Humidity

[Mserratore]

I'm a new african tortoise owner. I have two, both about 9 months old. I have had them for about a month. They are living in a 4 by 4 tortoise table. I was told to keep one side moist with wet sphagnum moss with the uv bulb above in order to create humidity. Today I put the tortoises to my ear to listen to their breathing and I could hear a slight popping sound. They eat and poop fine but I am worried that I am creating too much humidity, thus causing a respiratory infection. It has been hot and humid here for about a week....the cool side is between 75 and 80 and under the basking light it is 90-95. Any suggestions?

 

[wellington]

The temps should be no lower the pm 80 with humidity at 80 and basking of 95+. I stated in your other thread about reading Toms threads at the bottom of my post.

 

[Mserratore]

Hi. I have read his posts so thanks. I got my tortoises from Alabama and the woman who breeds them said that she keeps them at 75 degrees at night. The vet also said the basking should only be at 90 degrees.... It is hard to know what to do when there is so much conflicting info. Thank you!!

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I will raise the heat.

 

[Tom]

Your will have to pick who you want to listen to, and then stick with it. Does your vet have lots of smooth healthy leopard tortoises to show you how well his methods work? Does your breeder? I do.

Are both of your tortoises leopards? Are they living as a pair? his can be quite stressful for them and the chronic stress can hamper the immune system.

 

[Mserratore]

Hello. Yes the breeder has many healthy tortoises. Her name is Vicky and she is in Alabama. Neither she nor the vet said anything about it being stressful for them to live together. I will speak to them both about that. They lived together for 8 months price to coming to me. The vet is well respected in the area and has raised many Leopard tortoises. And yes both of the tortoises are Leopards.

 

[Jd3]

Hello. Yes the breeder has many healthy tortoises. Her name is Vicky and she is in Alabama. Neither she nor the vet said anything about it being stressful for them to live together. I will speak to them both about that. They lived together for 8 months price to coming to me. The vet is well respected in the area and has raised many Leopard tortoises. And yes both of the tortoises are Leopards.

Perhaps you're missing this.

Your breeder had one goal. To sell you something.

If you aren't interested in taking the advice of the forum you might as well not ask... It can't be stated much clearer than it has been.

Hot/humid good. Cool/humid bad.

Two torts together = recipe for failure.

Take the word of a vet who has kept perhaps a few torts. Or take the word of people who have kept hundreds. Vets are required to "know" about all animals to license. However very, very few are actually exotics vets and even less have current experience and knowledge on reptiles or torts.

If you want advice from a 10 year old book, just buy it yourself. Otherwise most vets really only offer the most basic of knowledge....

You're call.

 

[Mserratore]

Thank you. I never said I was not taking the advice of the Forum. The environment is hot and humid. There is no reason to assume the woman I got the tortoises from is just trying to sell something. She has spent much time on the phone with me. It seems that even on this forum there is conflicting opinions. And there are also breeders on this forum. There is no reason for you to be so aggressive. You are right. I will not use the forum anymore.

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And yes the vet is a certified exotic vet who is actually recommended on this site. To assume he got is information from a 10 year old book is presumptuous. The woman I bought the babies from has hundred of tortoises and is well respected as well. My post before Tom's indicated that I raised the heat. I will simply use the forum to read others posts but will not ask any more questions. Take care.