# Hot/humid side and cool/dry side?



## mattgrizzlybear (Nov 6, 2012)

I read that you should have a range of temps in your enclosure. Is this right because I have two sides. A cool/dry side and a hot/humid side. Are these correct, I was just a little confused. Thanks!


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## coreyc (Nov 6, 2012)

What are your temp's in both areas ?


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## StephanieWrong (Nov 20, 2012)

What species do you keep? For my hatchling Sri Lankan Star I keep her in a 2'x2' open top habitat with a sloped substrate. At the higher end of the tank I have the basking light & UVB, along with a moist warm hide. The hide is a small tupperware that I cut a door in, then wrapped the tupperware in outdoor duct tape (it isn't damaged by UVB). This keeps it nice, dark and moist. The basking spot is around 94-95, and the ambient temps are around 81-84. In the lower end of the enclosure I have her cool dry hide. It is a piece of drift wood that's buried in the substrate with a dull shard of pottery over it to create a cave. Keeping this hide buried in the ground (like a burrow) keeps the temps consistently around 76-78 and it doesn't take up any room in her enclosure- she can walk on top, around and inside of it!


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## mattgrizzlybear (Nov 20, 2012)

Thanks! This is just when I change my torts enclosure. I have a humidity prob. Thanks!


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## furandscales (Nov 20, 2012)

The cool end should be 60-75 degrees. The warm side should be 80-100.


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## Tom (Nov 20, 2012)

furandscales said:


> The cool end should be 60-75 degrees. The warm side should be 80-100.



The answer to the original question depends on species and age. These temps would likely kill a hatchling sulcata or leopard.

Matt, the only tortoise I see in your signature is a redfoot. The experienced redfoot keepers here should give you specifics, but from what I have read most of them have less of a gradient and more overall warm temps than some other species. Another key problem that I have observed on other people's posts, is shell rot. It seems many people with open topped enclosures need to add a lot of water to try and maintain adequate humidity, and the excessive wetness contributes to shell rot in this species.

Just sharing what I have read here. Look to a more experienced redfoot keeper for more specific advice.


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## ascott (Nov 20, 2012)

There are lots of folks here with GAZILLIONs more experience with redfoot than myself...

Here is what I do and it appears to work out well....I have their enclosures so that they never really drop below 76-78 on the cool dry side (yes a cool dry side--they retreat to that side every night at bed time)....and the other end is where I add warm water directly under the heat light (they seem to visit this area on and off throughout the day--and from time to time they will wallow into the moist substrate and stretch way out and just lay there for awhile)...

The substrate in the two younger redfoot enclosures is around 4 to 5 inches deep and on the basking side the substrate is wet under the top immediate layer so they can dig down into the moisture when they want to but not ever meet up with the bottom of the enclosure...

The same is for the bit bigger redfoot, however --their substrate is about 5 to 7 inches (accounting for the slight slope I have in their enclosures)....

Some folks will have a constant temp throughout their entire enclosure with out much change as Tom pointed out---using water with heating ropes, using humidifiers and such....so as Tom mentioned, lets wait round and see what the others have to offer...


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## mattgrizzlybear (Nov 21, 2012)

Thank you all for your input! I need to get my enclosure changed. My substrate is wet and cold. I need heat rope but my dad has the gutter rope so I will use that. I have no school today and I want to get working! My humidity is only at 30 to 50 percent. Heat is also an issue. I want to build an "closed chamber" like Tom. I know it is bad but tommy shows no signs of lesser activity. I want to fix all these probs for tommy so please don't criticize me. I will and am trying. Thanks again! I will start drawing plans right now!


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## evlinLoutries (Nov 21, 2012)

I think whats best is to have 3 differents temp in ur habitats or enclosures, the side one is the hot one for them to basking, and then the warm side and then the cool side..


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