General Care Discussion :: My apartment is hot! And so is my turtle!

[ladyturtle]

Hey everyone,
I've been a little worried about my turtle since my un-airconditioned apartment is getting quite warm. Her water temps have been up in the mid-80s on the hottest days. Any advice? How long do you think it would take to make her sick like this?

[papoopeepoo]

I would not worry about water temps unless they hit 90. If they do, freeze some water jugs full of water and put them in the tank. This may not be very effective on a larger tank, but it has worked to maintain temps below 90 in my 135-gallon.

[Marcus.85]

Why don't you buy a second-hand compact/portable air conditioner like i did. You can find cheap ones (60 to 100 bucks) online.
I turn it on from time to time, it helps avoiding excedeeingly high temperatures plus it's really comfy for me.

[mikee]

Lady-T If you go the frozen bottle route be careful not to have the temp go up and down too fast. I am very careful about having my turtles at a constant temp. My tank is about 77 degrees, my feeding tank is 77 degrees and when I brush off their carapace I use water at 77 degrees. Spoiled, yes: healthy yes.

[steve]

Anyway to keep your apartment cooler, like blocking out sunlight and keeping warm air out?

[chelonian]

I wouldn't worry about it if 85 is as high as your water temps ever get. At this water temp, does your turtle still spend a good amount of time basking everyday? How hot does your basking area get?

[marisa]

I do partial water changes to bring down the temp a bit when it gets really warm. I've also found that a fan that keeps the warm air circulating (but is not blowing directly on the turtle but rather over him) will help with the temp, or at least make it more comfortable. Warm air that's moving doesn't seem as warm as if there were no circulation.

If you use AC don't make it really cold and don't put the tank directly in front of any vents or drafts.