When the humidity is high...

[Elohi]

What are your thoughts on leaving hatchlings outside longer on days when the humidity is higher?

My trio has been going outside almost daily since it's been warm/hot. I always wet the pen down thoroughly before I put them in so the humidity is higher while they are out there. I also sometimes use a mister either in their outdoor enclosure or next to it in the garden which the wind tends to whip the most around. I do that more to keep temps down than create humidity because they normally are only out there 1-2 hours.

But today the humidity is higher. And the humidity in the pen is even higher because of the tall grass and the fact that I keep the ground well hydrated.

Is it ok to leave them out longer on days like this or do I still need to keep it under 2 hours? They tend to hang out under the hibiscus or one or two of them will so sleep in the rock hide.






Elohi(Earth)

 

[mikeh]

Absolutely. On a day like that leave them out all day long. Mine stays out all day on warm days with humidity 50% and upward. No pyramiding issues.

 

[Tom]

For me this depends on the size of the tortoise. While I don't have any first hand experience raising babies in areas with high humidity, I have been observing others who do. There is no benefit to leaving small babies out all day, there are considerable risks associated with it, and babies that stay outside all day do not generally grow as well or thrive as much as babies who spend most of their time inside in more stable conditions. This will vary with the indoor conditions. I'm comparing and optimal indoor set up with an optimal outdoor set up. If the indoor set up is a small tank with rabbit pellets and a hot bulb, then its and entirely different story.

I prefer to leave them mostly inside until they start getting some size on them. I don't leave mine outside all day until they are at least 5-6".

 

[bouaboua]

Great info. Thanks Tom.

 

[Elohi]

For me this depends on the size of the tortoise. While I don't have any first hand experience raising babies in areas with high humidity, I have been observing others who do. There is no benefit to leaving small babies out all day, there are considerable risks associated with it, and babies that stay outside all day do not generally grow as well or thrive as much as babies who spend most of their time inside in more stable conditions. This will vary with the indoor conditions. I'm comparing and optimal indoor set up with an optimal outdoor set up. If the indoor set up is a small tank with rabbit pellets and a hot bulb, then its and entirely different story.

I prefer to leave them mostly inside until they start getting some size on them. I don't leave mine outside all day until they are at least 5-6".

It's not this humid here too often. People complain of the humidity here but it's really not that humid in my opinion and certainly not as high as, or as consistent, as a closed chamber set up correctly so I was just asking from the occasional standpoint, when it is indeed high enough. Is 4 hours or so outside, on the occasion it's humid and nice, too long? I had them out 3 hours today. They are like beasts while they were out there and are inside now having a long soak. I'm also bathing them with their soft brush as well because two of them were rocking poop on their carapace. Apparently they decided to party in their closed chamber again and had the place a disaster. The poop on the carapace in addition to the condition of their enclosure was kind of comical. "WHAT have y'all been doing??" Lol
Beans is still pyramiding slightly despite the high humidity and warmth of their chamber. The other two are
not.
He is also still growing at a much more rapid rate then the other two. He has fresh new growth today and despite my best attempts, my camera is not picking up the very pink appearance of the new growth.



Elohi(Earth)

 

[Elohi]

Elohi(Earth)

 

[Elohi]

The other two.




Elohi(Earth)

 

[bouaboua]

Pretty all pretty. Look at all those growth line....

 

[KatieandKyle]

Wow, absolutely gorgeous. Great job

 

[Tom]

Is 4 hours or so outside, on the occasion it's humid and nice, too long?

There is no set amount of time. I do it on a case by case basis. On really hot dry days, I cut it shorter for babies. When the weather is just perfect I might stretch it to two hours for young hatchlings. Using a technique I learned from Dean, I often sun and soak them at the same time. I have a table in my backyard that is half in and half out of the sun at mid-day. I line the tubs up to be more or less in the sun depending on how hot it is that day. I'm very careful with this and I watch the temps very closely, but it really works well when done right. The breeze evaporates the water and cools it, while the sun heats it up. On hotter days I push them more in the shade and more in the sun on cooler or breezier days. Sort of a two for the price of one deal. As they gain size (some quicker than others) I leave them out for longer and longer periods, again depending on the weather that day. By the time they reach 5-6 " they stay outside all day, weather permitting, and come inside to sleep in their humid closed chambers.