Humidity question

[NinjaTortoises]

Hi tort lovers, I have a question regarding on how to distribute the humidity, I bought zoo med moss and i placed it under a plastic hide with a large entrance for my tortoises, they go in there for awhile, it is 80 percent humid in there and drops to 60, but then it gets too cold and wet in there and my torts go out and hang out under the heat source, how do i make it so that my torts stay humid and they dont get cold, and how do i make it so that the moss doesnt dry up if i leave the heat bulb near it? thanks, i hope i put everything so you could understand it, its pretty hard to even form a question on this without confusing myself on what i am trying to ask you lol

fyi i read toms humidity and pyramiding guides, i just dont know how the little torts can stay in the cold humid part without freezing at night or getting sick

thanks in advance guys

 

[ascott]

You may be able to get a lower wattage heat bulb or Ceramic heat emitter and position it to include their humid hide without it being dried out too quickly....that is all I have.....others will offer their awesome advise...hang in there...

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Tortoises can't be cold and humid at the same time or they will get sicks , your absolutely right about that. It needs to be at least 80 degrees every where in the enclosure to keep them from getting sick.
You can use a substrate heat cable, or a heat matt and put it on the bottom of the humid hide to keep it really warm and humid.
CHE emitters are the best heat source for keeping humidity levels up, thats all I use. Substrate heat cables and heat matts also work too

 

[Tom]

You need to heat the entire enclosure to 80 degrees. Then no part can get too cold. Covering the top as much as possible will help to hold in heat and humidity. If your humid hide is drying out that fast I suspect it has too big of an opening or too small a volume. Can you post a pic? My humid hides never dry out in an 80-85 degree room. I only check them once every week or two, and only add water to them every month or two. I use CHEs on a thermostat to accomplish this. The CHEs are "on duty" 24/7 and the thermostat kicks them on or off as needed for temps. Then I set up a heat lamp on a 12-13 hour timer to give them a 100 degree basking spot that they are free to use or avoid all day long. The heat lamp tends to warm it up on that side a bit over ambient and the CHE's rarely come on while the heat lamp is lit. This all works better in a closed environment. The more open your top is the harder it will be.

 

[NinjaTortoises]

Thanks for all your guys input

hiya Tom, great to here from a pro, here are the images as requested, take it easy on me lol, i probably am doing a lot wrong lol

they are around 4 months old now

 

[NinjaTortoises]

You need to heat the entire enclosure to 80 degrees. Then no part can get too cold. Covering the top as much as possible will help to hold in heat and humidity. If your humid hide is drying out that fast I suspect it has too big of an opening or too small a volume. Can you post a pic? My humid hides never dry out in an 80-85 degree room. I only check them once every week or two, and only add water to them every month or two. I use CHEs on a thermostat to accomplish this. The CHEs are "on duty" 24/7 and the thermostat kicks them on or off as needed for temps. Then I set up a heat lamp on a 12-13 hour timer to give them a 100 degree basking spot that they are free to use or avoid all day long. The heat lamp tends to warm it up on that side a bit over ambient and the CHE's rarely come on while the heat lamp is lit. This all works better in a closed environment. The more open your top is the harder it will be.

hey Tom, what do you think i should change in my tortoises housing

 

[Tom]

Sorry. I've been really busy and missed your reply. It looks like you have a nearly perfect enclosure waiting to happen there! Here are my suggestions:
1. Mount your light INSIDE the enclosure. Maybe install a ceramic fixture that is mounted to the ceiling. Mount it over to one side or the other. Then you will have to either play with different wattage bulbs or use a dimmer to get the basking temp right. BTW, you can't use a dimmer with a MVB. Put the light on a timer for 12-13 hours a day.
2. Install another fixture inside the enclosure over the middle. Put in a 60 watt CHE on a thermostat. If a 60 doesn't do it, put in a 100 watt. Your thermostat will keep temps perfect around the clock.
3. Once steps 1 and 2 are completed, SHUT THE DOOR!!! THis will give you a near perfect baby sulcata environment, in my opinion.
4. Go get a $3 terra cotta plant saucer from the hardware store and bury it so its flush with the substrate. It will making drinking and soaking much easier for your tortoises.
5. Is that some sort of hay or straw over on the left? I'd pull that out of there before it molds.
6. Do you feed on some sort of a plate or tray? I would. I don't like them to eat directly off of the substrate if I can help it.
7. Are you using some sort of "red" bulb during the day? I wouldn't. It makes things look funny to them. No, not funny "haha", funny strange. Use a CHE or incandescent bulb during the day.
8. Those dial type thermometers and humidity gauges are not reliable or accurate. I'd chuck them and replace them with a remote probed digital thermometer and a temp gun.

Good luck. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

[NinjaTortoises]

Hey Tom, no problem, i assumed you just missed the reply lol so i had to make sure, i really want to make sure they are as comfortable as possible, thanks a lot for the help, its really appreciated here, to answer some of your questions
to answer #5 yea it is lol i will take it out asap
#6 yea i feed them on a little white plate, just occured to me for some reason, i didnt like them eating off the ground
#7 yea lol i have another bulbe that is incandescent and will use as soon as they come inside again after i take them out for their daily sunlight time haha
#8 oh i didnt know they werent accurate, yea i will buy it, can you give me a link to the most affordable ones that you recommend, i read your thread on humidity but i dont know where you bought them from because i could not find the temp gun and other thing on sale

thanks alot once more, i will do everything you said, if you have any more things you think i should do, let me know, i want to make sure that if im gone for a lot of hours i can count on what i did, just like you did to your enclosure, you only have to check it every one or 2 weeks

thanks

 

[Tom]

You can buy digital thermometers at Walmart, Target or any hardware store. I buy my wireless ones at Lowes for $20. You can get wired ones for around $10 and infrared temp guns sell for around $25 online. Do a google search for PE1. Or check with my friend Tyler at tortoisesupply.com I think he sells them and he's a long term member here too.

 

[Linzbragg]

You may be able to get a lower wattage heat bulb or Ceramic heat emitter and position it to include their humid hide without it being dried out too quickly....that is all I have.....others will offer their awesome advise...hang in there...

I have my heat lighthitting one side of my humid hide (i mist my topsoil substrate often). It's always hot and steamy in there for him bc the light outside warms to the inside. My sully loves it, always digging under his hide a little bit