too hot?

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Here in Nebraska, it hasn't steadily rained in well over 2-3 weeks (I can't even remember the last time it rained, to be honest) and the temperatures are up in the mid 90s to low 100s every day. By 10am every day it's already in the low 90s.

That being said, it's kind of hard for me to leave my baby tortoise outside for hours when I can't even stand being out there for five minutes. Where his baby pool is at, he always has at least half shade and half sunlight, but even in the shade, when I stick my hand in the substrate (organic gardening soil) it feels like it's baking. I usually go out every hour to check on him, dig him up from his hiding spot just to make sure he's not overheated, and I'll mist down the enclosure really well (I also have to refill the water dish since it evaporates so fast).

I'd hate to make Carl stay inside all day, he really loves being outdoors. He eats three times more, does his daily walk through of the enclosure to find all the nice little plants I've fake planted in there (for the sole purpose of him completely demolishing them in five minutes) and just adores digging his own sleeping spot in the sun. It's even gotten the point where he won't eat if I leave him in his indoor enclosure. But I'd hate to cause any permanent damage to his health and well being from leaving him outside in this dry heat, too.

What a dilemma!

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

He should be fine. I live AZ and its been getting over 110 regularly and mine are fine outside 24/7 in the summer. How deep is your substrate? Do you know the temp on the shade side?

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Me and Elliott are in the same boat... AZ temps are ridiculously hot. With that said if they have a shaded area to cool down they should be fine. In any tortoise enclosure I like to have a cool end and a hot end that way there's no worry.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I only keep the substrate a half an inch thick, because I have panic attacks when I can't find him I am not sure how else to be certain that I can find him in there to bring him in when I need to. I may try making it a bit deeper and then adding a thin layer of cypress mulch over the top, that really helps me find him since it's pretty obvious where he's been digging in the mulch. He does have a hide that is always in the shade and has more like two or three inches of dirt in it, but he rarely goes in there. I haven't measured the temps in a while, I need to do that, but he always insists on digging a hole in a sunny spot, anyways.

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Me and Elliott are in the same boat... AZ temps are ridiculously hot. With that said if they have a shaded area to cool down they should be fine. In any tortoise enclosure I like to have a cool end and a hot end that way there's no worry.

I actually have it set up in a dog kennel that we rarely use that has a roof, but I put it in the far right corner, so as the sun moves through out the day, different spots are shaded, but the very middle always stays pretty shady.

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He's also a Hermann's tortoise hatchling, I guess I forgot to mention that. Not quite as equipped to deal with extreme heat as sulcatas and leopards, I would think.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

That sounds good. Just make sure the dog kennel is kept in the shade because if its not, even though it creates shade, it will just act as an oven. I unfortunately baked a tortoise this way many years ago... Lesson learned.

 

[wellington]

Those hot temps are though out most of the country. Chicago Illinois, very hot and humid. 100+ temps, until this week. We are finally getting into the 80's for a great change. However, my leopard who us 16 months has been outside every day. He has lots of shade, does not have too high of sides on his enclosure and I spray his area a couple times a day. He also has a little pond to go into, plus a water dish. However, if you are that worried, put him out for a couple hours a day, then bring him in.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

I keep all of my hermanns on soil thats at least 5 inches thick in every part of their cage. They all dig down no matter what type of hide I put in their enclosure. They like to burrow under those big wooden logs you can get at petsmart or petco. I soak their entire enclosure 3-4 times a day to keep it from getting bone dry and to cool it down. My care for my hermanns is the same as my leopards and sulcatas outside except for the fact that my leopards and sulcatas just go in their hides. I understand about your situation with your baby and not wanting to lose him in that thick of substrate but I would try to make it at least an inch or two more thicker.

 

[EKLC]

The only way I can keep the temps down is by having a hide, with shade over the hide. It's still 85+ down there