Outdoor hide temperature

[Ramaah]

Hi everyone. My name is Ramaah and I live in sunny AZ. I am preparing an outdoor enclosure for my first Russian Tortoise which I hope to be purchasing within the next month or so. I have built a cinder block hide/shelter much like the other ones seen on the forum. The temperature inside the hide stays around 84 degrees even though it is 108 degrees out. Is 84 degrees cool enough? Thanks for your input. Anxiously waiting for responses.

 

[Yvonne G]

With russians, cooler is always better, however, 84F is not life threatening. And if you leave the floor dirt, the tortoise will dig down and be able to get even cooler.

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome to TFO!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Ramaah welcome to the TFO from Phx. AZ . Your Russians will do great here .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[Ramaah]

Thank you for the warm welcome.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Your very welcome !


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[johnsonnboswell]

If you wet down the Cinderblocks, it will cool off. You can do that when it's extremely hot.

 

[lynnedit]

And plant a heat tolerant shrub near it so it shades the hide during the hot part of the day. Or a small tree on the sunny side.
A beach umbrella over the hide in the direction of noonday sun will help until the shrub/tree grows.

If you are monitoring temps with a thermometer and wire probe, stick the probe down into the soil, say 3-4". I bet it will be cooler there.

 

[Ramaah]

Thank you for the suggestions. I placed the probe deeper into the soil and it read 76 degrees. Much better temp for my future tort and my peace of mind Now I need to research some safe shrubs to plant. Thank you all.

 

[pam]

Welcome Russians are awesome

 

[Ramaah]

Thank you Pam. Those are my thoughts exactly.

 

[kanalomele]

Welcome to TFO.Russians are one f my favorite species.