Substrate/ Humidity levels

[green man]

So I use coco coir substrate in my new indoor enclosure. I only put the stuff in the tank about 5-6 days ago, but the top level of the substrate keeps drying out and I am worried that this will be an issue for my two month old Russian. Since they need a lot of moisture and whatnot.

Would it have anything to do with the humidity levels in the tank, because the AC in my house has been quite finicky lately, and I have noticed the humidity in the tank has gone down as a result, (perhaps). Before it was at about 45%, now it seems to mostly be around 30-35%.

I don't have the little one yet, but it would be good to know what I could do for him to keep it nice and wet in there. Would using a spray bottle help? Just on the top layer and mix it in or something?

 

[Yellow Turtle]

I believe you need to show pictures of your tank for others to be able to help you.

Your humidity is low, and I think maybe your tank lacks heat and need to close some of the tank to increase it.

 

[green man]

I'm trying to post a pic of it, but alas I cannot figure out how to do it through my phone or computer. Very frustrating.

 

[GBtortoises]

So I use coco coir substrate in my new indoor enclosure. I only put the stuff in the tank about 5-6 days ago, but the top level of the substrate keeps drying out and I am worried that this will be an issue for my two month old Russian. Since they need a lot of moisture and whatnot.

Would it have anything to do with the humidity levels in the tank, because the AC in my house has been quite finicky lately, and I have noticed the humidity in the tank has gone down as a result, (perhaps). Before it was at about 45%, now it seems to mostly be around 30-35%.

I don't have the little one yet, but it would be good to know what I could do for him to keep it nice and wet in there. Would using a spray bottle help? Just on the top layer and mix it in or something?

If the enclosure has an open top in a room with A/C turned on it might be a constant struggle to keep the humidity level up. Very basicially stated: Air conditioning draws heat from air and along with it, humidity.

You may need to cover the enclosure if that's possible, move it to another room or turn off the A/C! You can spray the substrate twice daily but it is still probably going to dry out rapidly as long as the air is being drawn out of the enclosure.

 

[Q'sTortie]

Not just A/C, your heat lamps will dry it out too! I have both an open top and an enclosed enclosure and the open top is so difficult to keep humid and moist! I use a big water can to, litterally, water the whole table everyday! For the enclosed enclosure I just use a spray bottle and spray a bit every day and it stay moist and humid. Enclose it if you can and get a humifier or a mister if needed.

 

[green man]

So the AC is actually drying it out? Man. Its just that it seemed to be quite moist for the first few days, and then the AC went out and it dried up. I have a lid on the top, but it only has the wire netting on it, so it isn't really helping.

What should I put on top then? Would like a sheet of glass work? That way the uvb and basking light are still getting through.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Green Man, what kind of tortoise do you have? For our two Russians, coco coir works great because the top few millimeters stay dry, and the subsurface layers stay moist. So, if the tortoise wants to experience lower humidity, it just has to sit on the surface. If it wants to experience higher levels of humidity, it only needs to burrow down a bit.

 

[green man]

Green Man, what kind of tortoise do you have? For our two Russians, coco coir works great because the top few millimeters stay dry, and the subsurface layers stay moist. So, if the tortoise wants to experience lower humidity, it just has to sit on the surface. If it wants to experience higher levels of humidity, it only needs to burrow down a bit.

I'm getting a two month old Russian tomorrow. And my substrate does the same, dries out for a the first few millimeters and the subsurface is quite moist. I've been taking the squirt bottle to it all day; however I have been mixing the top with the subsurface, so maybe I should just leave the top dry and spray it a couple of times each day?

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

For russians the top of the substrate being dry is completely fine. They burrow for a good chunk of the day and thats where you want your substrate moist (not drenched). You can cover part of the top of your terrarium with plexiglass so your substrate doesnt dry out so fast, one of the disadvantages of being in AZ is that we have no humidity.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Green Man, what kind of tortoise do you have? For our two Russians, coco coir works great because the top few millimeters stay dry, and the subsurface layers stay moist. So, if the tortoise wants to experience lower humidity, it just has to sit on the surface. If it wants to experience higher levels of humidity, it only needs to burrow down a bit.

I'm getting a two month old Russian tomorrow. And my substrate does the same, dries out for a the first few millimeters and the subsurface is quite moist. I've been taking the squirt bottle to it all day; however I have been mixing the top with the subsurface, so maybe I should just leave the top dry and spray it a couple of times each day?

I agree with Eweezy. You've got a Russian tortoise, which along with the sulcata and Gopherus tortoises, is among the champion burrowers of the animal kingdom. In the wild they may dig burrows that are several feet deep.

Granted, your guy will be a baby, but coco coir is very loose and easy to dig in. Your guy will be comfortable sitting on the dry, top few millimeters of coco coir most of the time. If he wants to hide or experience a more humid microclimate, he will dig down. No worries.

With my coco coir, I wet it every few weeks with a nice little bucket of water, mix it up, and leave it. The dry surface forms, and the subsurface stays moist (but not damp!). Eventually, the whole mass gets fairly dry, and that's when I add water again and mix. Of course, the tortoises are not in their pens when I do this.

Anyway, no need to mist everyday with a Russian tortoise. A redfoot in a dry climate, sure. But not a Russian.

Now, the thing about babies is, their carapace is growing, so they are prone to pyramiding. Russians are the most pyramid-resistant tortoise, but even they can get pyramiding if the diet is too rich and/or the climate is too dry when they are babies. I don't know if that will be an issue with this baby or not. If that's the case, then you'll simply need to cover the enclosure to trap the humidity in, as opposed to just spraying all the time, which doesn't really help that much. But I have never had a baby Russian; mine were 4 inches long when I bought them.

Any thoughts on baby Russians and pyramiding, GB?

 

[Edna]

Green Man, is your AC a compressor type or an evaporation type? Just wondering because you are in AZ, where a swamp cooler (evaporation) would be a reasonable choice. If so, when it's working correctly it would ADD humidity to your indoor air, unlike a compressor type of AC.

 

[green man]

Green Man, is your AC a compressor type or an evaporation type? Just wondering because you are in AZ, where a swamp cooler (evaporation) would be a reasonable choice. If so, when it's working correctly it would ADD humidity to your indoor air, unlike a compressor type of AC.

I believe it is compressor. Not too sure about that though.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Good point, Edna. An air conditioner is nice to have in the hot and humid Southeast, while a swamp cooler is nice to have in the hot and dry Southwest.

 

[testtudude]

If u do decide to put glass on top of your enclosure, remember UVB and UVA dose not penetrate glass. The light would have to situated so it wouldn't b blocked by the glass

 

[green man]

If u do decide to put glass on top of your enclosure, remember UVB and UVA dose not penetrate glass. The light would have to situated so it wouldn't b blocked by the glass

Yeah I'll get the glass to just cover have of it. But is that really going to do very much? I'm a bit worried, because now that he's in there, I have the basking light on and it brought the humidity down to 20%.

Would it be okay to have the basking light off? Because the hot side of the tank is already at 85 without it on.

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Yeah I'll get the glass to just cover half of it. But is that really going to do very much? I'm a bit worried, because now that he's in there, I have the basking light on and it brought the humidity down to 20%.

Would it be okay to have the basking light off? Because the hot side of the tank is already at 85 without it on.