Humid hide temperature

[Swanniejack]

Hi, I'm looking for advice on my humid hide temperature for my 3 year old leopard, I can't seem to raise the temperature high enough in it, it's currently at 73f with hot end at 88f I'm using fine orchid bark with basking light and CHE both at the hot end, for day and night heating.

Should I move my CHE to cool end over humid hide??

Thanks

 

[Blackdog1714]

Hi, I'm looking for advice on my humid hide temperature for my 3 year old leopard, I can't seem to raise the temperature high enough in it, it's currently at 73f with hot end at 88f I'm using fine orchid bark with basking light and CHE both at the hot end, for day and night heating.

Should I move my CHE to cool end over humid hide??

Thanks

can you add pictures of your enclosure so we may more educated suggestions?

 

[Swanniejack]

Photos of Closed chamber ??

 

[Blackdog1714]

I would add a second CHE in the end with the hide. Use a 50-75 watt CHE on thermostat controller and I think it would only cycle on a few times per hour at most to boost your temp to the 80's

 

[Swanniejack]

Ok, thanks for that, so moving the CHE to the otherside and maybe upgrading basking lamp to 100w can't be done? leaving just the basking light at one end? CHE would heat through the night then also?

 

[Blackdog1714]

With both CHE's on thermostats it will allow for control when the basking light is on so it doesn't get to hot. Then when the basking is off they can individually regulate. I have a 3'x11' enclosure with one 150 watt CHE at the warm end and a 120 watt Radiant Heat Panel on the hide end. My temps are 87 in the CHE end and 82 in the hide. Honestly the RHP is the best and easiest choice for your hide end. The problem is finding one now. You would only need a 40 watt RHP to do the trick.

 

[Swanniejack]

Ok, that's great and thanks for your sound advice, like you said getting a RHP is a nightmare, especially living in UK, I will put an additional CHE in over humid hide. Thanks again

 

[Tom]

Ok, that's great and thanks for your sound advice, like you said getting a RHP is a nightmare, especially living in UK, I will put an additional CHE in over humid hide. Thanks again

Two CHEs, both controlled by a single thermostat, should solve your problem.

 

[Swanniejack]

Two CHEs, both controlled by a single thermostat, should solve your problem.

Ok, but having them both off one stat, wouldn't that turn off the humid hide end CHE once hot end gets upto temperature? Also wouldn't have a hot and cooler end as such then would I?

 

[Tom]

Ok, but having them both off one stat, wouldn't that turn off the humid hide end CHE once hot end gets upto temperature? Also wouldn't have a hot and cooler end as such then would I?

CHEs are to maintain ambient temp. In some enclosures, like yours, more than one is needed to spread out the heat. The two CHEs should be able to maintain the correct ambient temperature of 80 all over the entire enclosure if you run them both off of the same thermostat and place the probe in the coolest area away from any heat source.

Your basking bulb, set on a timer, will create a warmer area to one side, and give your tortoise that gradient.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like leopards.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

 

[Swanniejack]

That's great and makes complete sense to me now, thanks again for such great advice