Sprinking the shell?

[DAC8671]

Does it do any good to sprinkle the shell of a sully? It's been awful hot here in San Diego the last few days (about 97 at my house). I've watered Ralph down, and for a few minutes he does the little butt wiggle then moves on.

Is it really doing him any good? Or am I just pissing him off?

Today he didn't even come out of his dogloo. I had to lift him out. He just sat at the door. I have a patio umbrella standing over the dogloo so the direct sun isn't beating down on it during the day. I even tried putting a few hibiscus flowers outside his door....he didn't budge. But when I picked him up and placed him outside the dogloo, he gobbled them up along with some spring mix.

He's not been digging. I am going to Lowe's this weekend to get a bigger tub for him to soak in. He grew out of all the things we used to use. He's not been soaked in quite a while, but it's not been this hot, either. He's 5yrs in Oct.

 

[Yvonne G]

They don't seem to like it when WE do it, however give them a mud wallow and just watch them throw that water/mud up onto their backs!

Yvonne

 

[dmmj]

Look at it from his perspective here is this carzy person getting me wet again when I don't want to, lol.

 

[Isa]

Look at it from his perspective here is this carzy person getting me wet again when I don't want to, lol.

lol Very funny

 

[aktech23]

is that hotter then normal?

when it's 115 ish i won't see my sully. 110 and under and he's out.
he knows when the sprinklers will go on and is waiting for them twice a day. it's neat.

 

[Crazy1]

I know with my torts (not sullys) when it is really hot like it has been 110+ they stay dug in an in the shade. But if I turn the sprinklers on out they run to romp in them and wallow in the mud. I try and set it up so only 1/2 of their encosure gets sprinkled so if they turly want to get out of the water and sprinkles they can.

 

[tortoisenerd]

If you aren't soaking him, what water does he have access to, and does she use it? I think the mud hole is a great idea to hydrate and cool down, as are sprinklers. If it's a health/safety matter where you think he needs the water, then by all means do it. But I agree that they generally don't like it. With my little tort if I think he needs water, I'll place fresh warm water in the dish in his enclosure and he can then get out when he chooses. Many times he'll stay in there 5 minutes on his own, other times he'll get out. I think as long as there are good opportunities which you ensure they take for water, the "force" soakings may not be quite so necessary. Also try wetting down the greens to get him some extra water.

 

[DAC8671]

I let the sprinkler go today for about an hour. For the majority of that time, he was sitting under it just loving getting wet. He even saw me and didn't move (which normally he comes running to me since he knows either I have food or will let him out of his enclosure). I then also let the water run in a portion of the enclosure to make it nice and muddy. He was so funny. He waddled through the mud, trying to throw it on his back. Then he would sit at the hose and have the water shoot out just below his head, onto his neck.

I'm just worried about him getting dehydrated in these extreme high temps. He's not used to it.

He does have a water dish in his enclosure that I make sure is full at all times. It's a flower pot plate. Then out in the yard, outisde his enclosure, I have a rubbermaid lid filled with water. It's about an inch deep. When I let him out, I put him there first so he knows where it is, even though I never move it.

I got a new rubbermaid tub today. My husband is going to cut it down and sand the edges. It's going to be his new water dish. I had to get one big enough for him to sit in, if he chooses. The flower pot plate is getting a bit small for him and it's not very deep.

He also got his once a month fruit....canteloupe. He scarfed that down in two seconds.

I should have taken some pictures, but it was too hot and I was melting.

Thanks for all the info!!

 

[Crazy1]

Debbie glad to hear Ralph enjoyed the sprinklers and mud puddle I'm not sure what your temps are suppose to be for the next few days but here they are suppose to be between 110F & 100F. I make sure their is a wet muddy spot each day and every otherday I set up the sprinklers. Seems to be working. But in this extream heat I do keep a close watch on all of them for signs of too much heat like open mouth breathng etc.

 

[spring pace]

my sulcata galileo loves the sprinkler and only warm soaks, hes too big for a tub now, so i made him a mud wallow and he uses it when it gets too hot out, he stays "inside" when it gets too hot and just waits for the temps to change after the heat of the day, its the same thing every day, eats/grazes in the am and takes a 2-3 hour siesta then back to grazing and mooching for dandelions at the end of the day. we live in the malibu mtns, gets pretty hot on this hilltop overlooking the ocean. in my opinion, the butt wiggle says hes liking the water and even tho he may walk away, he doesnt mind the sprinkler following him around.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob loves it when I spray him and he closes his eyes and holds his head out really high. I take the hose and put it up inside the back of his shell trying to wash out all the icky stuff and he doesn't care too much for that, but he loves water in his face.

---

I forgot to say that is does cool them off and lower their body temps...

 

[DAC8671]

Thanks for the suggestion of the mud. I've been letting the hose stay on and Ralph LOVES it. He will sit in it for hours, just throwing the mud up on his sides. Then he goes to the hose and puts his face in it. He will stay in the muddy water all day, until he sees me come out with food. He doesn't even look as happy when I let him out of his enclosure. I think he likes the mud better.

Thanks again!!