Hello Everyone - New and soon to be owned by a cherry head

Loni

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
Just wanted to say hi! I am new to tortoises and will be welcoming a cherry head baby in about a month. Am doing my research and was thrilled to find this forum. I live on the West Coast of Canada. Outside humidity is not a problem :) However, as heat tends to be electric, indoors can be very dry. Winters are not intense for more than a week or two but too wet and cold for tortoises to be outdoors.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Jan 7, 2018
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Hey welcome, RF's are awesome. If your getting a baby regardless of what your humidity is there I would do a closed chamber.
 

Loni

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
Hey welcome, RF's are awesome. If your getting a baby regardless of what your humidity is there I would do a closed chamber.
Thank you. The indoor humidity is an issue even for us humans. I am installing a humidifier this weekend so I can raise and monitor the ambient humidity of my place. My initial habitat is going to be a converted antique cedar chest. It has legs so is up off the floor. It is 2' x 4' and the sidewalls are 19" high. I am waterproofing the interior to above the substrate with frog safe epoxy. I read in the posts here about using a clear shower curtain with holes punched in it. I love the idea. I was going to remove the lid of the cedar chest but now I think I will fix it in the upright position and fix the shower curtain to the opened lid and let it drape down. I have access here to coconut coir, will that do for the substrate?01212_6L7gz1O8Xof_600x450.jpg 00Q0Q_1njIlBxwXOV_600x450.jpg
 

Toddrickfl1

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Sounds like you've done your homework. The shower curtain will work great to hold in moisture. Coco Coir works but it's a bit messy. Will stick all over your tortoise and will track it everywhere, in the water dish etc. I've used a layer of Coco Coir with a thin layer of cypress mulch on top. That's worked for me. Others use Fine grade orchids bark, but I've never tried it.
 

Loni

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
Sounds like you've done your homework. The shower curtain will work great to hold in moisture. Coco Coir works but it's a bit messy. Will stick all over your tortoise and will track it everywhere, in the water dish etc. I've used a layer of Coco Coir with a thin layer of cypress mulch on top. That's worked for me. Others use Fine grade orchids bark, but I've never tried it.
Thank you! I will see if I can find one of those here.
 
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