humidity help

[Kaska]

I'm getting my first tortoise this weekend and need some advice on humidity. I've had aquatic turtles but never a tortoise. I understand they need humidity. What level should this be at and what Is the best way to do this? Do you just spray them and the enclosure with a water bottle? I appreciate any help!

 

[Gillian M]

I'm getting my first tortoise this weekend and need some advice on humidity. I've had aquatic turtles but never a tortoise. I understand they need humidity. What level should this be at and what Is the best way to do this? Do you just spray them and the enclosure with a water bottle? I appreciate any help!

HI @Kaska and a very warm welcome to the forum!

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, to begin with. There are also threads on "humidity," which as you mentioned is very important for torts, and so is warmth. Give your tort a daily soak in warm water, so as to avoid dehydration as well as pyramiding.

Please post pics of your tort and his/her enclosure once your tort gets home. This would enable us to give you advise more easily.

 

[wellington]

Depending on the species you are getting as how to do it with humidity. Red foots need a high humidity, but are prone to shell rot. So they need to have the top layer of substrate dry so they are not continually on wet ground. Many others can live in swamp like conditions and have no problem with shell rot.

 

[Kaska]

HI @Kaska and a very warm welcome to the forum!

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, to begin with. There are also threads on "humidity," which as you mentioned is very important for torts, and so is warmth. Give your tort a daily soak in warm water, so as to avoid dehydration as well as pyramiding.

Please post pics of your tort and his/her enclosure once your tort gets home. This would enable us to give you advise more easily.

About how warm should the water temp be for the soak?

 

[Gillian M]

About how warm should the water temp be for the soak?

V sorry, cannot give you numbers, but I soak Oli (my beloved Greek tort) in warm water, and I make sure that it isn't TOO HOT before I soak him. Hope a more experienced member can answer your question.

 

[Gillian M]

Depending on the species you are getting as how to do it with humidity. Red foots need a high humidity, but are prone to shell rot. So they need to have the top layer of substrate dry so they are not continually on wet ground. Many others can live in swamp like conditions and have no problem with shell rot.

Hi. Does this mean that not all torts need humidity?

 

[JoesMum]

Hi. Does this mean that not all torts need humidity?

Red foots are from rain forest regions and need more humidity than most.

Some species need dryer conditions, but almost all benefit from a some degree of humidity.

The main problems with humidity are:

Shell rot - when the shell is kept constantly wet. It's a fungal infection treatable with athlete's foot cream.

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) - when the temperatures are too cool.

Warm and humid is great.
Warm and wet leads to shell rot.
Cold and humid/wet leads to URI.

And to answer the soaking water question, it needs to be warm but not hot. Think baby bath.

 

[Gillian M]

Red foots are from rain forest regions and need more humidity than most.

Some species need dryer conditions, but almost all benefit from a some degree of humidity.

The main problems with humidity are:

Shell rot - when the shell is kept constantly wet. It's a fungal infection treatable with athlete's foot cream.

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) - when the temperatures are too cool.

Warm and humid is great.
Warm and wet leads to shell rot.
Cold and humid/wet leads to URI.

And to answer the soaking water question, it needs to be warm but not hot. Think baby bath.

Thanks a lot the explanation. appreciate it.

As far as soaking Oli is concerned; I check the water by touching it with the tips of my my fingers; so as to make sure it is NOT too hot.

 

[JoesMum]

Thanks a lot the explanation. appreciate it.

As far as soaking Oli is concerned; I check the water by touching it with the tips of my my fingers; so as to make sure it is NOT too hot.

You need to be careful with fingers. The skin is tougher thanks to handling hot cups, pans, cooking, etc.

When tasting baby bath water, you're always told to use your elbow as the skin is more sensitive

 

[wellington]

Hi. Does this mean that not all torts need humidity?

No, it doesn't mean that. There is a couple different levels of humidity needed. All benefit from humidity. It's more on the species as far as how you can implement the humidity. Leopards and sulcata could live on constant swamp land and not have a problem. While others like Redfoot would get shell rot in a swamp like condition.

 

[Tom]

I'm getting my first tortoise this weekend and need some advice on humidity. I've had aquatic turtles but never a tortoise. I understand they need humidity. What level should this be at and what Is the best way to do this? Do you just spray them and the enclosure with a water bottle? I appreciate any help!

What species and what size and age?

The best way is to use a closed chamber of some sort so your enclosure air is not being diluted by the air in the room.

 

[Kaska]

From what I understand redfoot require more humidity than others but are also prone to shell rot. How do I find a happy balance? I thought maybe I should get a humidity gauge for my enclosure but I don't know what reading is best

 

[JoesMum]

You should read this care guide
http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/species-information-2/chelonoidis/

It covers everything you need for a red foot including humidity requirements

In there is says that humidity should be in the range 80-100% for red foots.

To avoid shell rot, that means keeping the surface of the substrate dry ( have it damp below), having a closed chamber and lots of misting / fogging.

 

[JoesMum]

And yes, you do need a hygrometer to measure humidity. Get a digital probe one as they're more accurate than the type you stick to the side of the enclosure