A Collection of Sulcata Questions

[asampson760]

Me again! Back with a collection of questions regarding my little sulcata. (Tom, I promise I have read your guide sooo many times )

First of all I am wondering about humidity. I was told my little guy is a year old, but he is quite small and fits in the palm of my hand. What level of humidity am I shooting for? Can the humidity be too high?

Now for temps. What temps should I be looking for under the humid hide? And what about night time temps? Right now ambient temps at night are at 80 degrees, is that okay or should they be higher? Should the humid hide be warmer at night (or any time) or is 80 okay?

Lastly I am wondering about some tort behavior. First, since I have found these forums and read Tom's guide I have been soaking for 30 minutes a day. Since I have started daily soaking my tort no longer uses his water dish in his enclosure at all. I use a terra cotta saucer that's sunken into the substrate. At first he would go in multiple times a day, but now that we are doing soaks he never uses it. Is that normal? Second, since I have gotten him into an enclosed chamber and humidity is much higher he no longer uses his humid hide. He used to spend a lot of time in it and sleep in it at night. But now that his enclosure is much more humid he never goes inside of it. He just sleeps outside of it, usually in his basking spot - all sprawled out. Is this normal?

Finally, I have started to become quite paranoid about respiratory issues through various reading on the forum. My little guy doesn't seem to show any obvious signs - no nose discharge, eyes are clear. However, today I have noticed him open his mouth wide probably 3-4 times. Is this something to be concerned about? He is eating very well, as always. And his activity level is the same as it has been since I got him. I have always noticed his head bobbing sometimes and also notice his legs moving at the same time. Is this normal "baby" breathing, or is it a cause for concern?

 

[wellington]

Humidity should be 80%
All over Temps 80F day and night
Basking temp 95-100
There is no too high a humidity for a sulcata
The RI only happens when temps are too cold. Don't let temps go below recommended. Be sure to use digital gauges, not those cheap puck type things pet stores sell. Also be sure to read temps at tort level.
A point and shoot temp gun are cheap and a great must have tool for instance temp reading.
As long as you soak your tort it's okay he doesn't use his water dish, he will.
It's also okay he doesn't sleep in his hide. Most will pick them up each night and put them in the hide to sleep.
Even my adult torts sometimes need to be reminded where they are suppose to sleep.

 

[Tom]

Me again! Back with a collection of questions regarding my little sulcata. (Tom, I promise I have read your guide sooo many times )

First of all I am wondering about humidity. I was told my little guy is a year old, but he is quite small and fits in the palm of my hand. What level of humidity am I shooting for? Can the humidity be too high?

Now for temps. What temps should I be looking for under the humid hide? And what about night time temps? Right now ambient temps at night are at 80 degrees, is that okay or should they be higher? Should the humid hide be warmer at night (or any time) or is 80 okay?

Lastly I am wondering about some tort behavior. First, since I have found these forums and read Tom's guide I have been soaking for 30 minutes a day. Since I have started daily soaking my tort no longer uses his water dish in his enclosure at all. I use a terra cotta saucer that's sunken into the substrate. At first he would go in multiple times a day, but now that we are doing soaks he never uses it. Is that normal? Second, since I have gotten him into an enclosed chamber and humidity is much higher he no longer uses his humid hide. He used to spend a lot of time in it and sleep in it at night. But now that his enclosure is much more humid he never goes inside of it. He just sleeps outside of it, usually in his basking spot - all sprawled out. Is this normal?

Finally, I have started to become quite paranoid about respiratory issues through various reading on the forum. My little guy doesn't seem to show any obvious signs - no nose discharge, eyes are clear. However, today I have noticed him open his mouth wide probably 3-4 times. Is this something to be concerned about? He is eating very well, as always. And his activity level is the same as it has been since I got him. I have always noticed his head bobbing sometimes and also notice his legs moving at the same time. Is this normal "baby" breathing, or is it a cause for concern?

HI!

Get humidity over 80%. No, it can't be too high, as long as the enclosure is always warm.

The humid hide should be the same temp as everywhere else in the enclosure, except directly under the basking lamp. 80 overnight at the lowest. High 80s to low 90s during the day. Basking area 95-100 all day, but dark at night.

Both the water dish thing and the hide thing are normal. Nothing to change or worry about there.

Excessive yawning can indicate the start of a respiratory infection. 3-4 times in a day is not excessive, but you can bump temps up a little to be safe. The legs and head moving are normal breathing.

 

[asampson760]

Thank you so much @wellington and @Tom

If 80 is the lowest we want for night temps is there a max high temp at night? Also, what would be considered "excessive" with the yawning thing?

I have two different thermometers/humidity gauges - both reptile specific. One is ZooMed and one is ReptiZoo. Of course they are both telling me different things. I did just get on Amazon and order one of those point and shoot temp guns as well as non-reptile specific humidity gauge. Is there anything else that is recommended?

 

[wellington]

When tortoises are sick, we have the temp raised to 85. However, 85 isn't a bad over all temp either. I wouldn't personally go higher then that.
Not sure about the yawning. Just seems baby do it more then adults.
Is it just a normal yawn or is he acting like something is stuck?

 

[asampson760]

When tortoises are sick, we have the temp raised to 85. However, 85 isn't a bad over all temp either. I wouldn't personally go higher then that.
Not sure about the yawning. Just seems baby do it more then adults.
Is it just a normal yawn or is he acting like something is stuck?

Okay thank you! I don't think anything is stuck, he has eaten a couple of times since the "yawning" and he seemed like he was eating normally.

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much @wellington and @Tom

If 80 is the lowest we want for night temps is there a max high temp at night? Also, what would be considered "excessive" with the yawning thing?

I have two different thermometers/humidity gauges - both reptile specific. One is ZooMed and one is ReptiZoo. Of course they are both telling me different things. I did just get on Amazon and order one of those point and shoot temp guns as well as non-reptile specific humidity gauge. Is there anything else that is recommended?

I like the night temp to drop to about 80. If day time high ambient temp is around 90, then the drop to 80 works well.

I'd throw away the reptile branded thermometers. In all my years I haven't seen one that wasn't junk. Get a $12 digital one from home depot instead.