New sulcata came today!

[Newsully2020]

I received my 5in sulcata today and couldn't be happier! My question is, at what size is it okay to dial back on humidity in the enclosure? Right now mine is 85% on one end and 90% on the other. The overall temp is 85 degrees. I'm new to the site and have searched online but wanted to get others opinions. Thanks for the help.

 

[pacific chelonians]

Too much humidity never hurts anything I raise my soul card is outside in Southern California and as long as you feed them a correct diet pyramiding should not be an issue no matter the humidity sulcatas or a dryer species of tortoise so I would recommend somewhere around 50 to 65 or whatever the ambient room humidity is

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. Id say pretty much never cut back intentionally on humidity. You want high humidity to mimic their native roots. You will want high humidity & soak pretty much every day until you can no longer lift them up. By then, you will have things figured out.

Welcome to the Forum. Lots of info in Tom’s Sully Care Guide.

 

[Newsully2020]

Thank you both for the replies. I had my setup running a week before I got him/her. With the heat lamp on during the day it dries the humidity down in the 80s. At night its 80 degrees ambient and humidity 99% on 2 different digital gauges. Is this high off humidity okay at night as long as temps are right?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thank you both for the replies. I had my setup running a week before I got him/her. With the heat lamp on during the day it dries the humidity down in the 80s. At night its 80 degrees ambient and humidity 99% on 2 different digital gauges. Is this high off humidity okay at night as long as temps are right?

Yes.

High temps & high humidity = good
Low temps. & high humidity = bad

Keep your ambient nighttime temps at least 80. Even a bit higher....never colder.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thank you both for the replies. I had my setup running a week before I got him/her. With the heat lamp on during the day it dries the humidity down in the 80s. At night its 80 degrees ambient and humidity 99% on 2 different digital gauges. Is this high off humidity okay at night as long as temps are right?

Read, read, study, memorize & follow Tom’s guide. All good, tested & tried methods. Don’t reinvent the wheel. It’s not worth it....

The Guide - ➡️➡️ https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...se-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

 

[Newsully2020]

Yeah I read Toms sticky before ever getting the sully lol. Really good info in there too and based my temps/humidity on his thread. Thanks for your help

 

[Tom]

I received my 5in sulcata today and couldn't be happier! My question is, at what size is it okay to dial back on humidity in the enclosure? Right now mine is 85% on one end and 90% on the other. The overall temp is 85 degrees. I'm new to the site and have searched online but wanted to get others opinions. Thanks for the help.

Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. We keep them in high humidity because that is how they live in the wild, and also to prevent pyramiding and dehydration. As long as your tortoise is growing, it needs that humidity. Your tortoise has a lot of growing left to do.

 

[Tom]

Too much humidity never hurts anything I raise my soul card is outside in Southern California and as long as you feed them a correct diet pyramiding should not be an issue no matter the humidity sulcatas or a dryer species of tortoise so I would recommend somewhere around 50 to 65 or whatever the ambient room humidity is

You are repeating two old incorrect myths here.

1. Food does not cause pyramiding. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Doesn't matter what you feed them as far as pyramiding goes. Diet matter in relation to health, but not pyramiding.
2. Sulcatas are NOT a dryer species of tortoise. They are NOT desert tortoises. They hatch during the monsoon season in the Sahel when conditions are hot, rainy, wet, and humid. 80-100% humidity. Puddles and marshes form. Green growing food is everywhere. In the dry season they stay underground in their warm humid burrows. The misinformation you repeated here has been killing a large percentage of the baby sulcatas that hatch annually for decades. 50-65% is way too low for a growing baby, and room humidity is absurdly low in an open topped enclosure with a heat lamp over it.

I hope you'll allow us to share with you the benefit of the research and experimentation we've been doing here for the last 10+ years.

 

[Jan A]

You are repeating two old incorrect myths here.

1. Food does not cause pyramiding. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Doesn't matter what you feed them as far as pyramiding goes. Diet matter in relation to health, but not pyramiding.
2. Sulcatas are NOT a dryer species of tortoise. They are NOT desert tortoises. They hatch during the monsoon season in the Sahel when conditions are hot, rainy, wet, and humid. 80-100% humidity. Puddles and marshes form. Green growing food is everywhere. In the dry season they stay underground in their warm humid burrows. The misinformation you repeated here has been killing a large percentage of the baby sulcatas that hatch annually for decades. 50-65% is way too low for a growing baby, and room humidity is absurdly low in an open topped enclosure with a heat lamp over it.

I hope you'll allow us to share with you the benefit of the research and experimentation we've been doing here for the last 10+ years.

Thank you for watching over us, Tom. You do good work.

 

[Newsully2020]

Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. We keep them in high humidity because that is how they live in the wild, and also to prevent pyramiding and dehydration. As long as your tortoise is growing, it needs that humidity. Your tortoise has a lot of growing left to do.

Thank you for your input. I know you are well respected here and I will def keep the humidity and heat where it is.