Questions about Humidity

[MIReptilian]

So, I just received my trio of hatchling Hermanns today. I have some questions about Humidity.
My greenhouse/tortoise table build is a few threads down. Basically, it's a very large tort table inside a greenhouse in my basement.

Ambient temps in the greenhouse are right around 78 degrees over the last few days. Humidity has been great at around 70%. I added about 2 inches of cypress mulch over the top of the moistened coconut coir/topsoil mixture and it brought humidity levels way down. I misted the mulch but humidity levels are still hovering around 56% at tortoise level.

Should I completely soak the cypress mulch with a watering can?

when folks refer to the ideal humidity level being 70% for the hermanns, are they referring to 70% humidity when digging down into the substrate or is that 70% ambient humidity? I know the torts need access to areas of high humidity, but trying to figure out if the ambient humidity in the air needs to be 70% as well.

Can someone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jeff: Your Hermanns don't require the same humidity as sulcatas and leopards. It will be fine to have your mulch be slightly damp. To raise the humidity inside the enclosure without covering it, you'll need some plants in there. I don't keep Hermanni, so I really don't know the parameters. Hopefully a more knowledgeable member will come along and answer your questions.

 

[method89]

Read the care sheets for Russians, @HermanniChris talks about how it's more important to have humid substrate than humid air. To paraphrase, he says that hatchlings aren't simply sitting in the humid air all day, they in fact are going thru microclimates all day and that being burrowed in a humid substrate will give them what they need.

 

[MIReptilian]

Thank for the advice. Looks like I'm ok. Just want to be confident that I'm doing everything 100% correct.

 

[method89]

I'm a pretty laid back person... I worry constantly with this tortoise, my wife makes fun of me all the time