Keeping the Humidity Up

[23hallkorr]

I don't understand how some people keep the humidity in the enclosures up? I see so many people with open topped enclosures and their tortoises seem to be doing just fine, I have a tank that I have covered with some plastic (working on making a closed chamber for him). Are these people simply not giving their tortoise the sufficient humidity that they need?

Also just to piggy back on this, how often should my enclosure be cleaned out?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I don't understand how some people keep the humidity in the enclosures up? I see so many people with open topped enclosures and their tortoises seem to be doing just fine, I have a tank that I have covered with some plastic (working on making a closed chamber for him). Are these people simply not giving their tortoise the sufficient humidity that they need?

Also just to piggy back on this, how often should my enclosure be cleaned out?

Many people attempt to get high humidity with open enclosures by spraying, using humidifiers. Etc
Most end up with soggy tortoises and fungal issues. Or respiratory issues.
A closed chamber is the best way to accomplish high humidity. Unless you live in a warm and humid corner of the world already.

As for cleaning. When I had indoors enclosures I spot cleaned them as needed. The frequency of actually changing all of the substrate will be up to you. But for the sake of this post I'd say once a year. Or sooner if it gets very fouled

 

[23hallkorr]

Many people attempt to get high humidity with open enclosures by spraying, using humidifiers. Etc
Most end up with soggy tortoises and fungal issues. Or respiratory issues.
A closed chamber is the best way to accomplish high humidity. Unless you live in a warm and humid corner of the world already.

As for cleaning. When I had indoors enclosures I spot cleaned them as needed. The frequency of actually changing all of the substrate will be up to you. But for the sake of this post I'd say once a year. Or sooner if it gets very fouled

Oh wow I was expecting more around at least every month! It's okay to do it around once a year as long as it isn't noticeably disgusting? They can just like live in their pee and poop?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oh wow I was expecting more around at least every month! It's okay to do it around once a year as long as it isn't noticeably disgusting? They can just like live in their pee and poop?

You can just scoop out those areas as needed. We call it "spot cleaning"
A lot of pee and poop goes missing. It's not unusual to not find poop in the substrate regularly.
I used a plastic pair of salad tongs from the dollar store.
Each animal will vary. But you certainly don't need to buy more each month.

 

[Tom]

I don't understand how some people keep the humidity in the enclosures up? I see so many people with open topped enclosures and their tortoises seem to be doing just fine, I have a tank that I have covered with some plastic (working on making a closed chamber for him). Are these people simply not giving their tortoise the sufficient humidity that they need?

Also just to piggy back on this, how often should my enclosure be cleaned out?

Most people do not house them optimally. Their tortoise can survive the dryness, but it is not "good" for them.

If you are soaking frequently, your tortoise will do most of its "business" in the soak water which gets dumped out. There should be very little poop or pee happening inside your tank. If you clean up leftover food scraps daily, the enclosure really never needs to be "cleaned".

What species and size tortoise have you got, and what size tank?

 

[23hallkorr]

I have a maybe two month old Sulcata. He is 1.5 oz, 2 1/2 inch long, 2 1/4 inch wide. My tank is 12 inches long, 30 inches wide. I know, way too small (kind of sad how that is almost double the size that the pet store recommended). I'm working on "designing" a turtle table for him though. I was thinking of around 4' x 2' would that be good enough for 1-2 years? Main issue I am having is how I put in the lights.. I was hoping to have an enclosure that easily opened from the top, but I'm not sure how I would do that with the lights, maybe the light are installed into the enclosure and just make sure it's tall enough? I am also just thinking of doing an enclosure that opens from both the top and the front, the top more for cleaning and things like that but the front just for getting him out and stuff. But I was thinking of building it out of wood, though I know that that might not be the best option.. I have seen what you said about using expanded PVC, but if I am being completed honest, wood is just more visually appealing. I'm wondering, if the wood is sealed and then I use a liner like a clear shower curtain or something, will wood work well?

I was thinking of putting plexiglass on top of the enclosure, with mesh cutouts to rest the lights on. I would put a basking light on the right end, a lightless ceramic heating bulb in the middle. Led strip for lighting, and give him natural sunlight outside for 1-2 hours a day. Hide and food on the left side, water bowl on the right. See any problems with this?

For feeding, I have been giving him grape and mulberry leaves, sprinkling it with a bit of calcium powder three times a week.

With the bathing, I have been bathing him every day since I got him on April 29th for around 30 minutes, sometimes longer.. I have only noticed him poop once or twice. I have been struggling to keep the water warm enough and finally figured out a solution, so I'm not sure if that is the reason why he hasn't been pooping in there, is this something I should worry about?

Sorry for all of the questions!

 

[Rex’sHuman]

You can just scoop out those areas as needed. We call it "spot cleaning"
A lot of pee and poop goes missing. It's not unusual to not find poop in the substrate regularly.
I used a plastic pair of salad tongs from the dollar store.
Each animal will vary. But you certainly don't need to buy more each month.

This is the set up we have for an adult red footed tortoise. We clean the wood chips probably 3 to 4 times a year for fresh. The tiled side is where we keep water. In Colorado it is so dry I know he does not get the humidity he needs. There are plants in the room. After getting on the forum and learning more I put a humidifier next to it, but he has lived his life dry. I’m sure his shell would be prettier if it was more humid .
A couple of months ago the tiles sprang a leak and we have re-caulked it a couple of times unsuccessfully. Now I just soak him in the tub of warm water 30 minutes a day. He will do his business in the water most of the time now and I just pour it down the toilet. That way he gets fresh water every day and the warmth. I think this has been so much easier than walking into a foul lake of poo that I have to clean up every few days. Seems healthier for him as well. I am no tortoise expert but I’ve had Rex for I think 17 years. I am so happy he has a potential new home in Florida where he can be outside year-round. He loves being outside but only gets about four months of it here in our climate.

 

[Whitehouse99]

This is my tort house to give you an idea

 

[23hallkorr]

This is my tort house to give you an idea

Thanks!! What is the plastic/glass on top? Are the lights just resting on top of those? Does it affect the way the lights heat or anything at all, like

 

[lovingthelakes]

We have an indoor, open-top habitat that we easily keep the humidity in the 80’s by running a large humidifier in the general room (separate from the habitat) to keep our overall home humidity up, which in turn provides the added humidity boost for the habitat. We live in Michigan, so humidity here tends to be on the higher side naturally, so this is comfortable for us in our home. Also doing daily fresh water in his “pond” for daily soaks & drinking, as well as a little watermelon hydration snack a couple times a week.

 

[Whitehouse99]

Thanks!! What is the plastic/glass on top? Are the lights just resting on top of those? Does it affect the way the lights heat or anything at all, like

It is a 4’x4’ polycarbonate panel and I also have a 4’x4’ screen underneath that for the heat lamps and UV strip to rest on. The polycarbonate does a good job of locking in the heat, they stay at about 80-85°F during the day, as low as 70°at night when their lights are shut off, (my home rarely falls below 68°) and as for the humidity I’ll spray them down once maybe twice on a warm day to keep their humidity anywhere between 70-90%, it helps that I have two large water saucers in there for drinking/soaking purposes.