Temperatures

[RussianRoulette]

My baby sulcata is in a closed chamber enclosure with temps of 95 under the basking light and 75 down the cooler end and would just sleep most of the day near the basking spot.

When I did a spot check yesterday I forgot to totally close up the chamber (there was no risk of escape) but I only noticed it this morning, anyway I left it open to see what difference it makes.

The temps directly under the basking light are the same but the rest of the enclosure is around 70-85. It has higher humidity, which I don't totally understand, but I always seem to get humidity in the 80s when temps are in the 70s.
My tort has been very active all day. That's the main thing I was going to ask about, the tort is walking around alot more and actually using/exploring his whole enclosure where as normally he parks himself near the basking spot and doesn't move much at all really.

So can anyone tell me which is the behaviour I should accomodate.
The higher temps, and sleeping tort or the lower temps with an active tort?

 

[rearlpettway]

Great question.
I am interested in what others have to say✌️


Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum

 

[wellington]

I don't know of their activity, but low temps with high humidity makes for a sick tort. The enclosures chamber temps is 80 with 80% humidity and a basking spot if 95 plus. When he is sleeping more towards the basking spot all the time, I would guess because the low side was too low at 75. My leopard was not started the right way, but when I finally learned the right way, he didn't sleep as much as he did when the temps and humidity was wrong. Hope this helps.

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, there is such a thing as too hot. Maybe you need to re-check your temperatures when its closed up.

 

[Tom]

70-75 is too low with humidity. There is most likely some other factor at work here. A baby sulcata is not going to be more active because the temp is 70-75. There are a wide variety of reason why a tortoise might choose to be in one area or another. Temperature is just one of these variables. In most cases a baby's number one concern is safety and security. Every thing eats them in the wild. If they have food in their belly and temps are warm, there is no reason to be out and about exposing yourself to predators. If temps are too low, or the door is open, making the tortoise feel more exposed, the tortoises might come and and look around for someplace that has the right temps and the right "feel" for security. Sometimes they don't find the spot that feels "just right" in our enclosures and so they pace around looking for something better. Drop that baby in a heavily planted warm outdoor enclosure and he will most likely dive into the first bit of heavy plant cover he can find. In most of our enclosures, mine included, they are pretty exposed.

Humidity is directly related to temperature. Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air. So when you cool 85 degree air that holds 80% humidity, the humidity percentage will go up as the air cools, and vice versa.

 

[RussianRoulette]

Thanks for all the responses.
So general consensus seems to be warmer regardless of tortoise activity.

Wellington - I would have assumed the same regarding finding 75 too cold but I think it's because his water bowl is near his basking light he tends to sleep close to his water bowl regardless of where I put it, I figured it was best to keep him near his UV and heat.

Yvonne - The temperatures when closed up are consistant and the themometers and hygrometers were tested against my own and a friends so I think they're reliable.

Tom - You're right it could be anything. I was keeping an eye out for pacing specifically, because he did that when I first got him but it was more roaming and climbing, exploratory sort of behaviour. He could probably do with a few more plants in his enclosure although he prefers to use plants as food rather than security so I don't think they'd help much with being exposed. Thanks for explaining humidity too.