Home's and humidity

[getzburg]

Hi all! After living in a series of tubs until more permanent digs could be arranged, Stanley is now in a 40 gallon (36" x 18") critter tank with a Repti Fogger for humidity. Now that I don't have to worry about keeping him humid, of course, I'm worried about shell rot. Is it okay for it to be constantly misty in there, or should it be intermittent? He's on cypress mulch that's damp but never soggy.

Also, he has a pair of chinks in his armor on either flank that look like this:

He's about 4.5" now and they're in the same spot on either side so I'm guessing they're the beginnings of the carapace hinge. Is this a safe assumption?

Also, I don't know if I ever introduced my more recent acquisition, a heosemys grandis named Skip:

 

[Yvonne G]

I think the damage to his shell is from a dog chewing on him.

Little Skip is so cute!!

 

[Scooter]

If you are referring to the spots by his back legs, I agree it is the start of his hinge.

Skip is s cutie!

 

[Jacqui]

The area before the back leg is hinge, but behind it is and on the edge is some kind of other damage. Hard to tell what, Yvonne could be right on dog with it.

I would want to allow some time for him to be able to dry out, if it were my tortoise. In nature the levels would change during the day and certainly over the season.