Cypress mulch wetness

Fire_bug80

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
Don't wet everything from above.
Wet down the edges or the corners and let evaporation provide you humidity
You want high humidity but not wet.
Don't wet everything from above.
Wet down the edges or the corners and let evaporation provide you humidity
You want high humidity but not wet I’ve been spraying everything a few times a day. So just spray the corners??
Don't wet everything from above.
Wet down the edges or the corners and let evaporation provide you humidity
You want high humidity but not wet.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Pour warm water into the corners it will seep under the substrate. However for a sulcata it can be wet on top. You just don't want it soaking wet where there is puddles of water.
Misting really doesnt do much but dry up. The substrate needs to be much more damp/wet then what misting does.
 

Fire_bug80

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
Pour warm water into the corners it will seep under the substrate. However for a sulcata it can be wet on top. You just don't want it soaking wet where there is puddles of water.
Misting really doesnt do much but dry up. The substrate needs to be much more damp/wet then what misting does.
Oh. That makes way more sense. My humidity stays around 45-50% can’t get it any higher How many times a day do you pour water into it?
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Once you get the cypress thoroughly saturated, it is much easier to maintain the humidity. Some bags of cypress are dry, some much more wet.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Oh. That makes way more sense. My humidity stays around 45-50% can’t get it any higher How many times a day do you pour water into it?
You shouldn't have to do it daily if you have him in a closed chamber. Maybe once or twice a week. You will have to feel it and see if it feels dry. Also once the humidity reaches 80% or higher after water and humidity has been given a day to get to where it's going to go then a drop in it will be a sign it's too dry.
 

Fire_bug80

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
You shouldn't have to do it daily if you have him in a closed chamber. Maybe once or twice a week. You will have to feel it and see if it feels dry. Also once the humidity reaches 80% or higher after water and humidity has been given a day to get to where it's going to go then a drop in it will be a sign it's too dry.
It’s not a closed chamber It’s a 10 gallon tank. It’s all I have at the moment. But can I close the top somehow? I just read Tom’s guide.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
It’s not a closed chamber It’s a 10 gallon tank. It’s all I have at the moment. But can I close the top somehow? I just read Tom’s guide.
If you want this tortoise to survive and not be permanently disfigured, you need to make some major changes ASAP. A 10 gallon tank is not suitable in any way shape or form. They need MUCH more room than that, and there is no way to heat and light something that small properly. Also, open topped enclosures don't work. They let all your heat and humidity up and out. That's like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof on it. It can't work.
 

Fire_bug80

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
If you want this tortoise to survive and not be permanently disfigured, you need to make some major changes ASAP. A 10 gallon tank is not suitable in any way shape or form. They need MUCH more room than that, and there is no way to heat and light something that small properly. Also, open topped enclosures don't work. They let all your heat and humidity up and out. That's like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof on it. It can't work.
Wow. YouTube has been my info place until now. Amazing how diff it is here. They all show open too tubs and aquariums for housing babies.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I second Tom's post above. This tort needs a bigger home now! You will either cook him in that 10 gallon or freeze him to illness. He also will not be able to get proper exercise to build muscle and he won't be able to walk right. I had to rescue a leopard being housed like your sully and he was way under sized for his age and couldn't walk on drag himself. I know you are trying but you have to do better now!
Get the largest plastic tote box you can find with high sides. They are cheaper then an aquarium. You can also get pop up green houses for 50 bucks or less.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Wow. YouTube has been my info place until now. Amazing how diff it is here. They all show open too tubs and aquariums for housing babies.
And they all are doing it under the old info or just plain wrong. An aquarium can work but not a tiny 10 gallon. 40 long or bigger but they aren't cheap and won't last long and you will need a bigger one.
You can either do it right by following the info here or you and do it wrong and neglectful by following those other places.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Here is just a couple green houses ideas. Add a tarp for a floor and it should last until he can live outside.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221105-185108_Chrome.jpg
    Screenshot_20221105-185108_Chrome.jpg
    83.6 KB · Views: 6
  • Screenshot_20221105-185213_Amazon Shopping.jpg
    Screenshot_20221105-185213_Amazon Shopping.jpg
    107.8 KB · Views: 6

Fire_bug80

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
I second Tom's post above. This tort needs a bigger home now! You will either cook him in that 10 gallon or freeze him to illness. He also will not be able to get proper exercise to build muscle and he won't be able to walk right. I had to rescue a leopard being housed like your sully and he was way under sized for his age and couldn't walk on drag himself. I know you are trying but you have to do better now!
Get the largest plastic tote box you can find with high sides. They are cheaper then an aquarium. You can also get pop up green houses for 50 bucks or less.
Tote box? Examples please
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Here is another. I used this one when I had a clutch. Also for when I housed one 2 year old leopard inside for winter
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221105-185710_Chrome.jpg
    Screenshot_20221105-185710_Chrome.jpg
    77.3 KB · Views: 6

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Tote box get the largest you can. You want length and height.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221105-190032_Google.jpg
    Screenshot_20221105-190032_Google.jpg
    79.5 KB · Views: 5

New Posts

Top