Humidity

[Audrey27]

I have a baby Herman tortoise and just changed to coco coir but the glass is steamed up a bit in my viv could someone plz tell me why and how do I check what humidity.my tortoise has burrowed into the soil all day and hasn't came out is this natural

 

[JoesMum]

It's steamed up because of the humidity. Do you know what the humidity is? You need a digital hygrometer to measure humidity.

Have we seen photos of your enclosure and lighting to check it over?

How long has your tort been in this enclosure. If it's very new then it's likely your tort is simply afraid at the moment.

 

[wellington]

Humidity is a good thing. But you need to know how high it is and make sure your temps are not low. High humidity and low temps make a sick tort.
Check out the great care sheets under the Hermanns section

 

[Audrey27]

It's steamed up because of the humidity. Do you know what the humidity is? You need a digital hygrometer to measure humidity.

Have we seen photos of your enclosure and lighting to check it over?

How long has your tort been in this enclosure. If it's very new then it's likely your tort is simply afraid at the moment.

I just change to coco coir today so maybe he's just getting used to it

 

[teresaf]

Humidity is usually really good thing. you can't have too high of humidity. Well unless it's raining in there. The problem would be the temperature. When you have high humidity and your temperature is too low tortoises are susceptible to respiratory infections. I don't have a hermann's tortoise. I'm not sure what the temperatures is supposed to be according to the care sheet. Once you figure out what the temperatures are supposed to be. Especially the lowest temperature. Make sure all 4 corners of your enclosure are (at least) that temp. A lot of us on this forum use these thermometer hygrometer off of Amazon or from Lowe's and home Depot. Attached a picture. It's very inexpensive. I have two. I use one at each end of the enclosure. The probes are on cord so you can leave them in the tank without having the mechanism in the tank where all the humidity can play with the numbers. All the Care sheets on this Forum have been updated with the most up-to-date information and techniques tested for the best care by breeders and hobbyists alike. Make sure that your baby tortoise is well-hydrated by soaking him daily in a little waiting pool of warm water. Water should be up to his shoulders or the seam of his shell.

 

[Audrey27]

Humidity is usually really good thing. you can't have too high of humidity. Well unless it's raining in there. The problem would be the temperature. When you have high humidity and your temperature is too low tortoises are susceptible to respiratory infections. I don't have a hermann's tortoise. I'm not sure what the temperatures is supposed to be according to the care sheet. Once you figure out what the temperatures are supposed to be. Especially the lowest temperature. Make sure all 4 corners of your enclosure are (at least) that temp. A lot of us on this forum use these thermometer hygrometer off of Amazon or from Lowe's and home Depot. Attached a picture. It's very inexpensive. I have two. I use one at each end of the enclosure. The probes are on cord so you can leave them in the tank without having the mechanism in the tank where all the humidity can play with the numbers. All the Care sheets on this Forum have been updated with the most up-to-date information and techniques tested for the best care by breeders and hobbyists alike. Make sure that your baby tortoise is well-hydrated by soaking him daily in a little waiting pool of warm water. Water should be up to his shoulders or the seam of his shell.

Does this look right

 

[Tom]

Does this look right

Looks like your basking lamp is heating the bark of the half log hide instead of a flat rock or slate under it.
Looks like you need a food bowl.
Looks like you need to hand pack the coir down.

You can buy a digital hygrometer/thermometer at most hardware stores for about $10.

 

[Audrey27]

Does this look right

is it the right temperature

 

[Audrey27]

Looks like your basking lamp is heating the bark of the half log hide instead of a flat rock or slate under it.
Looks like you need a food bowl.
Looks like you need to hand pack the coir down.

You can buy a digital hygrometer/thermometer at most hardware stores for about $10.

There's is nothing under the log as this is were my tortoise burrows at night to sleep but I will get a feeding dish

 

[enzot91]

I'm not sure I understand that picture, is 25.6 degrees his basking spot? If so, you need to bump that up by around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius.

 

[teresaf]

Looks like your basking lamp is heating the bark of the half log hide instead of a flat rock or slate under it.
Looks like you need a food bowl.
Looks like you need to hand pack the coir down.

You can buy a digital hygrometer/thermometer at most hardware stores for about $10.

I see a digital hygrometer/thermometer in her picture...

 

[Markw84]

I see a digital hygrometer/thermometer in her picture...

As it is being used, that one only give her the temp in the enclosure, not humidity. It does show room temp and room humidity.

 

[teresaf]

Does this look right

What is lighting the stump? If that's your basking spot than it needs to be a flat piece of Rock. I don't know what the temperature of a tortoise that you have is supposed to be have you read the care sheets? I don't know which for a member owns Which type of tortoise but I'll take a stab in the dark and see if @HermanniChris knows? 25 seems too low to me. And it's definitely too low if that's his basking spot. Okay I just looked at the care sheet and it doesn't have a temperature on it. So hopefully somebody who owns a Herman's will chime in here

 

[teresaf]

As it is being used, that one only give her the temp in the enclosure, not humidity. It does show room temp and room humidity.

How can you tell? The probes inside the tank. Do you have that exact brand or something?

 

[Markw84]

How can you tell? The probes inside the tank. Do you have that exact brand or something?

That is how inside / outside digital thermometer/hygrometers are made. The top line reads "IN" and is the temperature and humidity at the unit itself. The bottom reads "OUT" and is the temperature only at the probe. Units that read outside temperature and humidity are more expensive and require a different type of probe. The wired ones are harder to find and seem to go bad rather quickly as they are not made for constant really high humidity. The wireless remote ones are what I prefer, but even those remote units are subject to going bad after a while if humidity is 90% or more for extended periods of time.

 

[teresaf]

That is how inside / outside digital thermometer/hygrometers are made. The top line reads "IN" and is the temperature and humidity at the unit itself. The bottom reads "OUT" and is the temperature only at the probe. Units that read outside temperature and humidity are more expensive and require a different type of probe. The wired ones are harder to find and seem to go bad rather quickly as they are not made for constant really high humidity. The wireless remote ones are what I prefer, but even those remote units are subject to going bad after a while if humidity is 90% or more for extended periods of time.

Yes I see that now. I didn't realize they made those. why wouldn't you want to know the humidity outside too? Silly. These are the ones I have. They work really well and have it failed on me yet I've had them about 2 years.

 

[Markw84]

Yes I see that now. I didn't realize they made those. why wouldn't you want to know the humidity outside too? Silly. These are the ones I have. They work really well and have it failed on me yet I've had them about 2 years.

Yes, those seem to be more reliable with the probe only in the enclosure, and unit itself outside the enclosure.

 

[teresaf]

is it the right temperature

So we still don't have an answer for you. Most tortoises here on forum need minimum of 27C(in corners and under logs) at all times. Basking spot would be 37C. Now, that being said, should someone come along who owns a Herman's ask them.
I've often wondered why we don't have a thread that lists who owns what tortoise to refer to.... That way when the situation comes up and nobody's answering who owns a Herman's we can grab someones attention more readily.