Newbie enclosure and pyramiding advice

[Sully19]

The rate of pyramiding doesn't appear to have changed much. 60-80% humidity is too low. It should be 80-100%, in a closed chamber, with low wattage basking bulbs set at the right height for the correct temperature under them. Humidity should be 100% all the time in your humid hide. The goal is to simulate monsoon conditions. Imagine heavy rains when its 100 degrees every day. Think South Florida or New Orleans in July. That is what we are trying to simulate in the middle of your Nebraskan winter. There is really no way to do it without a closed chamber.

Stopping pyramiding in progress is much harder than preventing it in the first place.

Soaks should be at least 30-40 minutes and longer is fine too. This also helps stop the pyramiding.

Babies can't eat hay, and all that hay in your damp substrate is going to mold. Save the hay for when your baby gets up to about 12".

Coco coir is not my first choice for sulcatas because of the mess. It will be less messy if you hand pack it down.

Keep the questions coming, and please question anything here that doesn't make sense or conflicts with things you've read or heard elsewhere. Give us a chance to explain why we make these assertions.

I have my new baby in a cement mixing box. She has a small dent on the back row of her shell. I don’t keep a cover over her enclosure. I feed organic spring salad twice daily. I put some vitamin food in it. Is that ok?

 

[Falconer298]

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I have my new baby in a cement mixing box. She has a small dent on the back row of her shell. I don’t keep a cover over her enclosure. I feed organic spring salad twice daily. I put some vitamin food in it. Is that ok?

I think you will find as I did that keeping the humidity above 90% in there without a top is a challenge unless the ambient humidity in the room is 90%. Tom has shown that keeping the humidity up with the right temps works well. There’s lots of info in the forum about diet.

I’m using a cement mixing tote with some heavy metal mesh panels to hold my lights, being a fire fighter I like to make sure my lights aren’t going to fall and be touching something that could start a fire. Lights and ceramic heat emitter are wired to the top panel and sized to keep the temps right. I have 100F under my basking lamp and the coolest spot is 80F. I used heavy duty foil and the foil like tape made for duct work to get things together and it’s all connected to the wire top so I don’t have to mess with it unless I’m changing a bulb. Keep the tape away from lights the adhesive gives off some vapors once it gets hot. I also have a UVB fluorescent fixture for UVB light. In my picture below I had to tape the foil tent looking structure down to close up all the gaps. I made it about 12 hrs before needing to spray some more water in there but I’m in there misting the tort several times a day any way and soaking he/her at least once for 20-30 min.

 

[Sully19]

I think you will find as I did that keeping the humidity above 90% in there without a top is a challenge unless the ambient humidity in the room is 90%. Tom has shown that keeping the humidity up with the right temps works well. There’s lots of info in the forum about diet.

I’m using a cement mixing tote with some heavy metal mesh panels to hold my lights, being a fire fighter I like to make sure my lights aren’t going to fall and be touching something that could start a fire. Lights and ceramic heat emitter are wired to the top panel and sized to keep the temps right. I have 100F under my basking lamp and the coolest spot is 80F. I used heavy duty foil and the foil like tape made for duct work to get things together and it’s all connected to the wire top so I don’t have to mess with it unless I’m changing a bulb. Keep the tape away from lights the adhesive gives off some vapors once it gets hot. I also have a UVB fluorescent fixture for UVB light. In my picture below I had to tape the foil tent looking structure down to close up all the gaps. I made it about 12 hrs before needing to spray some more water in there but I’m in there misting the tort several times a day any way and soaking he/her at least once for 20-30 min.

Thank you!
I do the soak. I have a bowl and put enough water to cover her legs. About to the bottom of the shell. But, she goes to the bathroom everytime. So, it maybe weird. But, I switch out the water. I keep it in her area by the lights to soak. Is that what I do?
I appreciate all the help. I want her happy and comfortable.
It I put those lights on top like Tom’s ; she won’t bake to death? All closed up like that?
Again, thanks everyone.

 

[Falconer298]

I see that they started a new thread for you after I just responded on my thread. I would make sure your tortoise has a humid hide box as well like nearly 100% humid in there with the temps at the lowest 80F in there. Probably want something more enclosed to hold the humidity in. Mine is about 85F at one end and cooler towards the back, it’s full of orchid moss that holds water well and the tortoise can snuggle up into it. Mine stays towards the warmer side, the ceramic heat emitter is on a thermostat with the sensor on the warmer side of the hide.