High Temperatures and Tortoises
- tortoisetrust
- Jun 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 25
There is a lot of concern (and misinformation) about how tortoises handle potentially dangerous high temperatures in the wild. No-one comes to hose them down or soak them! It can be weeks and even months between rains. So how do they really do it? By the careful and clever use of behaviours designed not only to gain heat when required (basking) but also by other behaviours that are highly effective at losing heat when necessary. This can involve shallow scrapes, as used by Mediterranean Testudo species, but also by the use of burrows as see in Centrochelys sulcata (African Spurred tortoise) from sub-saharan Africa or by Testudo horsfieldii from Central Asia. Both burrows and scrapes are highly effective at regulating critical core temperatures and they also play a major role in reducing vital body fluid loss via respiration or transpiration via the skin. Essentials to survival in these incredibly harsh environments.
It is critically important to stress that tortoises that are thermally isolated from the ground, whether in raised tables, raised beds, or even on slabs, are at much higher risk of fatally overheating than tortoises kept on the natural surface of the soil where they can dig down as deeply as they need to. Shaded areas and direct contact with the ground where burrowing is possible should be available at all times.
Although the general practice of pet keepers is to provide regular "soaks" in hot weather, it should be noted that a) Wild tortoises certainly do not receive this and b) There is evidence that excessive soaking can disrupt the sensitive slow microbial digestive process of typical arid habitat species by increasing gut motility and by accelerating the digestive tract pass through rate. This is a topic we will cover in greater detail in a future article. In our opinion, providing adequate shade and the option to burrow down in hot weather is of far greater importance. Even with regular soaks tortoises can fatally overheat very quickly, whereas in suitable enclosures with adequate shade and burrowing options this is highly, highly unlikely.
To be absolutely clear, we are not suggesting that you should entirely deprive pet tortoises of access to drinking water or a soaking dish that they can access on a voluntary basis, but we are saying that some keepers take this to extremes with 'forced' daily soaking. We have even seen recommendations multiple forced soaks a day. This is certainly not necessary and may be counterproductive.
As always, study the environments that they come from, and try to understand their highly specialised physiology and biology. They have very capable coping mechanisms "built in" and when we begin to believe that we can "do better" we often end up by getting it completely wrong and making things worse. "More is not always better" and "moderation in all things" are very old sayings, but they survive because in so many cases they have proven to be good guides by which to operate!
Our recommendation is clear. Provide voluntary access to fresh drinking water and a shallow soaking tray that can be used on a voluntary basis, but avoid the urge to force them into this.
A further consideration is that many species have two distinct "rest periods" per year when they cease almost all activity and eat little or nothing (brumation over winter, aestivation over summer). These periods of inactivity have very important positive impacts upon growth and health. See "Unnaturally High Growth rates in Tortoises: Causes and Consequences" for more on this. If we force tortoises that naturally brumate or aestivate to remain constantly active and feeding this invariably has such consequences.
For an explanation of what aestivation is, and how tortoises do it, see this informative video from the Tortoise Trust:
We also have some background reading for you on the facts of dehydration in tortoises that might bring this into focus: "Hydration and Your Tortoise".
Please also note that the Tortoise Trust is an 'AI' free zone. We do not use 'ai' to produce articles, videos or images under any circumstances. We do it the old-fashioned way. Late nights, early mornings and lots of cups of tea!
