Temperatures for Egyptian baby

[GardiendeKoopa]

What daytime and nighttime warm and cool temperatures are recommended for Egyptian tortoise babies? Does it change when they become adults?

I’ve seen mixed advice, 70F at night vs 80F at night. Daytime cooler side 80F and basking spot around 100F. What have people here used successfully? I’m worried about low temperatures and respiratory infections in higher humidity, but can’t find clear guidance.

 

[COmtnLady]

Rule of thumb - all species of tortoise need very warm and very humid for the first two to three years of their lives. 70s are too cold, 85F would be better. And that percentage of humidity, too. It will need to be a closed chamber or all the heat and humidity will just drift off into the larger room.

How old is your hatchling, what does it weigh? Show us pictures (they're worth a thousand words). Show us pictures of your enclosure, too.

Let's see what some of the more experienced members here say specifically.





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[GardiendeKoopa]

I don’t have the tortoise or enclosure yet. It will be a solid top PVC enclosure to keep in the heat and humidity, and the tortoise will probably be 2 or 3 months old. I believe I’ve also seen 80F and 80% humidity recommended for babies, so will probably target that.

 

[Tom]

I don’t have the tortoise or enclosure yet. It will be a solid top PVC enclosure to keep in the heat and humidity, and the tortoise will probably be 2 or 3 months old. I believe I’ve also seen 80F and 80% humidity recommended for babies, so will probably target that.

80% and 80 degrees is for tropical tortoise species, like sulcatas and stars. Testudo species come from temperate climates and need cooler nights. Warming up to 80 during the day and around 100 under the incandescent flood lamp is great. The whole enclosure then cooling to around 70 at night when all the lights are off is ideal.

 

[GardiendeKoopa]

I keep seeing references to Egyptians being more “sensitive” than other Testudos, but not a lot of explanation about what that means, which is frustrating. Does it mean they need warmer nights to not get sick? Or is 70s fine like other Testudos? Ultimately it will probably just require experimentation and hoping for the best. Maybe split the difference, mid 70s overnight, watch closely for signs of respiratory illness, and try 70F when the baby gets older.

 

[Tom]

I keep seeing references to Egyptians being more “sensitive” than other Testudos, but not a lot of explanation about what that means, which is frustrating. Does it mean they need warmer nights to not get sick? Or is 70s fine like other Testudos? Ultimately it will probably just require experimentation and hoping for the best. Maybe split the difference, mid 70s overnight, watch closely for signs of respiratory illness, and try 70F when the baby gets older.

More sensitive means they are less tolerant of big mistakes. It means that if you get something wrong, this species is more likely to have a problem than some hardier species.

Care info for most species is all wrong from almost every source. Its tough. Think about what they might experience in the wild. This species seeks cover and shade in the heat of the day, and it cools off at night. They should not be kept hot all the time.

 

[GardiendeKoopa]

Do you think humidity of 70% and up for most of the day with coconut coir is fine for Egyptian babies? I worry about all the advice about how they need to be in a dry environment to avoid respiratory illness. I don’t want the baby to get sick, but I also don’t want it to grow up too dry unnecessarily. A lot of advice for Egyptians is to make humidity high like 70% or 80% in the morning and then let it get down to like 40% over the course of the day as the enclosure heats up.

 

[Tom]

Do you think humidity of 70% and up for most of the day with coconut coir is fine for Egyptian babies? I worry about all the advice about how they need to be in a dry environment to avoid respiratory illness. I don’t want the baby to get sick, but I also don’t want it to grow up too dry unnecessarily. A lot of advice for Egyptians is to make humidity high like 70% or 80% in the morning and then let it get down to like 40% over the course of the day as the enclosure heats up.

I've been researching this topic for this species for years. I've found about 2 dozen keepers using damp substrate of one sort or another. None of them have reported any respiratory issues. All of them have smoother than the norm tortoises.