Possibly too Hot In Patio Enclosure

Status
Not open for further replies.

Blastoise

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
137
I have an outdoor patio on which I have an outdoor tortoise enclosure. Its basically a 6x2 foot box, which has about six to eight inches of dirt in it and Russian tortoise mix weeds growing in most of it. There is a ten inch water dish that always has an inch of water in it. I have two wooden boxes for hides, one on each side. The boxes are wooden wine cases, and are made of thin wood. The entire enclosure is on bricks that keep it about two inches off the patio floor, which is carpeted with dark green outdoor carpet. The carpet gets pretty hot in the sun, that's one of the reasons I raised the enclosure off of the patio floor.

So its basically just a big outdoor planter set up for a 5 inch Russian tortoise on a second floor balcony. For four or five hours the entire enclosure gets full sun, with the wooden boxes an escape from direct sunlight, but I'm worried that the whole enclosure will get too hot this week when we will be having 90 days.

Does anyone have any ideas for making a hide that will stay cooler than a wooden box with very thin walls? Is my tortoise in danger of dying if he can't escape the heat? I have a nice indoor enclosure but I only have been bringing him in when its really gonna rain hard since its been warm.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
If they can't cool down they will die quickly,it is a bad way to go, (personal experience lost a box turtle few years back to overheating). The best way is to get a temp gun ad check out the temps throughout the day, a buried hide will keep cooler than a regular box.
 

EKLC

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
605
No tortoise owner should be without a temp gun
 

Eweezyfosheezy

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
2,365
Location (City and/or State)
Peoria, Arizona
I would probably shade half of the enclosure with some type of cloth so that it is shaded 24/7 and that would definitely keep it cooler.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
I too would add some form of permanent shade if you think the area does not allow for cool off...or the hide is not sufficient to block sun and get cool enough inside...maybe toss a thermometer into the hide and go out and check what the temps are in there when it is baking outside...
 

Terry Allan Hall

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
4,009
Location (City and/or State)
The Republic O' Tejas
Have you considered making one of the hide-boxes out of flat stone? If gets pretty hot here in The Republic, but my torts always have a cool spot to beat the heat.

ea72e7f6-7d4e-4b94-a598-479159d1a204

Lowes, Home Depot and other hardware/garden stores sell them, or you can look around your nearest creek or road construction site for free.
 

Blastoise

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
137
Thanks guys! I'm gonna try the stone hide and get a thermometer out there and check the temps to make sure I don't end up with a cooked tortoise before I put him back out there during this heat wave.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
You can bury your existing hides. You can add some large potted plants next to the enclosure and place them for optimal shade. If you put the box back on the ground, it might actually keep it cooler since the hot air won't be able to circulate under it. Shad ecloth overhead is a good idea too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top