How do I get Charlie to like the humid hide?

[ckiley]

Good morning All,
Charlie does not like her humid hide. When she fell asleep last night, I put her in and she stayed for a few hours and was sleeping outside of it when I checked on her. I did this two more times before going to bed myself and she was sleeping outside of it this morning. The temp was perfect inside at 80-81( I use an infrared thermometer) and the humidity was 73. I have a humidifier being delivered in the next couple of days to hopefully increase the entire humidity level to the desired 80%. Are there any tricks to getting her used to the humid hide? Also, she gained 5 grams in 1 week, is this normal? I plan on introducing Mazuri tortoise diet this week when it gets delivered, how much should I start with? I'm attaching a couple photos from this morning, does her shell/growth look good?

 

[_The_Beast_]

My little one likes to have humid hide options. Sometimes the one on the warm side is used, sometimes the one on the cooler side, so she/he can regulate temps. Mine is a Russian, so ability to burrow in the hide is also key, but I don't know if your species has similar burrow needs.

Can you add additional humid hide options? Also, can you share a pic of your current humid hide?

With respect to temps and shell, I'm a newbie but I'm sure folks will have thoughts to share

 

[Maggie3fan]

Put her in, and block her in so she can't get out...easy peasy...

 

[ckiley]

My little one likes to have humid hide options. Sometimes the one on the warm side is used, sometimes the one on the cooler side, so she/he can regulate temps. Mine is a Russian, so ability to burrow in the hide is also key, but I don't know if your species has similar burrow needs.

Can you add additional humid hide options? Also, can you share a pic of your current humid hide?

With respect to temps and shell, I'm a newbie but I'm sure folks will have thoughts to share

We used a beach pail cut in half as the humid hide which is in the smaller side of her enclosure. She hasn't showed an interest in burrowing yet, she loves to climb on rocks! I'll look into adding an additional hide to the larger side of her enclosure.

 

[ckiley]

Put her in, and block her in so she can't get out...easy

Put her in, and block her in so she can't get out...easy peasy...

I'm going to try that this evening, I'll use some rocks to block the entrance!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

While you can force him to sleep in the hide, actually you don't have to. If you have a closed type enclosure and not an uncovered tortoise table, the humidity should be 80+% everywhere, anytime.

Looks like you have a cypress mulch (Forest Floor) substrate - it holds humidity perfectly. You just have to pour water in the corners from time to time (once a week usually). Humidifier or mister is not necessary.

If it's a moss in the hide - please, remove it. Tortoises eat it sometimes and that might result in lethal impaction.

Also, you may try to make a hide more burrow-like - sunk it in the substrate, dig a little bit from the inside, maybe cover it with a substrate on top (to make it a walkable ramp). Offering two hides is a good idea - tortoises are good at choosing the right spots to thermoregulate.

Charlie's shell look pretty good so far, but you need to keep her at 80% humidity environment to ensure further smooth growth.

I'm not sure about exact Mazuri amount recommendations (somehow have missed them on the forum), but once-twice a week 1-2 pellets mushed with greens should be fine for start.

If you haven't seen this care sheet, it certainly worth looking at:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

I agree, no mister or humidifiers, they not only are not needed if you have the right kind of enclosure but they can cause problems.
If the enclosure is not closed top, do so and you both will be much happier for it.

 

[ckiley]

While you can force him to sleep in the hide, actually you don't have to. If you have a closed type enclosure and not an uncovered tortoise table, the humidity should be 80+% everywhere, anytime.

Looks like you have a cypress mulch (Forest Floor) substrate - it holds humidity perfectly. You just have to pour water in the corners from time to time (once a week usually). Humidifier or mister is not necessary.

If it's a moss in the hide - please, remove it. Tortoises eat it sometimes and that might result in lethal impaction.

Also, you may try to make a hide more burrow-like - sunk it in the substrate, dig a little bit from the inside, maybe cover it with a substrate on top (to make it a walkable ramp). Offering two hides is a good idea - tortoises are good at choosing the right spots to thermoregulate.

Charlie's shell look pretty good so far, but you need to keep her at 80% humidity environment to ensure further smooth growth.

I'm not sure about exact Mazuri amount recommendations (somehow have missed them on the forum), but once-twice a week 1-2 pellets mushed with greens should be fine for start.

If you haven't seen this care sheet, it certainly worth looking at:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

I have a mostly closed enclosure, there is an opening for the lights. I have organic sphagnum moss in the hide on top of the cypress mulch, should I remove this? I've been misting the substrate in the AM and PM. I plan on running the humidifier in the room the enclosure is in as the air in my house has been super dry from running the heat so it'll benefit me as well. I've read all of Tom's guides and am trying to perfect things as Charlie was started dry at the breeder. I do plan on building a fully enclosed enclosure in the near future.

 

[ckiley]

I agree, no mister or humidifiers, they not only are not needed if you have the right kind of enclosure but they can cause problems.
If the enclosure is not closed top, do so and you both will be much happier for it.

I'm not putting a humidifer/mister in the enclosure. I plan on increasing my homes humidity as I'm needing it as well, running the heat is drying me out terribly. It is mostly closed off with plexiglass, with an opening for the lights. Could I use tinfoil around the lights to close the opening?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

1. You can use a tinfoil to make a firm cover around the lights.
2. Yes, remove the moss, please.
3. Misting top of the substrate doesn't work as good as dampening lower layers - it dries out too quick.
4. Using humidifier in the room is fine. Pointing them in the enclosure is the something you should avoid.

 

[ckiley]

1. You can use a tinfoil to make a firm cover around the lights.
2. Yes, remove the moss, please.
3. Misting top of the substrate doesn't work as good as dampening lower layers - it dries out too quick.
4. Using humidifier in the room is fine. Pointing them in the enclosure is the something you should avoid.

Thank you, I'm going to try the tinfoil trick and have removed the moss and replaced with more cypress. I'll start doing a turnover of the substrate weekly and will keep the lower layers damp. Definitely will not point the humidifier in the enclosure!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Great, please, keep us updated how it's going!

 

[ckiley]

Great, please, keep us updated how it's going!

I will! This forum has been a life saver!

 

[Maggie3fan]

I apologize for not really understanding your post...I keep a small RedFoot in a wooden tort table with a mini greenhouse enclosing the whole thing...most of the time it stays at 85 degrees wit 85=90% humidity...the substrate is fine grade orchid bark. Logan has a pain roller pan for soaking and 4 or 5 hides around...he's choosy...
he just outgrew this hide
this is the bones of the thing...
at one end is a brooder panel...works great for this situation...there's a che at the other end hth
all those pieces of wood were just holding it up, and you can see the tort table better...
and yes...that is Logan's soaking pan...empty...lol

 

[TammyJ]

A hide should be a HIDE, as in a cave, with a small opening, dark and warm. Your hide is too open. The doorway should be just big enough for the tortoise to go in and out easily.

 

[Maggie3fan]

A hide should be a HIDE, as in a cave, with a small opening, dark and warm. Your hide is too open. The doorway should be just big enough for the tortoise to go in and out easily.

me?

 

[TammyJ]

me?

No...the Original Poster 's hide is too open.

 

[ckiley]

Your enclosure

I apologize for not really understanding your post...I keep a small RedFoot in a wooden tort table with a mini greenhouse enclosing the whole thing...most of the time it stays at 85 degrees wit 85=90% humidity...the substrate is fine grade orchid bark. Logan has a pain roller pan for soaking and 4 or 5 hides around...he's choosy... View attachment 365527
he just outgrew this hideView attachment 365528
this is the bones of the thing...View attachment 365529
at one end is a brooder panel...works great for this situation...there's a che at the other end hth
all those pieces of wood were just holding it up, and you can see the tort table better...View attachment 365530
and yes...that is Logan's soaking pan...empty...lol

You have a great set up, I'm going to look into a mini green house for mine. I also like the terracotta pot as a hide, I'm going to add one to my enclosure! Where do you get the brooder panel? I'd like to add one to her enclosure, I use a CHE now and it works pretty good but I think one side of the enclosure would benefit from one of those panels.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Your enclosure

You have a great set up, I'm going to look into a mini green house for mine. I also like the terracotta pot as a hide, I'm going to add one to my enclosure! Where do you get the brooder panel? I'd like to add one to her enclosure, I use a CHE now and it works pretty good but I think one side of the enclosure would benefit from one of those panels.

You can get the brooder panels from a feed store... or you can get a radiant heat panel for more money on Amazon I think...

 

[ckiley]

You can get the brooder panels from a feed store... or you can get a radiant heat panel for more money on Amazon I think...

Thank you, I'll look for a feed store near me!