Extremely hot weather is expected in Las Vegas this last weekend in June. Be on the lookout for signs of overheating or stress in your tortoise. If it’s running to find shade, sitting out in the hot hot sun, or if you see foaming at the mouth, take action. Cool your tortoise by hosing it down with cool water (be careful of the hot water in the hose). Bring it inside until the temperature cools in the evening.
If you have a good burrow, there’s no need to worry. You might want to check the temperature in the burrow just for curiosity’s sake. It should be about 10 degrees less than the outside temperature. However, if you have only temporary shelter for your tortoise, bring it in during the hot part of the day. Temporary shelter is less than 3 feet long with less than 1 foot of soil on top of the far end of the burrow.
If your tortoise has not been in the house before, you may be surprised by the trouble it gets into. Electrical cords wrap around the gular horn, and all kinds of things are to be found around the edges of the rooms where they like to walk. However, the temperature cools their activity level and they usually find a dark corner to sleep in or under a bed. Also, you could put it in a laundry room or bathroom and shut the door. This is just an emergency or cautionary measure for a short time.
Check your yard for any place the tortoise could get stuck such as under the BBQ, toys, lawn mower, and so on. It would quickly overheat and die in the hot weather.
And stay cool yourself!
