Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have tortoises in a hot place like arizona. We live in phoenix which reaches over 100 easily. I have one Indian star, 2 Sri Lankan stars, and 2 leopards. They are all outside. When they start getting too hot they start foaming at the mouth. They will go sit in the shade but they don't seem smart enough to go to thier water and soak or even drink. I have to manually move every tortoise to their water to keep them from getting over heated. Also I soak them 3 times a week.

Does anyone else have to do this? What do you do for the hot weather? Also how do you get them to like eating grass or hay. None of mine will eat it. They will eat weeds and veggies and different kinds of lettuce and cactus.

Thanks,
Pauline

Pauline,
I also live in Phoenix. I have a Greek Tortoise that I want to move outside full time this year. I am also concerned about the high temperatures. I don't have an answer for you, but I wanted to let you know I can sympathize with your plight. I was hoping that with plenty of shade and water, that my tortoise would be okay outside. Now, I'm beginning to worry again!

Good luck with your guys.

Kate

We don't have as many days over 100 as you guys do (in NC) but on
the days that it is - I bring my sulcata inside during the noon-4
hours and he sleeps on the cool linoleum bathroom floor.
I think that if their body temp gets over 103 and they can't
get it down they start getting brain damage. I have two tarps
that I use for full shade and water available for soaking but
in extreme heat I still bring him in, about 10 days a year here.
I remember reading someone in AZ brought their torts in also
because of the heat. In the wild they have deep burrows that are
cooler to spend the worst of the day in, which they just don't
seem to dig here?????

There goes my plan to move Spartacus outside permanently! : ( I guess I'll have to keep an indoor enclosure set up. Thanks for the advice, Niki.

Kate