Humidity/open tort table

[July]

I'm researching different tortoise species to see which will be the
best for me. I have a 4x8 tort table I built in my basement, but the top is open as of now. When I had a red foot, I had to cover it with a plastic sheeting to keep the humidity up. It was a constant battle. Do Marginated need the same level of humidity? I realize a baby wouldn't be in that size enclosure and would need humidity, but what do adults need? The thing that stinks is that these types that need high humidity/covers-you can't observe them easily.

 

[Yvonne G]

When they're babies, yes, but as they get bigger you can cut back on it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Do you have any outside room/yard that you can use?
If so, how about an adult or sub adult tortoise?
Most species would soon outgrow your enclosure.

 

[July]

Yes that area would only be for the winter. My struggle is that I like the medium/large tortoises but live in the north east so trying to find a balance between what I like and what home I can offer. I have a garden area I would secure for warmer weather. I am prepared to give up the idea and foster a few box turtles or something native.

 

[tglazie]

That should work for a single marginated tortoise. What I do with the babies is allow them access to an outdoor run during warm weather, but I always allow them access to an insulated shelter with a plastic flap over the entrance. They soon learn that the insulated, humidified shelter is a safe refuge, and they spend most of their time in there, venturing out to partake of the clover, kidney weed, chickory, plantain, and various items I throw into the enclosure for them. When night falls, I place them into a rubbermaid container with moistened coco coir and allow them to sleep there, covered. When they are indoors for the winter, it is a similar situation. Now, I have a room that I devote to my guys over the winter. It has a three hundred gallon stock tank that I use to keep a group of pink bellied side necks, which keeps the humidity in the seventy five to eighty five percent range, and I don't figure you're quite there with this whole thing, so suffice it to say that an open top enclosure is fine during the day. At night, I would keep the baby covered. And always have an insulated shelter available for a baby. Stability of temperature, high humidity, and enclosed space is something they will seek frequently seek out, but they must also be given access to a good sized area. 2x4 is good for a hatchling, then gradually enlarge the area as the kiddo gets larger. 4x8 can work as a temporary winter quarter. I do this for my marginated tortoises two weeks prior to brumation, as it allows me to monitor their poop more closely than it would outdoors. Besides this, I can control the temps in the reptile room, keeping the tortoises from being exposed to the late autumn heatwaves that inevitably afflict my region.

T.G.