Hermanns Enclosure - too damp?

rapidnelson

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Hi there. I've had my tortoise for about 18 months and have recently tried to increase the humidity of his enclosure by adding coco coir and sphagnum moss to his substrate. Is there any way that substrate can be too damp? We were previously just using habistat substrate and adding water when it became dry.

Thanks for any advice you can give!
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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do you have a closed top enclosure? usually adding water to substrate will increase humidity. With an open top enclosure, humidity and heat, can easily escape.
 

rapidnelson

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do you have a closed top enclosure? usually adding water to substrate will increase humidity. With an open top enclosure, humidity and heat, can easily escape.
Thanks for your reply. It's open topped. My other half thinks it's too damp for him as he's a mediaterannean tortoise, but I've tried to follow different pieces of advice I've read by adding the new substrate.
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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Thanks for your reply. It's open topped. My other half thinks it's too damp for him as he's a mediaterannean tortoise, but I've tried to follow different pieces of advice I've read by adding the new substrate.
Im not sure the exact comfortable humidity hermann tortoises need but I know humidity is important for younger tortoises. as they get older, moderate humidity will do.
I have russians and their care is similar to hermann's (i believe).
do you have a hygrometer to measure humidity?
and have you read the hermann's caresheet we have on the forum?
 

rapidnelson

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I've ordered one so hopefully that will arrive this week. I need to find out how humid it should be though!

Thank you for replying and for your advice!
 

Rue

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I aim for 70% at least most of time (some days it's a bit higher for a while). It does dry out during the day...depending on our environmental conditions and if I am home or not. But they would have varied R.H. out in the wild as well. I mist in the morning and before bed...mimics the natural dew.

I have left the middle of the enclosure drier though (I don't mist there). ..where the food bowl is...just in case she wants it drier.

For what it's worth...I have been adding a litre of water per day - and my hatchling enclosure is 3' by 18". But my top is open.

The substrate. ..at either end...never dries out completely.
 

rapidnelson

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Thank you. It's amazing how quickly it dries out. It's good also to know that you are adding quite a lot of water each day. I was just a bit worried about causing other issues by having it a bit damper. I'd hate to think I'd caused it!
 
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Linhdan Nguyen

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If youre concerned about shell rot from a damp environment, dont.
As long as the top substrate stays dry, your hermann's will be okay.
 
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