Soaks During Extremely Hot Weather

[Gillian M]

How many times a day (i.e: 24 hours) is a tort to be soaked, when the weather is hot, really hot? For example, today, temperature reached 37 degrees C during the day, whilst at night it is expected to drop to 27 deg C which is still rather high.

I have read that one has to soak his/her tort very many times in such cases, so as to avoid dehydration. This, I personally have to always keep in mind: climate is extremely dry here. But, wouldn't too many soaks harm the poor thing?

Your help and suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[wellington]

Provide lots of shade and spray the yard with a hose. You will cool his area and add some humidity. I put a sprinkler on for the day on the really hot days. I make sure it gets part of their area, so they can go into it if they want. Always provide water too drink. Once a day soaking would be enough in my opinion, remember, most torts are from very hot areas. I never worry about really hot days doing what I do stated above.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Are you asking for Oli (who is indoors) or more in the abstract for a tortoise that lives outside?

 

[Gillian M]

Provide lots of shade and spray the yard with a hose. You will cool his area and add some humidity. I put a sprinkler on for the day on the really hot days. I make sure it gets part of their area, so they can go into it if they want. Always provide water too drink. Once a day soaking would be enough in my opinion, remember, most torts are from very hot areas. I never worry about really hot days doing what I do stated above.

Thanks v much indeed your prompt reply as well as your help.

I live in a flat, however when it's as hot as it was today, I spray Oli's enclosure with water, and drinking water is always available, so is the shade. I thought the same way you do: torts 'come from' very hot areas and are used to such high temps. But sometimes reading two different ideas/conflicting info confuses the reader, who is in search of help. (please do not take the last statement personal).

Thanks again your help.

 

[Gillian M]

Are you asking for Oli (who is indoors) or more in the abstract for a tortoise that lives outside?

Thanks your quick reply.

Oli who's indoors.

 

[Keith D.]

Thanks your quick reply.

Oli who's indoors.

Hiya Gillian, if your keeping him indoors then I would soak him like you normally do, but like you said if it's really hot and dry outside is your inside hot and dry to? If so soak him daily but if he is still young and using a closed chamber and your house is air conditioned then I would continue his normal routine.

 

[dmmj]

is the water warm or cold?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Thanks your quick reply.

Oli who's indoors.

Unless your house is hotter and dryer than usual, I'm not sure why you'd change the soaking regime. Likely once a day is all you need. What is the relative humidity inside your flat? Is the air quite drying indoors too? Do you keep track of temperature and humidity indoors?

 

[DawnH]

The thing about shade is, just shade is not enough. You want DEEP shade. Tuleo's hide in his oasis has three forms of shade over it. The entire oasis is covered in shade cloth when it is over 90 (1st shade) then a planting table is in the middle (2nd shade) and then his underground hide is under the planting table (3rd shade.) I water deeply in the morning, make sure he has multiple water sources and it if it is over 90 he has a mister on one end he can frolic in. I also soak him every night when it has been over 90 and every other day in the 80's. I have even tossed ice cube in his hide on our brutal days (they melt over time and keep it cooler as well.) A temp gun is gonna be your friend!! That way you can see the actual numbers where he is. A friend drapes a cool, wet towel over his guy as well.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Dawn's point about deep shade is a good one, but I don't think in this context - of Oli livings indoors - shade is an issue.

 

[DawnH]

Thanks v much indeed your prompt reply as well as your help.

I live in a flat, however when it's as hot as it was today, I spray Oli's enclosure with water, and drinking water is always available, so is the shade. I thought the same way you do: torts 'come from' very hot areas and are used to such high temps. But sometimes reading two different ideas/conflicting info confuses the reader, who is in search of help. (please do not take the last statement personal).

Thanks again your help.

Def. check your shade and the spraying his enclosure will help as well! The conflicting info is enough to drive anyone batty!

 

[DawnH]

Def. check your shade levels and the spraying his enclosure will help as well! The conflicting info is enough to drive anyone batty!

 

[DawnH]

Opps! I hiccupped. Sorry for the double!

 

[Gillian M]

Hiya Gillian, if your keeping him indoors then I would soak him like you normally do, but like you said if it's really hot and dry outside is your inside hot and dry to? If so soak him daily but if he is still young and using a closed chamber and your house is air conditioned then I would continue his normal routine.

Hi and thanks your advice.

Yes even the flat is hot and dry, but shade is available. (And during Winter it's dry ad very cold). Oli is an adult. My flat is air conditioned , but....I don't use the A/Cs: I LOVE HOT WEATHER (like torts do)!!

 

[Gillian M]

Def. check your shade and the spraying his enclosure will help as well! The conflicting info is enough to drive anyone batty!

Hi there! Many thanks your message.OH....you bet that conflicting info drove me nuts!

 

[Gillian M]

Opps! I hiccupped. Sorry for the double!

Don't worry.

 

[Gillian M]

The thing about shade is, just shade is not enough. You want DEEP shade. Tuleo's hide in his oasis has three forms of shade over it. The entire oasis is covered in shade cloth when it is over 90 (1st shade) then a planting table is in the middle (2nd shade) and then his underground hide is under the planting table (3rd shade.) I water deeply in the morning, make sure he has multiple water sources and it if it is over 90 he has a mister on one end he can frolic in. I also soak him every night when it has been over 90 and every other day in the 80's. I have even tossed ice cube in his hide on our brutal days (they melt over time and keep it cooler as well.) A temp gun is gonna be your friend!! That way you can see the actual numbers where he is. A friend drapes a cool, wet towel over his guy as well.

Shade is more than enough in this flat I can assure you.The funny thing is that Oli races to the.....SUN! And when I touch his shell, I find it BOILING HOT. He really is one of a kind. ('Weirdoh', as Adam called him). When this happens I immediately move him to the shade/soak him.

Thanks your help, appreciate it.

 

[Gillian M]

Unless your house is hotter and dryer than usual, I'm not sure why you'd change the soaking regime. Likely once a day is all you need. What is the relative humidity inside your flat? Is the air quite drying indoors too? Do you keep track of temperature and humidity indoors?

For some reason I believe Oli needs more than one soak a day.

Sorry can't tell you anything as far as humidity is concerned, but even flats are v dry: it's a DRY climate altogether. I'm afraid I cannot even tell what temp is in Oli's enclosure.

 

[Gillian M]

is the water warm or cold?

Warm.

 

[DawnH]

Shade is more than enough in this flat I can assure you.The funny thing is that Oli races to the.....SUN! And when I touch his shell, I find it BOILING HOT. He really is one of a kind. ('Weirdoh', as Adam called him). When this happens I immediately move him to the shade/soak him.

Thanks your help, appreciate it.

Of course! Tuleo does this same thing and it drives me batty. He reminds me of a cat baking in a hot sun stream. If he has good shade, a good water source and he is his normal active self then I would just do 1 soak at night when its really hot. I've seen Tuleo just baking in the sun some days and under his favorite plant others. I think they like to keep us on our toes!