Substrate too wet?

[cprewitt]

I live in Florida and have and outside raised tortoise table in a screened pool area where I leave my baby Sully during the day.....I have been using sphagnum moss as a substrate but even though there are drainage holes, it stays VERY wet, almost standing water.....I'm worried that his feet and underbelly are wet most of the day....I know everyone talks about moisture and humidity as being very important but do I have it TOO wet?
Cynthia
Harry the Sulcatta
2 Great Danes
1 Boston Terrier/Toy Poodle
1 Cat
2 RES
2 Florida River Cooters
2 Green Aquatic Turtles
3 Koi
MANY fish and goldfish

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Can you cover it to keep rain out and give it a chance to dry?

 

[jerm42991]

Yes it can get to wet. Having the substrate to wet will lead to shell rot.

 

[Tom]

I highly doubt you will see shell rot in a sulcata. I've never seen a single case and I kept my Daisy pretty wet all the time trying to bring a halt to her horrendous pyramiding (Took two years, but it worked. ). One possible difference is that is is very dry here and so her plastron would dry out when I periodically put her out for sunshine, grazing and exercise. However, should would stay indoors in the wet conditions full time for stretches of two or three weeks over winter. If your enclosure is outside in the fresh air and sunshine, and your indoor enclosure has relatively dry substrate, at least on the top layer, I think you'll be fine. It is very rainy, wet and marshy when and where they hatch in the wild, and as they get older they spend the vast majority of their time in damp, poop lined burrows, so as a species, they are very resistant to shell rot.

 

[cprewitt]

Thanks for all your replies. His outside enclosure is half covered and he has a house under the cover. Even so, the Sphagnum absorbs and holds the water so it never really dries out. But, he does get daily sunshine and fresh air and is protected from predators (screened area). I will keep the indoor enclosure drier but not sure that I can keep the humidity up through the night. I keep the enclosure covered and that helps.

A second question....I know all the right grasses and weeds to feed but I am not sure how much to feed daily....in his outside enclosure I have small planted dishes of grass and he just eats what he wants through the day. In the evening I usually give him a little of a grass he likes a lot from my yard and a flower....Is there a formula for amount of food by tortoise weight or anything like that?

 

[nate.mann]

Thanks for all your replies. His outside enclosure is half covered and he has a house under the cover. Even so, the Sphagnum absorbs and holds the water so it never really dries out. But, he does get daily sunshine and fresh air and is protected from predators (screened area). I will keep the indoor enclosure drier but not sure that I can keep the humidity up through the night. I keep the enclosure covered and that helps.

A second question....I know all the right grasses and weeds to feed but I am not sure how much to feed daily....in his outside enclosure I have small planted dishes of grass and he just eats what he wants through the day. In the evening I usually give him a little of a grass he likes a lot from my yard and a flower....Is there a formula for amount of food by tortoise weight or anything like that?

i havent seen anyone talk about that, just give them a lot of food one day and watch how much they eat, and that will be your reference as to how much to give them so theyre full. hope that answers your question

 

[Tom]

The secret to maintaining high indoor humidity with a relatively dry substrate is a closed chamber.

Like this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html

If conditions are correct (Easy for you in FL.), the tortoise is hydrated, and the diet is good (yours is great), I like to let them free feed and eat as much as they want.