# Where to place the hygrometer and how wet is too wet?



## Cymmie (Sep 28, 2013)

Omg I feel like I'm asking so many questions XD I just want to get this right... Ok so I have realized my little hermann's tortoise most likely has an URI if you want to know his symptoms I made a thread titled "URI" in the health board. Anyway I want to make sure his enclosure isn't too moist so I don't make it worse. I have bloomed Ecoearth (in other words I bought the bricks and bloomed it myself) now the eco earth is pretty damp to the touch. I was wondering how damp is too damp for a hermann's? My hygrometer is reading 25% which is 5% too low of the lowest allowed humidity, but it's at the top part of the rubbermaid container he is temporarily in. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I should put it for a more accurate read? I feel like I'm not getting an accurate read on it... I calibrated it a few months ago.


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## nate.mann (Sep 29, 2013)

although i dont have much experience with the equipment being used, my first thought would be to do a reading at the tortoises level, since thats where the humidity matters most. someone with more knowledge will step in though, good luck. 


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog


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## jerm42991 (Sep 29, 2013)

If it is one of those disk ones, those are horribly inaccurate. I would put it at the tortoise level.

Also remember that humidity is water vapor in the air, has nothing to do with how wet the ground is. People wet the ground because the heat from the lamps will evaporate the water and put it into the air. 

If the ground is cold and wet, that is bad. Warm and wet is ok, you want it moist but not dripping wet. Ideally, you should be able to get the top layer dry and have it wet underneath


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## Cymmie (Sep 29, 2013)

It is cold and wet in the cooler end of the enclosure. How can I make the top of the soil dry out? Should I just wait for the heat lamp to dry it out? And how do I keep the humid hide warm inside?


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## Tom (Sep 29, 2013)

What are you measuring with?

Humidity should be measured where the tortoise is. I set my probe on a flat section of 2x4 and move it around the enclosure. I put it in the hide, under the basking lamp, over on the cool side, etc., and make adjustments as needed. The humid hide should be positioned on the warm side of the enclosure for a temperate species with cool night temps.


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## Cymmie (Sep 29, 2013)

Ok I just moved it to the warm side so that's good... umm I measuring with a dialog (think that's what the disc one's are called) one. But I am planning on getting a digital one soon like my digital thermometer, is there any one you suggest getting? Also should I use heat at night, my temps haven't dropped below 64 since I got him and rarely drop below 65 because of my hermit crab tank and where I live. My chameleon does fine.


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## Tom (Sep 29, 2013)

The disc ones from the pet store are usually way off in my experience. Any digital one for the hardware store should be close enough for our purposes.

PM GB about the night temps. I think he'd say 64 is fine.


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## Cymmie (Sep 29, 2013)

Thanks will get a new humidity gauge tomorrow. And will ask about the temps.


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