first off, My name is jeremy and my family is the proud new owners of 2 baby sullys. we have had them for a couple of months now, and just upgraded them to a 20gal aquarium. we have a basking light and a heating element on one end of the habitat. the "cool" end of the habitat stays right around 80 degrees, and the basking end stays right at 98 degrees. they stay under the basking lamp all the time, except to eat and take a quick dip in their water bowl. is the cool side of the aquarium too cool? also, it is quite difficult to maintain decent humidity levels by just soaking the substrate. i am afraid a humidifier will lower the temps even more(ultrasonic) any imput would be greatly appreciated!!
did a lot of searching- couple of questions
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Hi Jeremy:
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
I'm not sure 20 gallons is big enough. Usually the gallons for an aquarium is in the height of the tank, not the floor space. You might have better luck with your warm side/cool side if the floor space was bigger. A big plastic tub or sheep water trough or even a kiddie wading pool might be an option.
In my opinion (we all have opinions, and none of them is the absolute right or wrong way), the cool side should be a bit cooler. Between 75 and 80.
If you have trouble keeping up the humidity overall, you can just figure out a way to have a humid hide. I've tried putting sphagnum moss in their hiding place but their movements just pull it all out and scatter it all over.
I have a mylar heating strip like what nurseries use under their seedling trays under one end of my habitat. Then I make sure that the cypress mulch at that end is always wet. The heat coming up through the wet substrate causes the air around that area to be quite humid. And that's where I have the hiding place.
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
I'm not sure 20 gallons is big enough. Usually the gallons for an aquarium is in the height of the tank, not the floor space. You might have better luck with your warm side/cool side if the floor space was bigger. A big plastic tub or sheep water trough or even a kiddie wading pool might be an option.
In my opinion (we all have opinions, and none of them is the absolute right or wrong way), the cool side should be a bit cooler. Between 75 and 80.
If you have trouble keeping up the humidity overall, you can just figure out a way to have a humid hide. I've tried putting sphagnum moss in their hiding place but their movements just pull it all out and scatter it all over.
I have a mylar heating strip like what nurseries use under their seedling trays under one end of my habitat. Then I make sure that the cypress mulch at that end is always wet. The heat coming up through the wet substrate causes the air around that area to be quite humid. And that's where I have the hiding place.
As far as an enclosure, keep your eye open for Christmas Tree boxes that are about 48" long. They go on sale this times of year, then prices are reduced by the holidays. You can't find them soon after Xmas.
You can keep the lid and cut part out to help hold the humidity in, if needed.
Reasonable, and would give you more room.
You can keep the lid and cut part out to help hold the humidity in, if needed.
Reasonable, and would give you more room.
Dude!
Welcome to the Forum!
You need MORE sq footage! and for the next few years you will have to you will have to increse the Sq Footage exponitialy till they move into the yard
Welcome to the Forum!
You need MORE sq footage! and for the next few years you will have to you will have to increse the Sq Footage exponitialy till they move into the yard
thx for the replies! i plan on purchasing a humidifier and piping it into the tank, or just buying the zoomed one for the humidity. my main concern here, is that the tortoises STAY in the basking spot constantly! they only move out of it to eat and take a quick dip in their water. i know my tank isnt ideal, but its a wide 20gal tank, net very tall. its all i have to work with for the time being, but plan on putting them in a larger home after the beginning of the year(we are moving in january)
the_dude said:
Just a FYI
I purchased the ZooMed Repty fogger, lasted two weeks and then stopped . I returned it and purchased a human personal humidifier. Works okay. If you have the room for a larger humidifier, I would suggest that as I still have to work hard on keeping humidity up with the smaller personal humidifier.
Humidity is very difficult to maintain in an open topped enclosure. Closed chambers work much better on many levels.
How are you measuring temps? Regardless of what your thermometers are saying, if they are "always" under the light, and "never" hang out in the cool end then things are too cool. I would increase wattage, or lower your fixtures, or add another CHE for some more heat. You should be using a remote probed thermometer AND a temp gun to accurately measure temps.
Pics would help a lot. Sometimes we can see things that are not expressed in the typed word. And I agree that a 20 is too small. I start my hatchlings in a minimum of 40 gallons, and sometimes much bigger. Sulcatas need to move around a lot. It aids in their digestion and their general mental well being. And be very careful and watchful with a pair. I always recommend against pairs. Singles are much better, but if people must have more than one, I recommend three or more.
Here are a bunch of threads I put together in an effort to be helpful.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Helpful-Threads#axzz1eG99clGL
How are you measuring temps? Regardless of what your thermometers are saying, if they are "always" under the light, and "never" hang out in the cool end then things are too cool. I would increase wattage, or lower your fixtures, or add another CHE for some more heat. You should be using a remote probed thermometer AND a temp gun to accurately measure temps.
Pics would help a lot. Sometimes we can see things that are not expressed in the typed word. And I agree that a 20 is too small. I start my hatchlings in a minimum of 40 gallons, and sometimes much bigger. Sulcatas need to move around a lot. It aids in their digestion and their general mental well being. And be very careful and watchful with a pair. I always recommend against pairs. Singles are much better, but if people must have more than one, I recommend three or more.
Here are a bunch of threads I put together in an effort to be helpful.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Helpful-Threads#axzz1eG99clGL
tom, i have read your posts for hours over the past couple of months. thanks for your input. i have the top of the aquarium partially covered to help maintain humidity. i have a zoomed combo temp/humidity gauge in the tank almost at ground level. it reads within 2-3 degrees of my temp gun.
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