really, i keep mine at 60-70 humidity should i lower it?
humidity for Russian tortoises
- Thread starter russian/sulcata/tortoise
- Start date
http://russiantortoise.net/tortoise_table.htm
There are a variety of beliefs on the appropriate level of humidity for tortoise....here is what I figure, this species is easily affected by high levels of humidity and any mix of coolness....so, if you are going to run a high humidity environment then special attention needs to be paid to temps to accompany that high constant humidity....if you are going to let the temps drop below 78-80 degrees and also run high levels of humidity then you are subjecting the tortoise to an increased opportunity for RI...now, every living thing (most anyways) benefits from some moisture...the trick is to not over humidify while chance of coolness is present...if the tort is young (baby) then the need for warm humid environment is much more essential than a tort a bit older even into adult age...."I" would offer a warm humid hide or area for the tort to have easy access to when ever the tort feels the desire to do so versus a constant high level of humidity in the entire enclosure ..."I" also would offer up a gradient of temp from the basking spot gradually moving to a drier cool side, this way the tort has the option of moving from each micro climate as the tort feels necessary....I am speaking of an indoor enclosure...depending on where in the world you live and the accompanying weather will dictate your outside set up...
The bottom line I am trying to express is this....this is a species of tort that does not do well with high levels of humidity combined with any chance of cold temps....this species "naturally" brumates so is affected easily by environment---so special attention is needed when hosting a captive tort that can go from one extreme (high dry temps to cool winter temps) to another in environment....trying to provide all gradients is important and so to get hung up on high levels of humidity as a necessary comes with other responsibilities is all I am sharing....
I have attached the above link for informational purposes only...I do have to say that the one thing in that link that I don't jive with is using sand as part of the captive enclosures substrate....now, again--some folks use a combination of earth and sand and swear by it...but "my" personal experience dictates that is an unnecessary hazard I choose not to use....
There are a variety of beliefs on the appropriate level of humidity for tortoise....here is what I figure, this species is easily affected by high levels of humidity and any mix of coolness....so, if you are going to run a high humidity environment then special attention needs to be paid to temps to accompany that high constant humidity....if you are going to let the temps drop below 78-80 degrees and also run high levels of humidity then you are subjecting the tortoise to an increased opportunity for RI...now, every living thing (most anyways) benefits from some moisture...the trick is to not over humidify while chance of coolness is present...if the tort is young (baby) then the need for warm humid environment is much more essential than a tort a bit older even into adult age...."I" would offer a warm humid hide or area for the tort to have easy access to when ever the tort feels the desire to do so versus a constant high level of humidity in the entire enclosure ..."I" also would offer up a gradient of temp from the basking spot gradually moving to a drier cool side, this way the tort has the option of moving from each micro climate as the tort feels necessary....I am speaking of an indoor enclosure...depending on where in the world you live and the accompanying weather will dictate your outside set up...
The bottom line I am trying to express is this....this is a species of tort that does not do well with high levels of humidity combined with any chance of cold temps....this species "naturally" brumates so is affected easily by environment---so special attention is needed when hosting a captive tort that can go from one extreme (high dry temps to cool winter temps) to another in environment....trying to provide all gradients is important and so to get hung up on high levels of humidity as a necessary comes with other responsibilities is all I am sharing....
I have attached the above link for informational purposes only...I do have to say that the one thing in that link that I don't jive with is using sand as part of the captive enclosures substrate....now, again--some folks use a combination of earth and sand and swear by it...but "my" personal experience dictates that is an unnecessary hazard I choose not to use....
my torts live outside and i water the cage daily(sometimes more) and i put the humidity thing out there and its usually reads 60-70 humidity. I'm just going to water it a lot less to get the humidity down. thank you ascott
thank you ascott
my torts live outside and i water the cage daily(sometimes more) and i put the humidity thing out there and its usually reads 60-70 humidity. I'm just going to water it a lot less to get the humidity down.
Do you support them for brumation?
i have never hibernated them or drumated them
I see that you have Russians and Sulcata? I am referring to the Russians as Sulcata don't brumate in the sense of the word...
wait sorry lol I'm confused yes i have 2 russians and 1 sulcata. i know sulcata don't hibernate cuz where they live is warm all year. i don't hibernate my russians.
Have you housed the Russians through winter yet?
usually during the winter they are inside my house with heat light and all that. but this winter I'm going to try to build a greenhouse like thing so they can be outside during the daytime.
Nice....I just realized we so went waaaayyy off topic of the OP thread....outdoors is great and preferred--as long as you can maintain at minimum their basic needs/micro climates....
Oh really? You've raised them that way and seen it cause issues? How many have you seen this with?
I ask because I've seen about three dozen raised with 80+% humidity and not a single one had any issues. All thrived, grew well, and show nothing but excellent health to this day.
If what you've been doing is working for you then I suggest you don't change a thing. They are NOT any more sensitive to humidity than any other species. I base this on several years of experience with more than 20 of my own russians and observing dozens of other keepers and their results with russians. We have a couple of members here raising russians and other Testudo species in high humidity closed chambers. Pretty much the same way I have done it with sulcatas. I correspond with them regularly and their results are 100% completely and totally successful with healthy animals and smooth growth. I am not recommending these methods myself because I have no experience doing it myself yet. I raised my babies in a more conventional open topped, moderate humidity enclosures, and my results were mixed and not as good as my friends with the closed chambers. Mine are all healthy, but their shells are not as perfect as I'd like. Russians are very adaptable and will survive almost anything, but I think our goal should be to provide optimal captive conditions, not survivable captive conditions. More research is needed, but it is quickly becoming apparent that the books and recommended practices for russians has been a bit off too, just like it has for some other species.
Remember that this is a public forum and anyone can say anything they want, even when they don't have any experience at all with the species or practices that they are giving advice about.
I think 30% is too low for a growing captive baby. Mine had an ambient around 40-50% and access to a humid hide, plus damp substrate to dig into, and some of them still show minor pyramiding. They also got soaked and sunned daily as hatchlings for the first few months. The hatchlings I've seen raised in 70-80% humidity show perfect growth and excellent health. Again though, I have not done it that way. I'm just reporting what I have seen, and also what my results were doing it my way. The next Testudo I get will be raised in a more humid closed chamber, but the temps will be appropriate for temperate species, not like my tropical hot boxes for my tropical species.
I keep my humidity around 70-80%. Very easy indoors if you mist daily, keep the subatare damp, and moss helps bunches. Outdoors he has a large water dish, and I water all of his plants in the morning... not so often now, because it's getting quite cold outside... Remember to soak every day (or every other day, that's what I do) for 15+ minutes
I still like to offer moderate humidity for adults. A typical indoor enclosure with a heat lamp and dry substrate will have humidity of less than 20% even in a humid climate. Mine have been as low as 6-7% humidity. This is not good for any species of any age. For adults, I don't really even monitor humidity. Indoors I offer adults damp substrate to burrow into and a humid hide and let them be where they want. Outdoors I keep their burrows lightly dampened and I have areas that are irrigated and areas that remain dry for them. They move all over the enclosures and I see them hanging out everywhere.
I still soak adults once or twice a week because my area is so darn dry, and of course they always have shallow terra cotta saucers for drinking.
You have a baby, right? Babies should be soaked every day! Humidity too high can cause mold... if I had a little guy, I would keep it above 80% so that his shell will grow healthy... I can imagine little guys also shed more, so higher amounts will aid in that. I have a juvenile (4.5'') and 70% works just great for him, and I plan on keeping that way when he's an adult, too
You have a baby, right? Babies should be soaked every day! Humidity too high can cause mold... if I had a little guy, I would keep it above 80% so that his shell will grow healthy... I can imagine little guys also shed more, so higher amounts will aid in that. I have a juvenile (4.5'') and 70% works just great for him, and I plan on keeping that way when he's an adult, too
I have a full grown adult!
Thanks, my humidity usually depends on if windows are open or if my door is open.
