Summer heat

[NeldaB]

I have a 2.5 yr and a 4.75 yr old Eastern Hermanns tortoises. They are separated and are outside during the day as weather permits. We live in East Tennessee where humidity is high. Today the high is 95, feels like 98 and the humidity is 54%.

I went out at noon to check on them and the temperature gun says the ground even under planes is 106. They have shades, lots of plants but it just seems way too hot. So I brought them into their indoor enclosures with heat and UVB.

So am I being overprotective?

 

[mark1]

depends on your outdoor enclosure, if they have what they need......... imo, having what they need, the weather in tennesee should never be a worry...... i believe doubled1996! is in tennesse
it's 98F air temp here right now,

 

[Tom]

I have a 2.5 yr and a 4.75 yr old Eastern Hermanns tortoises. They are separated and are outside during the day as weather permits. We live in East Tennessee where humidity is high. Today the high is 95, feels like 98 and the humidity is 54%.

I went out at noon to check on them and the temperature gun says the ground even under planes is 106. They have shades, lots of plants but it just seems way too hot. So I brought them into their indoor enclosures with heat and UVB.

So am I being overprotective?

If they have suitable shade, they should be fine outside. It gets hot where they come from in summer too. Put a digital thermometer in the shady areas where they are hiding out and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how cool it is there. If your thermometer reveals that it is too hot, add shade cloth, a large umbrella, or whatever suits you to create more and deeper shade. Anything under 100 is not too hot in my opinion based on what I have seen over the decades, AS LONG AS there is heavy deep shade and a way to get cooler.

You can also run sprinklers or misters in this weather to add humidity and cool the temps through evaporation.

I know people who keep your species outdoors full time in very hot area like Phoenix AZ and the CA desert here. Temps regularly get over 110 in summer, and their animals survive and breed for them.

Having said all of that, there is also no reason why you can't bring them inside into their indoor enclosures whenever you feel like it. I do this with some of my animals in hot or cold weather extremes.