Exactly what should humidity be over course of day for baby russian

[Elizabeth Tully]

I've been rearranging, checking temps, and humidity but still not sure why I can't get these right
I have a plastic shoe box with wet spanghum moss under the ceramic heater. Only getting 80% humidity. And for some reason only 77 temp.

 

[Tom]

Over all ambient humidity should be somewhere around 40-70%, but I don't pay too much attention to that. I don't think it is critical. If you have a tall sided tank, like and aquarium, damp substrate, and a humid hide, they should be fine. They can use the humid hide or dig into the substrate to create their own little humid microclimate.

What are you using to measure humidity? The stick-on dial type are not reliable or accurate.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

Over all ambient humidity should be somewhere around 40-70%, but I don't pay too much attention to that. I don't think it is critical. If you have a tall sided tank, like and aquarium, damp substrate, and a humid hide, they should be fine. They can use the humid hide or dig into the substrate to create their own little humid microclimate.

What are you using to measure humidity? The stick-on dial type are not reliable or accurate.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

Thanks Tom. Keeping the substrate damp now Think it was too dry. I was afraid to make the enclosure too wet. I think if I change it once a week it won't matter.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom. Keeping the substrate damp now Think it was too dry. I was afraid to make the enclosure too wet. I think if I change it once a week it won't matter.

Your substrate should be damp, not wet.

It won't hurt anything except your wallet to change it every week, but that really isn't necessary. If you are doing daily soaks, which you should be for a baby, they will poo and pee in the soak water, and all you need to do is clean up the leftover food, if any. I never change my substrate in my enclosures.

 

[daniellenc]

What are you using for heat and UVB? I use a 10.0 fluorescent tube with a 50 watt CHE in a closed tub as well. My temps are 86 on the warm side and 80 on the cool end. I mist the sides of the tub twice a day when feeding and pour warm water in the corners once a week with humidity always over 80. I have a Red Foot so different temp needs but with babies humidity matters. Russians burrow but not so much my species so maybe ground humidity matters more in your case.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

What are you using for heat and UVB? I use a 10.0 fluorescent tube with a 50 watt CHE in a closed tub as well. My temps are 86 on the warm side and 80 on the cool end. I mist the sides of the tub twice a day when feeding and pour warm water in the corners once a week with humidity always over 80. I have a Red Foot so different temp needs but with babies humidity matters. Russians burrow but not so much my species so maybe ground humidity matters more in your case.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

I have a 100 watt ceramic heater. He's by a window now so gets daylight. I got rid of the coiled fluorescent uvb bulb cause heard so much about it being bad for their eyes. If warm and sunny he goes outside in a plastic Tupperware with a hide for a few hours a day. I ordered a mega Ray Heat and UVB that I hope will provide better heat and UVB. I'm in NY so he will need to be indoors over the winter. I think i was not keeping his indoor habitat humid enough. It was very dry. Misting him and substrate several times a day and he gets a 90-95 degree bath in morning. I worry about moving him around a lot. He's like a human infant where you have to put them in the best spot. I feel like I can't leave it to him to go where he needs to be.LOL

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

I have a 100 watt ceramic heater. He's by a window now so gets daylight. I got rid of the coiled fluorescent uvb bulb cause heard so much about it being bad for their eyes. If warm and sunny he goes outside in a plastic Tupperware with a hide for a few hours a day. I ordered a mega Ray Heat and UVB that I hope will provide better heat and UVB. I'm in NY so he will need to be indoors over the winter. I think i was not keeping his indoor habitat humid enough. It was very dry. Misting him and substrate several times a day and he gets a 90-95 degree bath in morning. I worry about moving him around a lot. He's like a human infant where you have to put them in the best spot. I feel like I can't leave it to him to go where he needs to be.LOL

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

The basking area is around 95 to 100 degrees and I have the humid hide around 80 degrees and 75 % humidity.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

Your substrate should be damp, not wet.

It won't hurt anything except your wallet to change it every week, but that really isn't necessary. If you are doing daily soaks, which you should be for a baby, they will poo and pee in the soak water, and all you need to do is clean up the leftover food, if any. I never change my substrate in my enclosures.

 

[Elizabeth Tully]

I've had him for 6 weeks and he has yet to poop in bath water which he gets every morning at 90-95°
He did poop in food dish first few weeks. He's not eating hardly at all last week so not pooping.