keeping humidity up

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lovelyrosepetal

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Hi everyone, I have a question for all of you. How do you keep the humidity up in their enclosures while they are little? I have three 1 1/2 month old sulcata hatchling tortoises. I cannot seem to keep the humidity levels up as much as I would like. The substrate is cypress mulch and coco coir. I use spray bottles to spray it down repeatedly throughout the day. The temps range from 85 F - 105 F throughout the day. The cool end would be 85 and the basking spot gets up to 105. At night it does not go below 80 at the cool end and 85 at the hot spot. My humidity levels use to be 99% at the cool end, but I don't believe that was accurate because the thermometer is broken and I have replaced it and now it says 70 at the cool end but at the hot spot it is hard to keep it so high, maybe it fluctuates between 56-,maybe, 68. I was keeping it at 75 but that is when I had it too cool in the basking area. So, to make a long question shorter, how do I keep it more humid? I have a fifty gallon rubbermaid tote and will be upgrading in the very near future but am unsure of what to do in the meantime. I do soak my tortoises everyday for 20 minutes but would like to increase their humidity in the enclosure. Thanks for all of your help:) Rose:tort:
 

lvstorts

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lovelyrosepetal said:
Hi everyone, I have a question for all of you. How do you keep the humidity up in their enclosures while they are little? I have three 1 1/2 month old sulcata hatchling tortoises. I cannot seem to keep the humidity levels up as much as I would like. The substrate is cypress mulch and coco coir. I use spray bottles to spray it down repeatedly throughout the day. The temps range from 85 F - 105 F throughout the day. The cool end would be 85 and the basking spot gets up to 105. At night it does not go below 80 at the cool end and 85 at the hot spot. My humidity levels use to be 99% at the cool end, but I don't believe that was accurate because the thermometer is broken and I have replaced it and now it says 70 at the cool end but at the hot spot it is hard to keep it so high, maybe it fluctuates between 56-,maybe, 68. I was keeping it at 75 but that is when I had it too cool in the basking area. So, to make a long question shorter, how do I keep it more humid? I have a fifty gallon rubbermaid tote and will be upgrading in the very near future but am unsure of what to do in the meantime. I do soak my tortoises everyday for 20 minutes but would like to increase their humidity in the enclosure. Thanks for all of your help:) Rose:tort:

Hi Rose,
I noticed no one answered your post so I thought my experience may help. I don't deal with Sulcata hatchlings but I do handle Box Turtles, Redfoots and Iberas. My understanding is Sulcatas need some humidity/moisture for good health and development. I mix Spagnum moss into my substrate so its about 50/50. Start with the moss wet and gently wrung out. Mix with the substrate.

Twice a week I take the hatchlings out and wet down a section of the enclosure (usually the warm end) and turn the substrate over so its moist all the way through, not wet. They love to bury themselves in it! To make it more humid I use a plastic shoe box, upside down with an entry cut into it and bury it about an inch into the substrate. This will make a little humid hide. Be sure not to use a clear shoebox, it can confuse the hatchling and they may not find the exit!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have you checked the care sheets and threads above?
 

lovelyrosepetal

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Thank you:) I have looked it up and got a few ideas. I appreciate your advice and help:)
 

lovelyrosepetal

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Thanks, Tom. I appreciate all of your great advice. You are so knowledgeable and I am so glad that you are always helping out with the tort. questions.:)
 
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