Hello all!

[Redlogan]

I am new redfoot dad in the UK and have been using this great forum alongside other materials to provide the best life for my little tort. She is a yearling called Hera.

I wanted to introduce ourselves since I will most likely be posting alot of questions over the next number or years.

Currently my major concern is humidity for Hera. She is in a vivarium with a layer of soil under orchid bark and three hides filled with sphagnum moss.

I mist twice daily. Once in the morning during her bath and then once before her lights go off but I can't seem to get the humidity to stay over 80%. It generally stays between 60-70%. However, I've been doing some reading on microclimates which states what the hygrometer reading in the viv states would not be accurate at ground level.

Can you make any experienced recommendations. Should I buy a digital hygrometer? If so could someone make a recommendation?

There are two vents at the back of the viv at each end, should I cover them?

Thanks all!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings & Welcome.

Try pouring a good deal of water into your viv, not just “spraying”. Also, make sure that your orchid bark is 100% saturated before you put it into your viv. Get a bucket, fill with orchid bark and fully fill with warm water. Let it sit overnight, heck, let it sit a day or two until nothing floats. Drain. Add this fully saturated bark to your viv. Often times ppl take the bark (dry) add it to their viv and expect it to miraculously maintain humidity levels. Once you fully saturate the bark & routinely add water (not just spritzing) and close your vents you will see a difference.

Ogh yes, close those vents. They are letting out both heat & humidity. Enough air gets in when you daily open up to soak, feed, clean & water your tort.

Good luck!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome!

 

[Hutsie B]

Hi and welcome. Cute tortoise. You will get a lot of good information on this forum. A lot of nice turtle people too!

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Welcome, your baby is so adorable!

 

[Redlogan]

Greetings & Welcome.

Try pouring a good deal of water into your viv, not just “spraying”. Also, make sure that your orchid bark is 100% saturated before you put it into your viv. Get a bucket, fill with orchid bark and fully fill with warm water. Let it sit overnight, heck, let it sit a day or two until nothing floats. Drain. Add this fully saturated bark to your viv. Often times ppl take the bark (dry) add it to their viv and expect it to miraculously maintain humidity levels. Once you fully saturate the bark & routinely add water (not just spritzing) and close your vents you will see a difference.

Ogh yes, close those vents. They are letting out both heat & humidity. Enough air gets in when you daily open up to soak, feed, clean & water your tort.

Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. I had never read about soaking the orchid bark but it definitely makes sense, I feel stupid for not thinking about that in the first place.

I will just tape over the back of the vents and that should sort out that issue.

Regarding pouring water in. Ive read alot about shell rot and that having the bark to damp can cause issues for the redfoot. But because it is soaking into the topsoil underneath, does the water vapour rise through the substrate as it drys? Not affecting the underside of the tortoise?

 

[Redlogan]

Welcome, your baby is so adorable!

Thank you, she is a little cutie. I cant wait to get some plants and what in there for her. I just think its abit annoying having to wait six months after changing the commercial fertilizer to top soil in the plants pot before putting it in the enclosure.