Humidity
- Thread starter Brandy007
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Humidity helps them grow smooth so I plan on keeping mine in her 80% enclosure for at least another year. She is 11 months. Then she gets a humid hide box outside until growth slows down. I'm sure some one with more experience will reply soon.
rearlpettway
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Kendall is 2 1/2 years old and we still keep her at 85% humidity.
Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum
Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum
From my experience, I think that this is a really good plan. My sulcata is 4-plus years and I can see the difference in the growth with and without humidity. Periods with humidity produced smooth growth and periods without humidity produced not so smooth growth. Not sure when humidity stops being a factor.
Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. When your tortoise is done growing (or mostly done for practical purposes...), then it will be fine with low humidity all the time.
What this translates to for me in my very dry climate is reasonably humid night boxes for them to sleep and hang out in in their outside enclosures.
So when they are small, I put them outside during the day and bring them in to sleep in their humid indoor enclosure. Hatchlings get only an hour or so of sunshine. By the time they reach 5-6", I leave them outside all day, weather permitting, but soak on the way in and they sleep in their humid closed chamber enclosures. At about 8-10" I move them outside full time, but their heated night boxes have some moderate humidity. Usually at this time growth slows WAYYYYY down and I get some rough growth lines due to the drop in humidity and the potentially shorter duration of exposure to the humidity. If you live in a very humid area, I would expect you to see less of this effect.
I used to think they only needed humidity for a year or two. I was wrong.
What this translates to for me in my very dry climate is reasonably humid night boxes for them to sleep and hang out in in their outside enclosures.
So when they are small, I put them outside during the day and bring them in to sleep in their humid indoor enclosure. Hatchlings get only an hour or so of sunshine. By the time they reach 5-6", I leave them outside all day, weather permitting, but soak on the way in and they sleep in their humid closed chamber enclosures. At about 8-10" I move them outside full time, but their heated night boxes have some moderate humidity. Usually at this time growth slows WAYYYYY down and I get some rough growth lines due to the drop in humidity and the potentially shorter duration of exposure to the humidity. If you live in a very humid area, I would expect you to see less of this effect.
I used to think they only needed humidity for a year or two. I was wrong.
Wow! Your tort is super smooth! Lookin' good.
Yeah, my tort is 2 years old and I started keeping her in less humid conditions for a couple of months. She spends most days in her outdoor enclosure. I noticed some pyramiding. I'm going to have to build a larger closed chamber for her to be in at night. She's about a foot long. Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.
Last edited:
Yeah, my tort is 2 years old and I started keeping her in less humid conditions for a couple of months. She spends most days in her outdoor enclosure. I noticed some pyramiding. I'm going to have to build a larger closed chamber for her to be in at night. She's about a foot long. Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.
At 12" they should just live outside. Here are some night box ideas for you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-effective-night-box.86632/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/
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