Cannot get Humidity Up

[AndreaRosie]

I have read countless forums about how to get it up. I cannot. Please give me some new ideas.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Covering the top of the enclosure will go along way towards helping you maintain humidity. Currently, what are you trying?

 

[Tom]

If the top is open, heat and humidity will just rise up and out. You can add more water to the substrate, run humidifiers, but if the top is open, physics dictates the the heat and humidity in the enclosure will try to equalize with that of the room.

I use closed chambers. Solves all these problems.

 

[AndreaRosie]

The top has two glass tops. Those folding kinds. So it is a closed top.

 

[Tom]

In that case, you should just need to pour some water in to your substrate and add some heat.

It is possible that your gauge is off? What kind are you using. The little stick on dial type are worthless. You need $10-20 dollar digital one with a remote probe from the hardware store. Those are usually pretty close.

Also, that water bowl is a death trap. Terra cotta plant saucers are much safer and more inviting.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Okay thanks! This weekend I will get a new bowl and a digital gauge! Thanks so much for your help I appreciate it.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

If you can't get a fogger, try to get a pressure sprayer. The one I have is a 1gallon pump style that is for tortoise use only.

 

[AndreaRosie]

A fogger?

 

[Redstrike]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45960.html

I have made modifications to the above design by adding a false bottom. This keeps the standing water separate from the substrate to avoid plastron rot - it lets the surface dry out.

False bottom: http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/articles/tropicalterrarium.html

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Like a humidifier. Some use them to maintain the humidity of their enclosure. Or you can use the pump sprayer and just spray the enclosure a couple times a day.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Also could you give me a name for a good humidity gauge? I would like to but one now

 

[Blakem]

As Tom mentioned (I've never tried anything else) pour water over your substrate and mix it up. I just looked quickly, but what kind if substrate do you have? Is that some sort of bark? I was using a bark substrate, which is fine by the way, but changed to coco coir. Where I live in central California, humidity gets around 20-30 %. Since I have been using coco coir, I have no problems with humidity. It holds water very well, I only have to pour water on it maybe once a day, and it's easy to keep clean. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

RadioShack has them cheep. Or you can look for “oregon scientific" brand.

 

[AndreaRosie]

I have 50% Cyprus from my Cyprus tree out back and 50% coco. Is this a good one?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

For substrate, I'm using a 50/50 mix of organic top soil and peat moss. When creating a humid environment for a tortoise, it is very important to maintain proper temps. Too cool and humid equals a sick tortoise. I would go with a combination digital temperature/humidity gauge. Very common item.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Or this?

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Organic top soil? I have organic planting soil that's the same thing right?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Usually planting soil has those little white things in it to help keep it fluffy. Tortoises, for whatever reasons, find these to be irresistible and want to eat them. Bad things happen when tortoises eat non food items. Even perilit will negatively effect a tortoises gut track. Can you get to a Walmart or like a Kmart type store? You could get what I believe is a better priced gauge system. I like the ones that have a wireless remote unit to them. This way, while watching tv, I can see what is going on it my habitats. For the most part all digital gauges are created equally.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Okay I will find soil the doesn't have those white balls. So those gauges are okay? Price isn't an issue.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Yes. The second one looks fine. Though, like I said, I like the ones with the remotes.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Thanks so much! I will get the gauge and the new water dish. Then the soil. Hopefully my babies will appreciate this.