Re: Sulcata - night time temps

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Posted by EJ on January 10, 2001 at 20:38:33:

In Reply to: Sulcata - night time temps posted by JamesMM on January 10, 2001 at 13:48:40:

If a sulcata is anything like a desert tortoise (which I think it is) a hatchling can dig a burrow 8 feet long and about 5 feet into the ground. figure the hole is about 2 inches wide and about 1 to 2 inches high. Not much exchange of air at that depth. I'll bet it is well over 60 at night in the burrow. This is one thing I like to stress with sulcatas is to keep them warm.
Ed

: I was surfing the internet a bit and saw that night time temps in the Sahara drop regularly to 60 degrees. Does anyone allow their Sulcata babies to experience chilly night time temps? I read over and over that the babies need warmth during the night. It would seem they'd be extinct in the wild if this were the case. Dead baby Sulcata's all over the desert. And actually, the desert goes over 100 degrees during the daytime. I read a lot that their temps should be around 80 - 90 degrees. If anyone has any further info on the Sulcata's natural day/night temps it would be greatly appreciated if you shared it. My babies night temps drop down to 74 currently and he is under a heat lamp a lot during the day that reads 110 on the thermometer under it. (By choice, he can move if he wants to)

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: If a sulcata is anything like a desert tortoise (which I think it is) a hatchling can dig a burrow 8 feet long and about 5 feet into the ground. figure the hole is about 2 inches wide and about 1 to 2 inches high. Not much exchange of air at that depth. I'll bet it is well over 60 at night in the burrow. This is one thing I like to stress with sulcatas is to keep them warm. : Ed : : I was surfing the internet a bit and saw that night time temps in the Sahara drop regularly to 60 degrees. Does anyone allow their Sulcata babies to experience chilly night time temps? I read over and over that the babies need warmth during the night. It would seem they'd be extinct in the wild if this were the case. Dead baby Sulcata's all over the desert. And actually, the desert goes over 100 degrees during the daytime. I read a lot that their temps should be around 80 - 90 degrees. If anyone has any further info on the Sulcata's natural day/night temps it would be greatly appreciated if you shared it. My babies night temps drop down to 74 currently and he is under a heat lamp a lot during the day that reads 110 on the thermometer under it. (By choice, he can move if he wants to)

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