Hi this is 6 month old Myakoda. We found her in the street as a hatchling. Still learning, she's so sweet!

Ray--Opo

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That's the reptibark I decided to start using about a few weeks or less after we found her. We did the pellets first, per the advise of a 'pet store', then I said these need to go now. Somethings not right, and they stink. So she's had reptibark, almost her whole 6 months. Also I went against a lot of the advise on the foods they suggested, like tomatoes, watermelon, Iceberg,, and grapes! UGH!
Sounds like the same pet store I was using.
 

Myakoda

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Looks like you already have orchid bark in the picture.
Hi Tom, the Orchid bark came today.
Yay! So we're going to change her substrate, have a wash tub for her hide. You mentioned the bottom part of her Orchid bark needs to be wet, then layers on top. Could you please tell me the way in detail, you do it so I can get it right? Sorry, I'm such a pest lol. This is serious stuff for real. Thank you.
 

Tom

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Hi Tom, the Orchid bark came today.
Yay! So we're going to change her substrate, have a wash tub for her hide. You mentioned the bottom part of her Orchid bark needs to be wet, then layers on top. Could you please tell me the way in detail, you do it so I can get it right? Sorry, I'm such a pest lol. This is serious stuff for real. Thank you.
If you have 3-4 inches, you can regularly dump water into the substrate to keep it how you want it and the upper layers will stay dry-ish. How much water and how often varies tremendously from enclosure to enclosure. You have to do it by feel.
 

Myakoda

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If you have 3-4 inches, you can regularly dump water into the substrate to keep it how you want it and the upper layers will stay dry-ish. How much water and how often varies tremendously from enclosure to enclosure. You have to do it by feel.
Thank you, her humidity is at 70+ now, she's in her new tub hide, no more log. She seems a bit confused, however ok. So now that her humidity is higher, if it stays about 70, I know we need 80. We're working on it, what should her temp be? We also bought a humidity monitor, for in her hide.
 
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Myakoda

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If you have 3-4 inches, you can regularly dump water into the substrate to keep it how you want it and the upper layers will stay dry-ish. How much water and how often varies tremendously from enclosure to enclosure. You have to do it by feel.
Peek a boo. ??:<3::tort:?☘??
 

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Tom

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what should her temp be?
Temp should be no lower than 80 in the coldest corner of the enclosure on your coldest night. Ambient should creep up into the high 80s or low 90s during the day with the heat lamps on.
 

Myakoda

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Temp should be no lower than 80 in the coldest corner of the enclosure on your coldest night. Ambient should creep up into the high 80s or low 90s during the day with the heat lamps on.
Ok, I just did a temp check.
Humidity 60 to 78, ambient temp 90- 95, basking 94- 100, under her hide is to 84 to 86. I think that may be to hot for her hide? All these numbers go up and down according to her humidity. I just want to get her temps right. Her humidity is much improved with the Orchid substrate. I have high anxiety...Also her hide should be 80% humidity? Just checked her hide, it's 78%.. :)
 

Tom

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Ok, I just did a temp check.
Humidity 60 to 78, ambient temp 90- 95, basking 94- 100, under her hide is to 84 to 86. I think that may be to hot for her hide? All these numbers go up and down according to her humidity. I just want to get her temps right. Her humidity is much improved with the Orchid substrate. I have high anxiety...Also her hide should be 80% humidity? Just checked her hide, it's 78%.. :)
Those temps are great for day time, and the whole thing should drop down to 80-ish at night. Keep up the daily soaks.
 

Myakoda

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Those temps are great for day time, and the whole thing should drop down to 80-ish at night. Keep up the daily soaks.
Awesome! So
Those temps are great for day time, and the whole thing should drop down to 80-ish at night. Keep up the daily soaks.
Ok, so at night with her ceramic heater on, it's about 80. It varys a little. Her hide is nicely humid. So all, her hide and enclosure at night should be 80? Also her hide day temp acorrding to the drop down thermo cup is about 86 degrees. ? ? I want it as close to perfect as I can get it. I worry, she'll get to hot, or not warm enough, then get a respiratory infection. I know, OCD.
 

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Awesome! So

Ok, so at night with her ceramic heater on, it's about 80. It varys a little. Her hide is nicely humid. So all, her hide and enclosure at night should be 80? Also her hide day temp acorrding to the drop down thermo cup is about 86 degrees. ? ? I want it as close to perfect as I can get it. I worry, she'll get to hot, or not warm enough, then get a respiratory infection. I know, OCD.
Anywhere between 80 and 90 is fine for the hide during the day.
 

Myakoda

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Anywhere between 80 and 90 is fine for the hide during the day.
I'm sorry. In her whole enclosure, or her hide for day? And the highest day, and lowest for night in the safe zone would be? Thank you Tom, you're so much help. I need to make sure I have this correct. :) Especially with the new humidity levels.
 

Tom

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I'm sorry. In her whole enclosure, or her hide for day? And the highest day, and lowest for night in the safe zone would be? Thank you Tom, you're so much help. I need to make sure I have this correct. :) Especially with the new humidity levels.
Ambient in the whole enclosure, which would include the inside of the hide can be 80-95. Any where in that range is fine. Most people maintain it around 80-ish, and that works. In my reptile room, ambient temps climb into the 90s on a hot summer day, and I run thermostats on the basking bulbs to shut them off at 95. The babies thrive at any time of the year under any of these temperature regimes.

To put extremes on it, I wouldn't want to go below 80 or above 96. If it drops to 77 one night, or climbs to 98 one day, the tortoise isn't going to die. Those examples would just be outside what I believe is the optimal range.
 

Myakoda

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Ambient in the whole enclosure, which would include the inside of the hide can be 80-95. Any where in that range is fine. Most people maintain it around 80-ish, and that works. In my reptile room, ambient temps climb into the 90s on a hot summer day, and I run thermostats on the basking bulbs to shut them off at 95. The babies thrive at any time of the year under any of these temperature regimes.

To put extremes on it, I wouldn't want to go below 80 or above 96. If it drops to 77 one night, or climbs to 98 one day, the tortoise isn't going to die. Those examples would just be outside what I believe is the optimal range.
Thank you so much Tom. :)
 

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