Warm side of Sulcata closed chamber got up to 95F

[kjr153]

Today while I was gone the warm side of the closed chamber got up to 95F. I think this is too high? I guess if the Sulcata got too hot he/she would move to the cooler side. It was sleeping on the warm side. Yes, it is alive. Is there anything I need to be worried about? Age is about 20 months.

 

[mainey34]

You are right, he would have moved to the cooler side. The only thing i would do is give a soak. To ensure there is no dehydration.

 

[Tom]

Totally fine. Even if the ambient climbs to 95, he'll still be okay. It is hot over there in Africa. Really hot. Every day. No one knows for sure, but everything I have seen to date suggests to me that babies stay above ground for at least their first few months. Now they are hidden in thick underbrush and have deep shade, but the daily high is usually 100+ above ground.

The largest producer of sulcatas in the world has his baby warehouse swamp cooler set to come on at an ambient of 96 degrees. It gets that hot nearly every day, AND they still have basking lamps. He never lets it get cooler than 80.

 

[kjr153]

Thanks guys! I felt horrible when I saw that high of a temperature. Guess the tort was enjoying it though.

 

[Tom]

If your tortoise was on the warm side, then it might have just wanted to be that warm. I think sometimes they just "endure" the heat and wait for it to cool off. My tortoises seem to like to warm up to the mid 90s and then just contentedly relax and digest all that food they eat. Lately all my outdoor tortoises don't even come out of their boxes in the morning. They just stay in all day and come out to forage around 5 pm. If I put food out in the morning, it just sits there and wilts all day.