When to stop the humidity?

[Tort_nube]

Hey everyone and I apologize for all the questions lately but I was just wondering about humidity today. I have a very young sulcata tortoise and have been militant about keeping the humidity near 80% in the enclosure. I realize it can't be perfect all the time but I'm just wondering when can I relax about the humidity. To better put my question, is there a certain age that humidity won't be as big of a deal then it is at this very young age?

 

[Speedy-1]

I think that is a great question ! I am also a "noob" Speedy is 14 months old close as I can figure and I have been wondering the same thing. I am operating under the theory that it cant hurt anything so I keep at it .

 

[Tort_nube]

I think that is a great question ! I am also a "noob" Speedy is 14 months old close as I can figure and I have been wondering the same thing. I am operating under the theory that it cant hurt anything so I keep at it .

I know I feel like I'll always be conscious of the humidity now even though I realize at a certain age and size it is less necessary to be so OCD about the whole thing!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

i think for growing tortoises the humidity should be kept up all the time.
Maybe for adults it could be allowed to drop a bit, but torts are not desert animals, naturally as adults they also hide away in humid burrows or forests, depending on the species.
Anyway, i've bumped the thread so somebody who knows more than I may have a peek at it.

 

[wellington]

@Tom this ones for you.

 

[mike taylor]

When you can move them outdoors . If you live in a state that's humid all summer you can relax . If you live in a dry state then you will have to have a humidifier in their night box . But for the most part you have animals that don't come from our climate so you will have to keep them setup as if they were in their home land for the rest of their lives . So to answer your question it depends on where you live and how close your climate is to their natural climate .

 

[Dizisdalife]

Good question. I think that Mike had a pretty good answer. You want to keep their environment as close to the "natural" climate as possible. To me, that means that if I am using artificial heat (radiated heat panels, ceramic heat emitters, lights, etc.) to create this climate then I need to be aware of the effect they can have on the tortoise's shell. Personally I am not certain where the cut-off point is with humidity. My 5-year old sulcata lives outdoors full time. of course I can't control the humidity outside in the daytime. At night he stays in a heated night box where I keep several trays of water on a shelf to raise the humidity to about 70%. As long as he continues to grow at a pretty good rate I will continue to follow this practice. As his growth rate slows to almost nothing then maybe it won't be necessary.

 

[Tom]

Mike and Joe spelled it out really well. I really don't have anything to add. There is no magic time frame or tortoise size for when humidity doesn't matter. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Even when they are 12", if you suddenly move them to a very dry environment, they might not pyramid, but the new growth will come in poorly.

 

[Blakem]

I appreciate this thread. I keep two medium sized bowls of water full that's next to my oil heater. But, I have noticed a tremendous difference in dryness since my sulcata didn't dig a burrow this year. Which, I'm actually adding another shelf in his housing to put more bowls and raise that humidity.

 

[Speedy-1]

Thanks so much for all the replys , answers any questions I had ! It is easy for me , Heat wont be a problem when I move Speedy outside, but a warm , humid night box will be a necessity .