Humidity question (Pics too)

[Cherbear]

I'm having some problems trying to keep my humidity up with my redfoots, even though I spray them and the enclosure throughout the day. It's really cold here right now so the furnace runs pretty much nonstop and it makes it really dry in the house. I can't hardly get it to go higher than 50%. Would something like this help or is this more for lizards or something?

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog.../pet-tech-magnatural-reptile-dripper-granite/

Or would I need to buy one of those fogger type things? Here is a pic of them. One of them has almost no red on his legs at all. They were petsmart buys and I bought the one with color first. Then when I went back to purchase a second one they had colorful ones to chose from, but I just had to have the one with almost no color. Just looked different I guess. He also has the cutest bit of color on the tip of his nose. They both have a bit of pyrimiding already so I don't want it to continue. Male or Female?

The one with color:

The one not colorful:

No, I haven't named them yet. I have a hard time naming something I don't know the sex of.

 

[LindaF]

what type of enclosure do you have? Is it a tank or open bin/tortoise table. You can try covering with plexiglas. I too have struggled with humidity. I have a tortoise table made out of a bookshelf. I tried covering half with Plexiglas but it really didn't help. Yesterday I found a cheap and simple solution. I was able to cover the table with an odorless, clear, chlorine free shower curtain liner. Now it is like a mini greenhouse. Since heat is trapped in I've been able to turn off one of the heat lamps I was using. Now temps are up, and simple spraying does the trick. It isn't the prettiest solution, but it works.

 

[Jessicap]

Hi
I live in Wi and have a rf so know what you are talking about. I keep Sidney (Sex Isn't Determined Not Evident Yet) in a 55 gal long tank with one end covered with plywood and the other covered as much as possible around the lights. i also put in a couple live plants and installed a drip system over one of the plants. I mist about 3 - 4 times a day and by keeping it covered can maintain around 60% You don't need to go out and buy an expensive drip system though - very easy to make! just need an adjuster valve, hose, hose linking piece and a clean empty plastic container. Drill small hole in side bottom of container just big enough to put hose adapter through, attach small piece of hose then the adjuster valve with longer piece of hose that leads to inside of cage. drill small hole in lid of container. fill with warm water and adjust drip to desired speed. I place mine over a plant to help with evaporation. An air rater in his water dish may help also - anything that will keep the water moving, allowing for evaporation.

I have plans for larger enclosure and have purchased a turtle waterfall to place in the water dish to help create more humidity, along with LOTS of living plants.

 

[Cherbear]

They are in a 75 gallon tank with screen lid right now. The plexiglass seems like a good idea. I think my husband may have some in the garage, if not I know where to get some. I just recently put them in this new tank and I was able to put my heat source inside the tank which did make the over all air temp warmer and they have been much more active and not hiding so much. I do have one plant in there as well. When you say air rater, do you mean those stone like things that are in fish tanks? That's something I never thought of.

Also, they're only about 4 inches. Are they too young to sex? Thanks!

 

[Marty333]

They are both females IMO. Congrats! Most of the redfoots at petsmart are female.

 

[Cherbear]

Oh good Marty, I hope your right. They should hopefully always get along. (fingers crossed). I didn't know petsmart sold mostly females.

 

[Marty333]

When I go to any petsmart they all look female. The sex might change in a few years you never know.

 

[Jessicap]

They are in a 75 gallon tank with screen lid right now. The plexiglass seems like a good idea. I think my husband may have some in the garage, if not I know where to get some. I just recently put them in this new tank and I was able to put my heat source inside the tank which did make the over all air temp warmer and they have been much more active and not hiding so much. I do have one plant in there as well. When you say air rater, do you mean those stone like things that are in fish tanks? That's something I never thought of.

Also, they're only about 4 inches. Are they too young to sex? Thanks!

Yes that is what I meant. Just something to get the water moving to create more contact with the air. Waterfalls, bubbles, more water surface... all work to help create evaporation causing more humidity in the air.

 

[Madkins007]

In my struggles for humidity here in Omaha, the best option I have found for me is to use heating cables (http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes) under cypress mulch. I 'water' the mulch with a pitcher full of warm water every morning (roughly) and I usually have humidity high enough to cause condensation. I do mist the plants and food as well.

You may also want to focus on a humid hide, add some plants, etc. instead. There are some other ideas in the Tortoise Library in my signature below.

 

[swimqt]

If I were you, I would get that shower curtain like the previous poster mentioned. Cut it up and tape it to the inside of the screen lid. That way less water and heat gets out and you'll still be able to use the top and the curtain wouldn't even be visible.

Also, placing a few more plants will help a lot! Can you use moss in the cage too? They sell moss on reptile sites for cheap and it helps with humidity immensely.

 

[Cherbear]

I gathered up some lids from totes and put them on top just to see what would happen and sure enough the humidity gages have gone up. I'll get something more perminent up there. I do have moss inside the half log.

Do you use the heating cables under the whole enclosure or just half?

 

[terryo]

I use clear wrapping tape to cover most of the screen top. Lots of plants. I love the little black RF. They are two very nice looking torts.

 

[oscar]

I have two fish tank set up for baby and small red foot. I have been able to keep humidity pretty stable at around 80 percent. I have sphagnum moss as substrate, a ceramic heat emitter that sits on the top of tank controlled by a johnson control A419 which has a probe that is in the tank. Also I have a zoo med under tank heater which is attached under tank under there hide connected to a rheostat set to 80 degrees. 1/2 inch thick Styrofoam is under the tank and on sides of tank 4 inches tall which helps me keep the temperature more stable and keeps red foots from seeing out of tank and trying to walk through glass. most important is my top which covers almost the whole top of tank and gauge that lets me know what the humidity actually is so I know when I have to spray the enclosure. I will take some pictures and post them

 

[heyprettyrave]

ive had a lot of trouble with humidity too, i got a waterfall and that seemed to help a lot! then i added water to the bottom layers, making it real damp but not soaking (that helped a lot) ofcourse you have to make sure you do it enough.... maybe you could try some more plants too

 

[Madkins007]

I gathered up some lids from totes and put them on top just to see what would happen and sure enough the humidity gages have gone up. I'll get something more perminent up there. I do have moss inside the half log.

Do you use the heating cables under the whole enclosure or just half?

I'm using the cables under about 3/4ths of the habitat. How much heat you get depends on how closely spaced they are. As per the directions, I zip-tied mine to a hardware cloth grid to keep everything lined up.

 

[Cherbear]

I had plexiglass cut just to fit on half of the tank. Looks really nice, you wouldn't even know it was there. That's helped a lot. I'm going to add a couple more plants and try one of you guys other ideas, I just haven't decided yet which one. Thanks for all the ideas!!

 

[tortoises101]

You could also cover half the tank with a piece of cardboard or aluminum foil as well. A good moisture retaining additive is leaf litter; just spray it down everyday and you'll see how much it helps with humidity. Just another question: are you using a heat lamp? Not saying that heat lamps are bad for redfoots, just saying that they're prone to decreasing the humidity in a tropical tort tank. A ceramic heat emitter alone along with a UVB tube is less dehydrating.

 

[Cherbear]

Yes, I'm using a CHE for the heat source and the tube type light for UVB.