Closed top enclosure

[Zbutcher]

Hey everyone,

I built my tortoise a PVC enclosure see attached pics

https://imgur.com/a/Zw9PdB3

It definitely holds heat much better. It's 8x4 but I find it is holding humidity TOO well.

Bare in mind the humidity meter I have is a cheapo whatever off Amazon. But it's saying a pretty high number. My tortoise is a Hermann's and is roughly 4.5 years old. I am trying to keep humidity higher since whatever growing he has left can offset a bit of his pyramiding see pictures

https://imgur.com/a/rU9P9mx

Should I add vents? Should I remove some of the lid? I am not really too sure what the right play is? Is high humidity really bad at his age? This morning the meter said 99% but that can't be right because my dart frog tank is regularly saying that when it's misted for 30 sec 6 times a day.

Please let me know what I can do or any improvements. Thanks!

 

[Zbutcher]

Hey everyone,

I built my tortoise a PVC enclosure see attached pics

https://imgur.com/a/Zw9PdB3

It definitely holds heat much better. It's 8x4 but I find it is holding humidity TOO well.

Bare in mind the humidity meter I have is a cheapo whatever off Amazon. But it's saying a pretty high number. My tortoise is a Hermann's and is roughly 4.5 years old. I am trying to keep humidity higher since whatever growing he has left can offset a bit of his pyramiding see pictures

https://imgur.com/a/rU9P9mx

Should I add vents? Should I remove some of the lid? I am not really too sure what the right play is? Is high humidity really bad at his age? This morning the meter said 99% but that can't be right because my dart frog tank is regularly saying that when it's misted for 30 sec 6 times a day.

Please let me know what I can do or any improvements. Thanks!

Couple more pics to show some pyramiding. Is it really bad?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hey everyone,

I built my tortoise a PVC enclosure see attached pics

https://imgur.com/a/Zw9PdB3

It definitely holds heat much better. It's 8x4 but I find it is holding humidity TOO well.

Bare in mind the humidity meter I have is a cheapo whatever off Amazon. But it's saying a pretty high number. My tortoise is a Hermann's and is roughly 4.5 years old. I am trying to keep humidity higher since whatever growing he has left can offset a bit of his pyramiding see pictures

https://imgur.com/a/rU9P9mx

Should I add vents? Should I remove some of the lid? I am not really too sure what the right play is? Is high humidity really bad at his age? This morning the meter said 99% but that can't be right because my dart frog tank is regularly saying that when it's misted for 30 sec 6 times a day.

Please let me know what I can do or any improvements. Thanks!

Hi!
High humidity is bad when temperatures are low. A gradient of humidity 50-80% and temperatures from 75 in the cold end to 95-100F right under the basking lamp is fine.

You can get 99% humidity in a closed chamber if you don't use overnight heating and hygrometer is placed on the wall. When temperatures fall, usually water vapour condenses on the wall and glass/plastic doors, so a few drops can land on the hygrometer. During the day a lot of water evaporates in the basking area and you can get oversaturated air in the coldest spots.

Substrate looks pretty damp on the photos - don't add more water in a while. You can also make some ventilation holes/latches on the opposite sides of the enclosure (a row a few inches above substrate and a row under ceiling on the opposite end). As you stabilize humidity and temperatures, you can close this ventilation holes with plugs/duct tape etc.

 

[Zbutcher]

Hi!
High humidity is bad when temperatures are low. A gradient of humidity 50-80% and temperatures from 75 in the cold end to 95-100F right under the basking lamp is fine.

You can get 99% humidity in a closed chamber if you don't use overnight heating and hygrometer is placed on the wall. When temperatures fall, usually water vapour condenses on the wall and glass/plastic doors, so a few drops can land on the hygrometer. During the day a lot of water evaporates in the basking area and you can get oversaturated air in the coldest spots.

Substrate looks pretty damp on the photos - don't add more water in a while. You can also make some ventilation holes/latches on the opposite sides of the enclosure (a row a few inches above substrate and a row under ceiling on the opposite end). As you stabilize humidity and temperatures, you can close this ventilation holes with plugs/duct tape etc.

So the temperature under the lamp is definitely adequate.

And ambient temperature is probably at least in the time the lamp was on 22-23 Celsius.

So is high humidity with high temp good then? And what is a high ambient temp considered to be?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

So the temperature under the lamp is definitely adequate.

And ambient temperature is probably at least in the time the lamp was on 22-23 Celsius.

So is high humidity with high temp good then? And what is a high ambient temp considered to be?

High humidity and high temperature are fine. Take measurements across the enclosure during the day to understand what gradient you have.

During the day ambient temperature should be a little warmer than 22-23C (26-27C is somewhat optimal).

Also, if you are concerned about pyramiding, make sure to use incandescent flood bulb (not spot, not halogen and not one of the "all-in-one" lamps).

Here is the care guide with all the numbers:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Zbutcher]

High humidity and high temperature are fine. Take measurements across the enclosure during the day to understand what gradient you have.

During the day ambient temperature should be a little warmer than 22-23C (26-27C is somewhat optimal).

Also, if you are concerned about pyramiding, make sure to use incandescent flood bulb (not spot, not halogen and not one of the "all-in-one" lamps).

Here is the care guide with all the numbers:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

What is your opinion on his pyramiding, based on the pictures I sent? I already use a flood bulb. I am not sure if he is done growing yet but it's been about 4 years

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

What is your opinion on his pyramiding, based on the pictures I sent? I already use a flood bulb. I am not sure if he is done growing yet but it's been about 4 years

It's a bit above my level of knowledge. Pyramiding is not terrible but noticeable. One thing, perhaps, worries me more: a depression on the back of his carapace. Can you post a photo from the left or right side? And what UVB lamp do you use?

 

[Zbutcher]

It's a bit above my level of knowledge. Pyramiding is not terrible but noticeable. One thing, perhaps, worries me more: a depression on the back of his carapace. Can you post a photo from the left or right side? And what UVB lamp do you use?

The lamp I use is T5 UVB 12% D3+ Desert 22.5". He was in a 4'x5' open top tortoise table before with that light. I moved him into this one yesterday.

 

[Zbutcher]

It's a bit above my level of knowledge. Pyramiding is not terrible but noticeable. One thing, perhaps, worries me more: a depression on the back of his carapace. Can you post a photo from the left or right side? And what UVB lamp do you use?

Also just to make sure we are looking at the same thing where are you seeing the depression

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Also just to make sure we are looking at the same thing where are you seeing the depression

Here. It could be just a photo. Depression in the back part of the carapace can be a sign of MBD. You have the best in class UVB lamp (if it's Arcadia), so I don't think there are any issues here.

 

[Zbutcher]

Here. It could be just a photo. Depression in the back part of the carapace can be a sign of MBD. You have the best in class UVB lamp (if it's Arcadia), so I don't think there are any issues here.

yep arcadia. Here is a couple pics. The one of him eating is last april and the one from his behind is from last september

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

yep arcadia. Here is a couple pics. The one of him eating is last april and the one from his behind is from last september

Looks fine by me. I see no signs of MBD.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Great advice from Alex and just wanted to say, you’ve built a really nice enclosure!! Fantastic job

 

[Zbutcher]

Great advice from Alex and just wanted to say, you’ve built a really nice enclosure!! Fantastic job

Thank you very much! I hope he is healthy. He seems a bit small for full grown doesn't he?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thank you very much! I hope he is healthy. He seems a bit small for full grown doesn't he?

He does look small for his age, some are slower that others, but in this lovely new set up, with a good diet, I’m sure he’ll catch up

 

[Zbutcher]

He does look small for his age, some are slower that others, but in this lovely new set up, with a good diet, I’m sure he’ll catch up

I'll keep the humidity higher to level out his pyramiding hopefully!

How often do you feed? I watched a video that said every second day but I do give fresh water daily

 

[Zbutcher]

Looks fine by me. I see no signs of MBD.

Hey Alex, I got some much better pics for further verification. What are your thoughts on how badly pyramided

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I'll keep the humidity higher to level out his pyramiding hopefully!

How often do you feed? I watched a video that said every second day but I do give fresh water daily

Feed a shell sized portion everyday, if he eats it all, you can offer more, they graze everyday in the wild, you won’t over feed him

 

[Zbutcher]

Feed a shell sized portion everyday, if he eats it all, you can offer more, they graze everyday in the wild, you won’t over feed him

Awesome thank you.

Just before your message I posted a couple more photos I just took. What's your opinion on how bad his pyramiding is and does his shell look healthy

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Awesome thank you.

Just before your message I posted a couple more photos I just took. What's your opinion on how bad his pyramiding is and does his shell look healthy

I’ve definitely see far worse pyramiding, it just looks cosmetic to me, looking at the photos I wouldn’t personally say he looks to have MBD, if he walks well, nice hard shell etc, I wouldn’t worry in that regard