Hide Box Humidity

Max062601

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Manila, Philippines
Hi Everyone.

I recently acquired 2 sulcata
I am keeping in a tortoise table. I live in the Philipines hence I dont have much issue regarding sunlight as my enclosure has access to direct sunlighr. My only challenge is maintaining humidity. I was able to achived 100% humity inside their hide box. But the tortoise choose to be in the warmer and dryer area of the enclosure. Can i "quarantine" them inside the hide during night time so they can benefit from the humidity?

I will aprecaite any feeback
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,750
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Well, you have a bit more problems than only humidity.

The humidity should be being regulated by the torts being in a closed chamber instead of a table. Maintaining the proper temps and humidity in an open table is impossible.

The sunlight that they get is through a window? If so, it is providing light and warmth. But it is not providing the vital UVB, because UVB does not pass through glass. If they are exposed to the sunshine with nothing in between, like glass, plexiglass, screening, then you need to be very careful that they don't overheat. They need to be able to get into shade whenever they want to.

Now the enclosure...tortoises should never be housed in pairs. Each of your torts needs to be in their own enclosure. You'll get by with them together as tiny hatchlings, but as soon as they get a little older one will start bullying the other. They will do things we, as humans, think is cute, like sleeping together, following each other, eating together. They are not being chummy. These are all one tort trying to get the other one out of his territory. As they grow, it gets nasty, with biting and ramming. The one who is being bullied can be seriously injured, and even killed.

So right now, they each need their own closed chamber, and when older, will each need a large yard to walk and roam.

This is our care sheet for sulcatas. Please read it and then come back with questions and concerns. We're happy to explain why we do what we do.


 

Max062601

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Manila, Philippines
Your input on separating my sulcata quite contradicts other information I read about having two or more hatchling and growing them in one enclosure. The breeder where I purchased my sullies have 9 living together in an outdoor enclosures. This includes 2 males. He never had any issue regarding aggresive behavior as his tortoise grew up togerher since they were young.

And maybe you did not get me right. I live in the Philippines. Our country is hot and humid. Normal temps here is around 80 degrees. My tortoise table gets direct morning sunlight from 7am till 2pm in the afternoon without any glass barriers. Temperature in my enclose averages around 80 to 81 degree. So maintaining temp using tortoise table is possible in our country. I only use CHE during the night as the temp drops to about 78 degrees. Because my tortoise has more than enoug sunlight, i only use uvb light during rainy days.

In my tortoise table, i put up a plastic hide box. But the tortoise does not seem interested in getting inside. The read out inside this box is 85degress and 90% humidity. My question is how can get them to use the hide box? Or should I let them deside where they like to stay?
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,750
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
The breeder may be managing 9 together either because of pure luck or a combination of careful planning and luck. You said "2 or more"...the "more "is important. If you had 3 in a large outdoor area, 1 male and 2 females, you might be ok. As long as you have a male:female ratio of at least 1:2, you can add more in a large enough space with sight barriers and lots of hides. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. If your torts are young, you have no way to know what combination you have. These 2 links may help. If you leave them together, please watch for signs of bullying before one of them is injured.

I did see that you are in the Phillipines. That's great that you can afford them direct sunlight. With as much UVB as they get, you wouldn't even need to use UVB on rainy days.

Making them stay in their hides at night is a good idea. When they grow too big and must move outside full time, they should sleep in a heated night box. If you have a cold season at all, the night box should never drop below 80°F. Most forum members lock them into their night box each night, and open it up by day, so they can go in and out at will.

So, I believe you should put a door on their hide, put them in each night after dark, and open each morning.

I have linked some info re' night boxes.




 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi Everyone.

I recently acquired 2 sulcata
I am keeping in a tortoise table. I live in the Philipines hence I dont have much issue regarding sunlight as my enclosure has access to direct sunlighr. My only challenge is maintaining humidity. I was able to achived 100% humity inside their hide box. But the tortoise choose to be in the warmer and dryer area of the enclosure. Can i "quarantine" them inside the hide during night time so they can benefit from the humidity?

I will aprecaite any feeback
Outdoors all day in an open table or in an outdoor enclosure is not good for babies. They need to be indoors in controlled conditions. You will not get the growth and results doing it that way that someone doing it inside will get. Many people from your country try to do it the way you are and then they message me when their tortoises are sick and dying. It doesn't work.

Groups can sometimes work. Pairs do NOT work. You need to house them in a closed chamber indoors, and you need to either separate them or get one or two more.
 

Max062601

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Manila, Philippines
The breeder may be managing 9 together either because of pure luck or a combination of careful planning and luck. You said "2 or more"...the "more "is important. If you had 3 in a large outdoor area, 1 male and 2 females, you might be ok. As long as you have a male:female ratio of at least 1:2, you can add more in a large enough space with sight barriers and lots of hides. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. If your torts are young, you have no way to know what combination you have. These 2 links may help. If you leave them together, please watch for signs of bullying before one of them is injured.

I did see that you are in the Phillipines. That's great that you can afford them direct sunlight. With as much UVB as they get, you wouldn't even need to use UVB on rainy days.

Making them stay in their hides at night is a good idea. When they grow too big and must move outside full time, they should sleep in a heated night box. If you have a cold season at all, the night box should never drop below 80°F. Most forum members lock them into their night box each night, and open it up by day, so they can go in and out at will.

So, I believe you should put a door on their hide, put them in each night after dark, and open each morning.

I have linked some info re' night boxes.




 
Top