Humidity

[Darwin_T]

Hi all. I was wondering how humid it should be in Darwin's (my Greek tortoise's) enclosure. He is about 10 months old and I do have a humid measuring thing (don't know what their called) so I was wondering what a healthy humidity would be for him
Anything would be great
Thanks

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Darwin_T, because your little Greek is still a baby, I believe it is recommended to also do the hot and humid method and keep it at least 80% or more, and no less ever than 80 degrees ambient. Babies in the wild do find plant pallets and greenery, primarily to hide from predators, and in doing so they are around a lot of moisture from the plants. I am not sure about the weather when Greek babies are born, and of course it depends on which Greek species you have, but leopards and desert tortoises and sulcatas, those babies are usually born during rainy seasons, hence the reasoning for hot and humid. And as you read through TFO you will see all the babies that are growing smooth with these methods. : )

 

[Darwin_T]

Alright thank you very much

 

[FLINTUS]

80% is going to be very bad for a Greek tortoise. It won't be able to cope with that. I would probably go with 50%, maybe with a humid hide. 80 is also too warm. The cool end should be about 70 or so.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Bee bee, the hot and humid method used with Leopard and sulcata babies is not recommended for the Testudo species.
A humid hide is a great option but not the ambient humidity like we use.

 

[Testudoresearch]

Bee bee, the hot and humid method used with Leopard and sulcata babies is not recommended for the Testudo species.
A humid hide is a great option but not the ambient humidity like we use.

As a matter of interest... what RH is normally suggested in these "humid" hides? Also what temperatures?

Perhaps those who have used them could report their data on this. It would be helpful to know some real figures.

 

[FLINTUS]

I use a few for my reds and hinges, but obviously very different to Greeks. My humidity in them is 90%+ constantly, same temps as the rest of the enclosure. I use small plastic boxes for them.

 

[nearpass]

Hi all. I was wondering how humid it should be in Darwin's (my Greek tortoise's) enclosure. He is about 10 months old and I do have a humid measuring thing (don't know what their called) so I was wondering what a healthy humidity would be for him
Anything would be great
Thanks

Darwin, I would read through the following threads. There's some excellent discussion on both pyramiding, MBD, as well as lighting and diet in them both:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-84305.html

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-83263.html

 

[StarSapphire22]

I'm not sure I can really give you "real figures", but in the case of my 4.5 month old Hermanns, he doesn't use any of the three hides I've provided (cool end, warm end, middle), but instead prefers to burrow in the moss and substrate on his warm side. I mist the moss pretty heavily in the mornings, with a few "touchups" throughout the day when it dries out...keeping the moss and substrate moist over there. For my little guy, just over a square foot of substrate and moss is his "humid hide." It stays at about 70-80% humidity. The rest of his enclosure measures 60-70%.

 

[Darwin_T]

Thanks everyone

 

[Levi the Leopard]

All I can say for you, since you have a Greek is do not keep it in a chamber with 80% RH throughout the whole enclosure.
Others who keep your species can advise you on how to do a humid hide and what levels and temperature to use.