Concerned about my RF

[Alan RF]

Hi everyone I'm worried about Alan. I soak him daily and ensure his viv is humid etc but today and yesterday when I've come to soak him he's been noticeably dry on his front legs and top of his head. His shell at the front also looks dry. As soon as I soak him he drinks the water and seems happy. Should I be worried? Before I soaked him he did seem a little dozy? Yesterday I brought him out from under his hide and today he was drier but he was in the corner next to the heat lamp dug in. Any advise would be grateful

 

[wellington]

My best guess would be your humidity is too low. Your gage may not be working right.

 

[Alan RF]

Hmmm I did question this a while back but someone said both gages might not be working and if the glass in the viv is full of condensation it's likely to be 80% ?? I've got a round gage and an electronic one....both say different things!

 

[theelectraco]

Condensation on the glass WAS humidity. Now that it is on the glass and not in the air, the humidity will be lower than it appears.

 

[FLINTUS]

Right, stop over obsessing, they can dry out-in fact in the wild they would dry out in the morning and then the mid-late afternoon nimbus clouds produce great showers

 

[Alan RF]

So everything is ok then Flintus? it's just he's not been that dry before hence the obsessing

 

[FLINTUS]

Drying out is fine, however if you start seeing eyes being shut then humidity is too low-this is a different thing to this. Give him something to dig down into like moss to keep moist if he wants. I would invest in a hygrometer though to see humidty levels.

 

[Alan RF]

I've bought these



These are taken right now so you can see both meters read differently? Also, you can see how dry the front edge of Alan's shell is. His eyes seem fine and he has dug himself into the corner as you live in the UK tell me the best meter to buy? Cheers Sam

 

[FLINTUS]

Drying out is fine, as long as there is good humidity. Those reading aren't good-sorry! How are you keeping him as in enclosure? D'you have a mister? That substrate looks awfully dry.

 

[Alan RF]

He's in a viv 4ft by 3ft

The substrate is orchid bark and I'm in the process of getting some more sphagnum moss. Don't have an electric mister but mist it with the spray bottle you can see on top of his viv. The substrate is damp underneath but not in the area he was in. Where he was is the driest part due to the infra red heat lamp above.

 

[FLINTUS]

Ok, water the substrate more, should be dampish on top as well.

 

[Madkins007]

In an ideal habitat, the air would be between 50-99% humid, varying naturally during the day and week, but mostly in the upper part of the range. At the same time, the top of the substrate should not be wet or damp much.

This can be tough to do, especially if you live somewhere with low humidity- like indoors here in Omaha in the winter.

You can try things like pouring water in the substrate, adding plants, using a humidifier, etc. There are some ideas in the Library, linked below.

 

[kirby2591]

While the viv needs the right living conditions and such... have you provided you tort with a water dish? This would allow it to drink at will and help combat the dry enviorment issue until you know everything is kosher. Would leavr the dish in even after the problem is solved

 

[Alan RF]

While the viv needs the right living conditions and such... have you provided you tort with a water dish? This would allow it to drink at will and help combat the dry enviorment issue until you know everything is kosher. Would leavr the dish in even after the problem is solved

I've always provided Alan with his own large shallow water dish for him to soak at his will and he has a resin grey ridged stepped smaller water dish in the cool end which he goes and drinks from frequently. he loves either and the large dish is close to the heat lamp to create more humidity. I can understand your thoughts but I'd never not give anything a water source of some kind

---

In an ideal habitat, the air would be between 50-99% humid, varying naturally during the day and week, but mostly in the upper part of the range. At the same time, the top of the substrate should not be wet or damp much.

This can be tough to do, especially if you live somewhere with low humidity- like indoors here in Omaha in the winter.

You can try things like pouring water in the substrate, adding plants, using a humidifier, etc. There are some ideas in the Library, linked below.

I've put some sphagnum moss in today and keep soaking him once a day. I think I might add his spider plant I bought him about 2 months ago? Do you think it'll be chemical/pesticide free now? I bought it from a plant shop. The electronic hydrometer reads our humidity is higher out of the viv than in the viv! Lol... It's not! It's winter like you although the first day of spring was a few weeks ago! I'm going to change his substrate tomorrow and think ill soak some of it then put it on top of the waterproof liner and mix with the dry substrate and add the sphagnum moss. Hopefully he'll be okay with this. he's still in the corner near his heat lamp bless him. He doesn't seem to want to go in his hide to sleep! Rebel!

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

While the viv needs the right living conditions and such... have you provided you tort with a water dish? This would allow it to drink at will and help combat the dry enviorment issue until you know everything is kosher. Would leavr the dish in even after the problem is solved

I've always provided Alan with his own large shallow water dish for him to soak at his will and he has a resin grey ridged stepped smaller water dish in the cool end which he goes and drinks from frequently. he loves either and the large dish is close to the heat lamp to create more humidity. I can understand your thoughts but I'd never not give anything a water source of some kind

---

In an ideal habitat, the air would be between 50-99% humid, varying naturally during the day and week, but mostly in the upper part of the range. At the same time, the top of the substrate should not be wet or damp much.

This can be tough to do, especially if you live somewhere with low humidity- like indoors here in Omaha in the winter.

You can try things like pouring water in the substrate, adding plants, using a humidifier, etc. There are some ideas in the Library, linked below.

I've put some sphagnum moss in today and keep soaking him once a day. I think I might add his spider plant I bought him about 2 months ago? Do you think it'll be chemical/pesticide free now? I bought it from a plant shop. The electronic hydrometer reads our humidity is higher out of the viv than in the viv! Lol... It's not! It's winter like you although the first day of spring was a few weeks ago! I'm going to change his substrate tomorrow and think ill soak some of it then put it on top of the waterproof liner and mix with the dry substrate and add the sphagnum moss. Hopefully he'll be okay with this. he's still in the corner near his heat lamp bless him. He doesn't seem to want to go in his hide to sleep! Rebel!

---

Tyrone seems dry on his head just like Alan, I am misting several times a day and he has a huge water dish ...i am also soaking 4times a week ... Stop worrying! I am sure it's normal

 

[mike taylor]

That white meter you have the meter it self needs to be in the enclosure.It is reading the outside of the enclosure humidity. The humidity sencor is on the read out that is what that little hole is . These meter are made to compare the inside to the outside temps. If you put the meter inside you will see your humidity go up. I think the humidity is fine . Your tort.is just hangs out on the dryer side of the enclosure under the heat lamp.

---

Hay look up Big Apple Pet Supply they show you the meters and how to set them in your cage in a video. They have different types to . Some have two probes so you can read temps on different sides of enclosures .If I remember correct all of them you have to put inside the enclosure to read humidity.Hope I helped a little good luck.

 

[Alan RF]

One happy humid tort
Think this is what he wanted!?
The white meter has a probe that goes into the back of the viv!!!! Omg I might be blonde but not that blonde! Lol I do think the meters are wrong and will invest in new ones though. I've got my eye on an electric mister too

 

[mike taylor]

Re: RE: Concerned about my RF

One happy humid tort
Think this is what he wanted!?
The white meter has a probe that goes into the back of the viv!!!! Omg I might be blonde but not that blonde! Lol I do think the meters are wrong and will invest in new ones though. I've got my eye on an electric mister too

No,really the probe on the meter does not read humidity it only reads the temp. The humidity sencor is in the body of the meter. I use the same one there is not a thing wrong with the meter. Just try it you will find that the 70 f. Will go up and so will the humidity.

 

[Alan RF]

One happy humid tort
Think this is what he wanted!?
The white meter has a probe that goes into the back of the viv!!!! Omg I might be blonde but not that blonde! Lol I do think the meters are wrong and will invest in new ones though. I've got my eye on an electric mister too

No,really the probe on the meter does not read humidity it only reads the temp. The humidity sencor is in the body of the meter. I use the same one there is not a thing wrong with the meter. Just try it you will find that the 70 f. Will go up and so will the humidity.

Mike you are so right and ME I'm so bloody blonde!!!!!! my husband and I just thought this lmao a thousand thank you xxx

 

[mike taylor]

No problem thats why we are on the forum to help each other out.
The cool thing about these meters is you put the probe on one side and the meter on the other and you can see both temps. At the same time as well as the humidity.