Humid Hide, RT hatchling

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tortoisenerd

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Hi again! I've been keeping my hatchling on drier substrate and realize he needs humidity for his health. I have his large water dish in there, a potted wheatgrass plant, and have been trying out humid hides.

First I taped a wet (but not dripping) sponge to a clear plastic tupperware with the side cut out on one end, and placed the hide near where my little guy hangs out, in the warm area of his enclosure, which is in the middle since it's a long habitat. I placed a little bit of aspen shavings in it, and introduced him to it by placing him in front of it so he's know it was there. Didn't expect him to go in it right away, but he didn't touch it in over a day (we've been home as we've been snowed in!).

Next I thought he might not like that it is sort of clear (his favorite hide is a cardboard box, and he's not yet interested in his half-log). Made a cardboard box identical to his favorite. Placed it about as equally away from the heat as his favorite one is.

If he doesn't go in it does that mean her doesn't need it?
 

egyptiandan

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If you want to give him a humid hide, just replace his favorite one with a humid hide. :)

Danny
 

tortoisenerd

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Haha. I'm trying to give him hides in each temperature gradient because my vet said he was staying in the hide in the cool area because that was his only one for awhile.

Funny thing--as soon as I posted this he went in the humid one! It also had the aspen in it as opposed to the timothy in his other one, so I'm pleased. I think at his next substrate change (fresh newspaper right now even though he has quite a few areas that are not newspaper), I'll have to add more aspen. I got my temp gun today and saw they are actually the same temperature inside.

Is the humidity supposed to be a certain percentage in the humid hide, or just a significant increase from the rest of his habitat?

Thanks for pointing out what now sounds obvious--I guess I was over-thinking this one. ;)
 

tortoisenerd

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Now that he has aspen substrate he's just been digging in it to bury himself to map and sleep (under the light usually). Any other suggestions to make sure he gets enough humidity? Haven't seen him in the hide for days. We have high relative humidity in Washington but in our house it's been in the 20% or so range with the heat on. Is a humidifier overkill for a russian tortoise (I know other species require much more humid environments)?

I'm not a fan of the smell of moss, and have heard that I can't spray the aspen shavings due to mold.

Thanks for the tip on the aspen because we both love it! Trevor has been digging away in it. Found an awesome deal for a 6 cubic foot bag of aspen shavings ($20) so I'll stock up soon.
 

Meg90

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Glad the aspen is working...I would say just make him a humid hide. See if you can find a half log and a mini glue gun. :p then no humidifier necessary!

You should take some pics of him enjoying the aspen. Babies are so cute
 

tortoisenerd

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I have the humid hide (cardboard box and sponge as he already liked the box more than his log). He used to go in it until I got the aspen put down for the entire enclosure and now he just digs under the aspen and hay and doesn't go in the hide anymore. The issue is he's not using it and I want to get him into a humid environment to prevent pyramiding.

I recently learned he sleeps with his head out and sideways. I'll have to get a picture sometime when I don't think it will disturb his slumber!
 

twtraudio

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What you could do is use eco-earth and play sand or orgnic soil mix as bedding (50/50 mix) and add warm water mix it around when it dries out and than he can really burrow and get good humidity.
 

tortoisenerd

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Long story but we've already switched from eco earth & sand and want to avoid that for many reasons.
 

Meg90

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What is your humidity level at right now?

The first time Nigel did that "look mom, i'm dead" pose, my BF freaked out. He had to reach in and touch him before he even called me to tell me about it. He thought he'd died, and didn't want to upset me LOLOLOL.

Sometimes Nigel will do it with his little head resting on a rock. its adorable...I dunno about Trevor, but when Nigel sleeps, I could rearrange his whole enclosure...and so long as I didn't touch him, he would continue to sleep.
 

tortoisenerd

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In the enclosure it's around 20%. I think the hide can get up into the high 30s (but again he's not going in there). We may be able to get the humidity up once he has the CHE and we can turn the house heat down (it's drying out the air a lot). When we don't have the heat on, most of the year, the ambient humidity will be much better in the house.

Trevor sleeps really soundly. I agree that he probably can't hear, but he can feel vibration--if I slam a drawer in the cabinet he's on top of he'll stir a little bit. I'm waking up early tomorrow to watch him because today I slept past his active hours. oops
 

Meg90

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Do you have any plants in the house? They help with humidity. I'm lucky I guess, because I have old style radiators that work on hot water (so its like, gas to run the water heater but thats it) but anyways, because its water heat, my humidity stays around 50% and 40% in the hot side of his enclosure...

Would soakings help take the place of humidity levels? (i'm not suggesting that Kate do that, if its a bad idea, just curious.)

You could put some plants in his enclosure, real or fake, and mist them daily to help keep levels up. I do that for my BPs when they start to shed.
 

tortoisenerd

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I have a wheatgrass plant in his enclosure and currently a pot of dirt lol with dandelion seeds that I've been watering and they haven't sprouted. No other plants as I don't have a green thumb at all. Maybe I should get a more accurate gage because it's the type that you have to let sit awhile and the dial moves slowly (I haven't mounted it anywhere as I want to measure at the substrate level in different locations). Without the heat running my house humidity used to be 60-70%...so maybe once Winter leaves I won't be worrying about this. Here it's only cold enough to use heat maybe 3-4 months of the year.

I am already soaking him about every other day as I've read that is good for hatchlings. He seems to tolerate it well, and I think he's generally well-hydrated as he's peeing a few times a week (also heard they won't pee unless they can replenish). I haven't seen him go into his water except one time (no shavings have gotten flung in there yet). I just don't want to worry about his shell growing properly (pyramiding).

I have room for another plant so maybe I'll look for one and can mist it (I have a spray bottle already from the coconut fiber substrate times). At his size I probably don't even have to worry too much if it's a "safe" plant or not as he won't be able to reach it up in a pot. I could just look that up for reference when I get home (I don't want to go into the store with a huge printed off list!).

Or, maybe since I've posted this now Trevor will decide to go in the humid hide...things like that tend to happen for me (as soon as I post about a problem it'll no longer be ab issue).
 

tortoisenerd

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I ordered Trevor a plastic igloo off Ebay (haven't found the correct size at stores near my house and don't feel like driving around)--hopefully that will be more appealing, and actually keep in the humidity better than the open-sided cardboard box. It already shipped so hopefully it'll get set up soon for him. I want to drill a hole in the top and attach the sponge with a screw because the duck tape is a pain.

Oh, and my fiance said he was in the hide this morning, before I was awake! He also got up and ate (he loves dandelion greens and I do too) and peed before I was awake. Did catch a viewing of his poo today when he went back for lunch. Thankfully I cleaned it up right away as he started to look like he wanted to eat it. grrr that's gross
 

tortoisenerd

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Good news: with the CHE we were able to turn the heat off in our house (woohoo!), so the humidity in his enclosure got up to 20% (40% in the humid hide and I expect that to go up with the plastic igloo versus the open cardboard box he has now). Trevor was nice and toasty last night with the CHE (I kept him over 70 all night in his humid hide box as he's more active with that increase in heat). During the day, he mostly chills in the area in the 80s by his light, and basks in the upper 90s. I only got a 100 watt CHE and so far I think it's ok to keep on 24/7, as it never got too hot for him at the distance it's placed (I have a temp gun)--it's away from the Mega Ray bulb enough that the gradients don't overlap too much. Didn't even end up needing the thermostat.

As far as safety with the CHE, is there anything I should be doing besides making sure he can't get to the bulb (it has a metal cage around it for both of our safety), and making sure the clamp is secure to the wood of his table? I have seen some people use two clamps but with the fixture I got I don't even have enough arm strength to undo the clamp! No substrate or cage furnishings can come in contact with it, but we're still a little worried with it as we've never used one. Thoughts anyone? Thanks.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Hi, I won't ask why you changed out from the eco earth but I will ask why are you so concerned with pyramiding? We are talking about a Russian tortoise aren't we? It seems to me (and I say this with most love) that you are really concerned about something that is not likely to happen. He isn't a Sulcata or a Gopherus agassizii who pyramid easily, and to my knowledge Russians pretty much don't pyramid. I said pretty much...not never. I keep a moist substrate for my Russian and I keep her in a habitat that is suitable for a tortoise. You obviously care enough about him to be worried about pyramiding, yet (IMHO) you are keeping him in a tank that was made for fish and not tortoises. You can't regulate the air flow, you can't create a cool side and a hot side. You can have a hot side and a mediocre side. There are glass tanks made for reptiles that are square with low sides, called a vivarium.
Your tank is pretty to look at, but I don't think it's the best thing for a tortoise
 

Meg90

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Maggie, I think you are getting your threads crossed.

Kate is keeping Trevor in a home built tortoise table, just like she is supposed to. I have reread this thread twice now, and I don't think that I am mistaken.

I don't know where you got that she is keeping him in an aquarium.

I've also seen a russian tortoise in a thread on here, not too long ago that had pretty advanced pyramiding. Kate just wants to do right by her baby.
His enclosure is large, and her house was being kept warmer to keep HIM warmer.....that is why the humidity is low.
 

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Meg90 said:
Maggie, I think you are getting your threads crossed.

I always knew she had a loose screw, but crossed threads too?? LOL!

Yvonne
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Meg90 said:
Maggie, I think you are getting your threads crossed.

Kate is keeping Trevor in a home built tortoise table, just like she is supposed to. I have reread this thread twice now, and I don't think that I am mistaken.

I don't know where you got that she is keeping him in an aquarium.

I've also seen a russian tortoise in a thread on here, not too long ago that had pretty advanced pyramiding. Kate just wants to do right by her baby.
His enclosure is large, and her house was being kept warmer to keep HIM warmer.....that is why the humidity is low.

You are absolutely correct and I apologize...

I have spent some time this morning looking at all the posts looking for the post that had a Russian tortoise kept in an aquarium...and I sure can't find it. I really did get my threads crossed and I sincerely apologize to Kate and Trevor and I hope you will accept my apology and understand that I had the tortoises best interests in mind even if I can't find it now...I am very embarrassed...
 

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maggie3fan said:
I sincerely apologize to Kate and Trevor and I hope you will accept my apology and understand that I had the tortoises best interests in mind even if I can't find it now...I am very embarrassed...

No need for embarrassment. I'm sure Kate understands your intent was honorable! I think what you are remembering is the post about the little Russian being kept in an aquarium with the little sulcata, and the Russian was showing signs of bad pyramiding. I couldn't find it either, but no, you're not losing what few marbles you have left!

Yvonne
 
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