Keeping cool for the summer!

[Liljae9263]

In good ol southern fashion we were hit with a sudden heat wave and thus creating rather hot days. So I didn’t have time to gradually get used to this and figure out how to keep Frankie boy from overheating. So I’m wondering if anyone has any tips!

Honestly I think he’s enjoying the added heat and I might just be paranoid again but it’s better to be safe than sorry! I’ve heard too many stories of tortoises overheating (

So his enclosure lately has been reaching 80’s - 90’s. Basking will be 95 ish, middle is 80-85 ish. And cool side low 80’s ?? I haven’t been home during the peak of heat to really know what ground level is, but I keep an eye on mid temps while at work a they constantly have been climbing. Today it said 83 which means his basking side is probably about 90-95 ish. Which ik is where it should be at but LIKE I SAID IM BEING CAUTIOUS !!

There’s a dimmer on his ceramic set for 75 and the node is on the cool side. It’s been so hot I doubt the ceramic has even been on. The basking stays on from 7-7 and his uvb 11-3 so it spikes around then.

I’m thinking about moving his lights back up a bit as I had lowered them for winter. I’ve even been debating just leaving his doors open (he can’t climb out) just to get more circulation. It also might be good to air it out. His humidity has been at 90% the last couple of days and at night it’s 80%. I’m deciding if I should buy a fan to also be in the room as there’s none rn.

My apartment doesn’t have central heating/ac. So I leave it off until ABSOLUTELY necessary to not cause a major spike in cost. I also have to be there to manually turn it on and off. Plus the ac is at the front of the apartment and Franklin is at the back so I don’t think it would really help him. My place stays in the 70-75, in the afternoon it hits 80 (that’s when I finally cave and turn on the ac.)

I’d appreciate any tips!!!

Like I said, Franklin prob is enjoying the heat! I’m just a worry wart! . When leaving work today I checked the camera and his head was in the dirt and I got scared. Turned off his basking lamp and he started looking around for it. He must’ve been asleep. But I was so scared he was passed out from the heat .

He still acts the same. I haven’t noticed any open mouth breathing. He loves food just as much.

Pics added! Mostly of his basking. I find him sprawled out most days.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Can you reduce that silver colored insulation so that heat can escape easier? I understand if it's not easily done.

 

[Liljae9263]

Can you reduce that silver colored insulation so that heat can escape easier? I understand if it's not easily done.

That’s just a tarp on the top and doors to help seal in humidity. It’s stapled into the wood frame so no, not easily removed. That’s y I was suggesting just leaving the doors open. He’s not tall enough to climb out and at least then he’ll have air flow.

 

[COmtnLady]

Do you have a door on each end? ...A way to get "flow through" ventilation? That might help.
That's a nice enclosure.

What is the humidity inside the enclosure? The substrate is kind of sparse. You might want to add a couple inches or more. Deeper helps keep the humidity steady.

Are those plastic plants? If so, it would good to get them out of the enclosure. Tortoises will bite them and plastic doesn't digest... can cause impactions, and the little sharp pieces are definitely hard on the walls of the intestines -if you are lucky enough for the bits to make their way through the whole tract.

 

[Tom]

In good ol southern fashion we were hit with a sudden heat wave and thus creating rather hot days. So I didn’t have time to gradually get used to this and figure out how to keep Frankie boy from overheating. So I’m wondering if anyone has any tips!

Honestly I think he’s enjoying the added heat and I might just be paranoid again but it’s better to be safe than sorry! I’ve heard too many stories of tortoises overheating (

So his enclosure lately has been reaching 80’s - 90’s. Basking will be 95 ish, middle is 80-85 ish. And cool side low 80’s ?? I haven’t been home during the peak of heat to really know what ground level is, but I keep an eye on mid temps while at work a they constantly have been climbing. Today it said 83 which means his basking side is probably about 90-95 ish. Which ik is where it should be at but LIKE I SAID IM BEING CAUTIOUS !!

There’s a dimmer on his ceramic set for 75 and the node is on the cool side. It’s been so hot I doubt the ceramic has even been on. The basking stays on from 7-7 and his uvb 11-3 so it spikes around then.

I’m thinking about moving his lights back up a bit as I had lowered them for winter. I’ve even been debating just leaving his doors open (he can’t climb out) just to get more circulation. It also might be good to air it out. His humidity has been at 90% the last couple of days and at night it’s 80%. I’m deciding if I should buy a fan to also be in the room as there’s none rn.

My apartment doesn’t have central heating/ac. So I leave it off until ABSOLUTELY necessary to not cause a major spike in cost. I also have to be there to manually turn it on and off. Plus the ac is at the front of the apartment and Franklin is at the back so I don’t think it would really help him. My place stays in the 70-75, in the afternoon it hits 80 (that’s when I finally cave and turn on the ac.)

I’d appreciate any tips!!!

Like I said, Franklin prob is enjoying the heat! I’m just a worry wart! . When leaving work today I checked the camera and his head was in the dirt and I got scared. Turned off his basking lamp and he started looking around for it. He must’ve been asleep. But I was so scared he was passed out from the heat .

He still acts the same. I haven’t noticed any open mouth breathing. He loves food just as much.

Pics added! Mostly of his basking. I find him sprawled out most days.


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Those temps sound great. You are letting it cool down at night, right? As long as its under 100 in the heat of the day, your tortoise is not in danger.

 

[Liljae9263]

Do you have a door on each end? ...A way to get "flow through" ventilation? That might help.
That's a nice enclosure.

What is the humidity inside the enclosure? The substrate is kind of sparse. You might want to add a couple inches or more. Deeper helps keep the humidity steady.

Are those plastic plants? If so, it would good to get them out of the enclosure. Tortoises will bite them and plastic doesn't digest... can cause impactions, and the little sharp pieces are definitely hard on the walls of the intestines -if you are lucky enough for the bits to make their way through the whole tract.

There’s 2 doors on the front side.

Humidity is 80-90% lately since it’s been so hot. And trust me there’s like 4 inches of dirt it’s just packed down to help with humidity retention. Franklin does burrow in it every so often esp when humidity dips.

And yes they r but Franklin has never even tried to nip at them. I check them frequently to be sure but I am 90% sure he understands they r fake and has no care for them. He was in a pet store for about 6 months with the same plants and never messed with them then as well. Hes a v smart boy I do hope to give him real plants one day tho! At some point they will all be swapped out !

 

[Liljae9263]

Those temps sound great. You are letting it cool down at night, right? As long as its under 100 in the heat of the day, your tortoise is not in danger.

I haven’t noticed it reach 100. And it gets to 75 most nights!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I haven’t noticed it reach 100. And it gets to 75 most nights!

Everything sounds spot on! I’d have no concerns, but if it’s makes you feel better, it certainly wouldn’t hurt having the doors open a little bit during the hotter weather if you feel it gives you peace of mind, temps would all still be in range with your set up

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

And yes they r but Franklin has never even tried to nip at them. I check them frequently to be sure but I am 90% sure he understands they r fake and has no care for them. He was in a pet store for about 6 months with the same plants and never messed with them then as well. Hes a v smart boy I do hope to give him real plants one day tho! At some point they will all be swapped out !

I always recommend avoiding plastic plants, but like you, our tortoise was raised with them, and kept with them for years before I knew her, never bothered with them.

If he was raised with them in the pet shop prior and has never shown interest, I personally wouldn’t worry too much.

If I got a brand new tortoise, I wouldn’t be putting plastic plants in with them, but I do believe when you happen to get a tortoise that was raised with them, and that wasn’t in your control, you kind of luck out in a way, some really do understand the plastic ones not being food, whilst I get the notion of never wanting that risk there, I too have zero concerns with ours ever attempting to eat hers, she couldn’t be less bothered, and it’s been that way for over 15 years.

Again absolutely not advocating plastic plants, I always tell be people to stay clear where possible, but, and I may get a little flack for thisI do on occasion believe there’s the odd exception, some are genuinely really smart when it comes to knowing the difference, the plants kind of become no different to other unavoidable items in the enclosure like probes, leads, monitors etc, the tortoise will forever treat them the same.

@mojo_1 is the same.

For anyone reading this, if you have the chance, I don’t recommend raising them with plastic plants, me and the author lucked out that our babies didn’t try to eat them whilst not under our care, the risk of causing a lethal blockage as a young curious tortoise, isn’t worth the potential perk of using faux plants as decor in the future, just my opinion

 

[mojo_1]

I too agree, use tortoise safe plants and stay away from plastic plants. I kept a constant eye on Mojo after introducing the plastic plants. He did try to eat them but being so small he wasn't able to bite through them and he eventually gave up. Keep in mind I made these decisions before finding the tortoise forum. So please future tortoise owners use real plants and stay clear of the plastic plants.

 

[TammyJ]

I see absolutely no point in using plastic plants in any tortoise enclosure.
Really, what's the benefit apart from:
1). Shade and cover for the tortoise, which it can get with any variety of other less potentially harmful things, and
2) Owner convenience and aesthetics.

 

[TammyJ]

I see absolutely no point in using plastic plants in any tortoise enclosure.
Really, what's the benefit apart from:
1). Shade and cover for the tortoise, which it can get with any variety of other less potentially harmful things, and
2) Owner convenience and aesthetics.

That's more than a little flack, Tammy.
Have a heart.