Humidity

[Dr22]

Hey all

Im getting a CB23 horsefield in a couple of weeks, I'm just finalising their enclosure now. There is all sorts of conflicting info out there about what sort of humidity levels they need and I thought I'd ask here to try and nail down some figures.

Thanks in advance for any advice
Hayley

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello! For hatchlings humidity around 80% or higher is recommended to avoid pyramiding. For adult 60% is sufficient.

You can check this care sheet for generic setup and housing questions:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Dr22]

Hello! For hatchlings humidity around 80% or higher is recommended to avoid pyramiding. For adult 60% is sufficient.

You can check this care sheet for generic setup and housing questions:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Oh god I’d have been way off. I was seeing 30-50max. I’ve been researching them for months and feel like that just calls everything into question now 😩
Thanks so much

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Don't worry, two weeks is enough to fix anything that is off.

You can post some photos and details on what you have know and we'll try to help with arranging things and not redoing the whole enclosure from scratch.

 

[Dr22]

Don't worry, two weeks is enough to fix anything that is off.

You can post some photos and details on what you have know and we'll try to help with arranging things and not redoing the whole enclosure from scratch.

I really appreciate that, thank you

 

[wellington]

Oh god I’d have been way off. I was seeing 30-50max. I’ve been researching them for months and feel like that just calls everything into question now 😩
Thanks so much

30-50 is fine for an adult, doesn't need to be 60 but that's fine too. However, hatchlings need it higher, 80%. A closed chamber not a table is the best enclosure for hatchlings. When it's an adult, it will need a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure.

 

[Tom]

Oh god I’d have been way off. I was seeing 30-50max. I’ve been researching them for months and feel like that just calls everything into question now 😩
Thanks so much

Almost everything you find on this species will be wrong. Pet shops, breeders, vets, YT, FB... all parroting the same decades old wrong info that they all learned from the same wrong sources that we all learned from. Myself included. It took decades of trial and error to figure out what was right or wrong and why.

Understand that the breeder will tell you how long they've been doing this and that you can't believe anything on the internet and that our info is "rubbish". I speculate that he or she will say "rubbish" because of where you are. HA! That makes me chuckle. Our info is based on more than a decade of side-by-side growth comparisons and trying different methods to see what works best and what doesn't. In my career I work with a lot of vets who see the problems first hand. Don't use that Pets At Home substrate with the sand and limestone bits in it. Don't use beech chips and any other dry substrate. Babies need more humidity than what adults can survive with. Don't use any sand or soil. Neither are safe.

You are lucky you found us early BEFORE the damage was done.

More explanation here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions and conversation are welcome. We are all here to talk tortoises.

 

[Dr22]

Almost everything you find on this species will be wrong. Pet shops, breeders, vets, YT, FB... all parroting the same decades old wrong info that they all learned from the same wrong sources that we all learned from. Myself included. It took decades of trial and error to figure out what was right or wrong and why.

Understand that the breeder will tell you how long they've been doing this and that you can't believe anything on the internet and that our info is "rubbish". I speculate that he or she will say "rubbish" because of where you are. HA! That makes me chuckle. Our info is based on more than a decade of side-by-side growth comparisons and trying different methods to see what works best and what doesn't. In my career I work with a lot of vets who see the problems first hand. Don't use that Pets At Home substrate with the sand and limestone bits in it. Don't use beech chips and any other dry substrate. Babies need more humidity than what adults can survive with. Don't use any sand or soil. Neither are safe.

You are lucky you found us early BEFORE the damage was done.

More explanation here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions and conversation are welcome. We are all here to talk tortoises.

Thanks. I’ve got newts so I’m well versed on the rubbish people who have something to sell are likely to spout. And for my cats actually, I’m practically an mature feline nutritionist at this point 😅 I knew I wanted to double check with people who actually knew before hand, it was the humidity thing in particular that was totally throwing me!

 

[Tom]

Thanks. I’ve got newts so I’m well versed on the rubbish people who have something to sell are likely to spout. And for my cats actually, I’m practically an mature feline nutritionist at this point 😅 I knew I wanted to double check with people who actually knew before hand, it was the humidity thing in particular that was totally throwing me!

The humidity thing is just the tip of that large iceberg. Pet shops will sell you ineffective and sometimes dangerous stuff, like the wrong bulbs and that awful substrate I mentioned. Whoever thought it was a good idea to encourage a tortoise to eat sandy substrate to satisfy its calcium cravings should be smacked upside the head. The people who promote is and sell it daily would likely fare poorly on an IQ test. It just makes no sense.

 

[Dr22]

The humidity thing is just the tip of that large iceberg. Pet shops will sell you ineffective and sometimes dangerous stuff, like the wrong bulbs and that awful substrate I mentioned. Whoever thought it was a good idea to encourage a tortoise to eat sandy substrate to satisfy its calcium cravings should be smacked upside the head. The people who promote is and sell it daily would likely fare poorly on an IQ test. It just makes no sense.

Are people microchipping their tortoises?

 

[Tom]

Are people microchipping their tortoises?

Most people over here in the states do not. Some people with some of the higher end species do. I do all of mine.

 

[zolasmum]

Are people microchipping their tortoises?

I think it depends on what sort of environment your tortoise is in - if it is going to be in a fairly open area, where there is any chance it might escape, then do - if it is in an enclosed private area, then it's up to you. I suggest that you take close-up photos of the top and underneath of his shell, keep them in a safe place, and renew them regularly as he grows, so that if he does manage to get lost, you will be able to prove it is him to anyone who finds him.
Angie

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I think it depends on what sort of environment your tortoise is in - if it is going to be in a fairly open area, where there is any chance it might escape, then do - if it is in an enclosed private area, then it's up to you. I suggest that you take close-up photos of the top and underneath of his shell, keep them in a safe place, and renew them regularly as he grows, so that if he does manage to get lost, you will be able to prove it is him to anyone who finds him.
Angie

I do not.
Primarily because I've never needed to. No escapees. No thefts.
But mostly because my neighbors know that if they see one, it's probably mine.
That's why I've had not one. But 2 box turtles dropped into my back yard. (Red heads)

 

[EppsDynasty]

Are people microchipping their tortoises?

I could not imagine micro chipping a smaller species. The micro chip is placed in the neck area and I'M sure it's irritating. Yes I know they'll get used to it, but still irritating. I'm with Tom on the larger ones though.

I do not.
Primarily because I've never needed to. No escapees. No thefts.
But mostly because my neighbors know that if they see one, it's probably mine.
That's why I've had not one. But 2 box turtles dropped into my back yard. (Red heads)

I'm with you I do not either. Double fencing for EVERY enclosure and thieves don't exist on my property, long enough at least to steal a tort.

 

[Tom]

I could not imagine micro chipping a smaller species. The micro chip is placed in the neck area and I'M sure it's irritating. Yes I know they'll get used to it, but still irritating. I'm with Tom on the larger ones though.

Back left leg. I’ve never done the neck.

 

[EppsDynasty]

Back left leg. I’ve never done the neck.

O ... When we took Jo Jo to the Vet thats where she told us. The leg would be far less irritating I believe. Might even be something I'm interested in.

 

[zolasmum]

O ... When we took Jo Jo to the Vet thats where she told us. The leg would be far less irritating I believe. Might even be something I'm interested in.

We have never seriously considered microchipping Zola,, as he is invariably with one or both of us when he is outside, and I imagine Jo Jo will be similarly guarded !
Angie