it is now and it's only May. Come July it's high 90s in his house unless it rains. I do open the flaps but it's still hot humid air and at night time its 88 to 90 July to Sept. He always always puts himself to bed but during mid summer he'll at times try to stay out in his hiding spot because it's so hot in his house. I live in 3 acres with wooded areas all around me. With Racoons and foxes that come around I can't take that chance to have him out. I'll install a very little fan just to blow the still hot air up and out the window but not blowing on him if that would be ok

I think that would be okay. Some use small computer fans for reptile indoor enclosures, especially vivariums. (This is what I mean

). I don't see why a fan set up that you are describing would do harm.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've had some experience with fans in a tortoise house.
If you install one, install it for pulling hot air out. Not for pushing air in.
It worked better.
But it still wasn't that effective. So I gave up on the idea.
Your tortoise and the house is much larger. So your experience might be better.

 

[jaizei]

It looks like the door is facing south or south/southwest(?) so the sides of his house are getting sun from the sides morning and afternoon. Modifying the shade structure or adding shade cloth to block the sun from hitting the house might help some.

 

[Mikki]

It looks like the door is facing south or south/southwest(?) so the sides of his house are getting sun from the sides morning and afternoon. Modifying the shade structure or adding shade cloth to block the sun from hitting the house might help some.

The door faces East! I have a shade screen up behind his house now so he is liking the idea of hiding behind his house during the day now. I have the car port built over his house also. The sides really don't get any sun. It's So humid and hot in Florida my high during the days already reach 90. It just gets hot and the lows at night are in the low 70s but by next month it will be hot at night and I'm trying to figure it out before it gets here

 

[Mikki]

I think that would be okay. Some use small computer fans for reptile indoor enclosures, especially vivariums. (This is what I mean

). I don't see why a fan set up that you are describing would do harm.

Thank you!! That's so I want to do it is help push this heat out at night. He gets all the humidity being in Florida all day accept for winter time but I think he's old enough & big enough(40-45lbs) that he doesn't need the humidity like they do their first 2 years of life

 

[TammyJ]

I understand about the heat and humidity, living here in Jamaica. But we are mammals, and reptiles do not get uncomfortable in higher heat and humidity like we do - they love it and thrive in it and need it.
Some greenery on top of the tortoise house might help with the heat. Like maybe some palm tree branches laid on it like thatch. And make sure he has a nice large pool which is not in the direct sun all day, and enough deep shade provided for him around the enclosure.

 

[Mikki]

I understand about the heat and humidity, living here in Jamaica. But we are mammals, and reptiles do not get uncomfortable in higher heat and humidity like we do - they love it and thrive in it and need it.
Some greenery on top of the tortoise house might help with the heat. Like maybe some palm tree branches laid on it like thatch. And make sure he has a nice large pool which is not in the direct sun all day, and enough deep shade provided for him around the enclosure.

Scooter has lots of room in his area with lots of hiding places and shade. Along with pool and even an outside shower that he loves to play in