Tortoise basking

[macyfidlerr]

Is it unhealthy that my tortoise sits under his basking bulb all day? It is 95-100 degrees F. I will go somewhere and when I come back he is always under his bulb. His shell is warm so I can tell he has sat under it for hours. This is everyday occurrence. Is this okay or not? He just sits under it and sometimes falls asleep under it. It is like his comfort place. He will walk around his cage but spends most of the day under the bulb and I feel he may get too hot at times. Tia

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

How warm is it in the rest of his enclosure? If it's too cold elsewhere, it could be why he is favouring the light. Does he move out of the basking spot to feed himself? What about shelter seeking at night?

 

[dmmj]

its not normal to spend all day under the light. what is the overall temperature?

 

[Jodie]

My leopard did this after her surgery, during recovery. I upped all of her temps to help her stay warmer. Is your tortoise sick?

 

[macyfidlerr]

How warm is it in the rest of his enclosure? If it's too cold elsewhere, it could be why he is favouring the light. Does he move out of the basking spot to feed himself? What about shelter seeking at night?

Temps in the rest of the enclosure stay about 71-74 F.
Maybe that could be why. Yes he walks around and eats and at night he goes to his log hide on the opposite side!

 

[macyfidlerr]

its not normal to spend all day under the light. what is the overall temperature?

Outside of basking it stays about 71-74 F.

 

[macyfidlerr]

My leopard did this after her surgery, during recovery. I upped all of her temps to help her stay warmer. Is your tortoise sick?

Oh!! He doesn't seem sick!! He is very active. He just goes straight for that light. Maybe my temps are too low

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Temps in the rest of the enclosure stay about 71-74 F.
Maybe that could be why. Yes he walks around and eats and at night he goes to his log hide on the opposite side!

That's quite cool for daytime temperatures. What species do you have? Depending on species, you'll need to bump that at least 5 degrees.

 

[dmmj]

Outside of basking it stays about 71-74 F.

it's too cold probably I would go for 80 degrees all around temperature

 

[macyfidlerr]

it's too cold probably I would go for 80 degrees all around temperature

Thanks!!! His cage is right by an air unit and sits on the ground. I'll try to work on it.

 

[dmmj]

Thanks!!! His cage is right by an air unit and sits on the ground. I'll try to work on it.

That's a bad spot. Can it be moved?

 

[macyfidlerr]

That's a bad spot. Can it be moved?

Excitingly I'm getting a tortoise table made for him that'll be ready next week and moved!! So yes! Hopefully it makes a difference in his behavior