leopard tortoise, humidity question?
- Thread starter Cpm1992
- Start date
Yes, humidity no lower then 80% with temps no lower then 80 and a basking of 95+. Please read Toms threads below for the raising of a leopard. Post pics of your enclosure and we can help you better at how to keep temps and humidity up. It usually takes covering the enclosure. A closed chamber explained in the threads below better describes this.
Hi Cpm,
How long have you had your little leopard? Do you know how he was kept before you got him?
Leopard tortoises are tropical species and I like to raise the babies in a high humidity environment. We have found that raising them with humidity keeps them properly hydrated and allows their new growth to come in smooth.
There are a number of ways you can do this:
Some people house their leopards in an open table with just a humid hide. This humid hide needs to be kept warmer than 80F with humidity over 80%. Richard Fife started with this method and it has worked for others. Our own Yvonne comes to mind. She is successfully raising her 3rd smooth leopard in an open table. The table is inside her heated tortoise shed and has a large humid hide at one end.
Some people house their leopards in a partially covered table. This allows you do have a greater gap in micro climates so the tortoise can choose where it wants to spend it's time.
Others, like me prefer to house them inside of closed chambers. It produces the best/smoothest results, is very cost effective and easy to maintain. The babies spend most of their time in the chambers and only a few hours outside a day. As they grow in size I let them stay outside for longer periods until they eventually live outside full time.
I keep the entire enclosure at 80% RH. Areas in the hides or at the base of plants have an even higher reading.
My preferred numbers are as follows:
Basking temp- 95F
Warm end temp- 90s
Cool end temp- 80s
Night time temp- 80F
Humidity- 80-99%
Some will argue that 80-99%RH is higher than they would experience in the wild. We don't know many specifics about what they do in the wild as hatchlings but even if they experience a slightly lower %of RH, here in our captive settings we have extremely desiccating light bulbs to combat. So, these numbers have worked very well for myself and many other Leopard owners.
Here are some examples to share and if you search around of the forum a bit, you'll find plenty more examples as proof of how well this method as been working.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Leopard tortoise ownership
and of course, to TFO
How long have you had your little leopard? Do you know how he was kept before you got him?
Leopard tortoises are tropical species and I like to raise the babies in a high humidity environment. We have found that raising them with humidity keeps them properly hydrated and allows their new growth to come in smooth.
There are a number of ways you can do this:
Some people house their leopards in an open table with just a humid hide. This humid hide needs to be kept warmer than 80F with humidity over 80%. Richard Fife started with this method and it has worked for others. Our own Yvonne comes to mind. She is successfully raising her 3rd smooth leopard in an open table. The table is inside her heated tortoise shed and has a large humid hide at one end.
Some people house their leopards in a partially covered table. This allows you do have a greater gap in micro climates so the tortoise can choose where it wants to spend it's time.
Others, like me prefer to house them inside of closed chambers. It produces the best/smoothest results, is very cost effective and easy to maintain. The babies spend most of their time in the chambers and only a few hours outside a day. As they grow in size I let them stay outside for longer periods until they eventually live outside full time.
I keep the entire enclosure at 80% RH. Areas in the hides or at the base of plants have an even higher reading.
My preferred numbers are as follows:
Basking temp- 95F
Warm end temp- 90s
Cool end temp- 80s
Night time temp- 80F
Humidity- 80-99%
Some will argue that 80-99%RH is higher than they would experience in the wild. We don't know many specifics about what they do in the wild as hatchlings but even if they experience a slightly lower %of RH, here in our captive settings we have extremely desiccating light bulbs to combat. So, these numbers have worked very well for myself and many other Leopard owners.
Here are some examples to share and if you search around of the forum a bit, you'll find plenty more examples as proof of how well this method as been working.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Leopard tortoise ownership
and of course, to TFO 
Cpm1992 said:
Don't be angry. Just be glad you found out before any horrible pyramiding set in. That man is just telling you what he was taught and what has been taught for more than two decades. It is wrong and it was wrong two decades ago, and some people still have not figured it out yet. This forum is at the forefront of advancing this new knowledge.
It would be great if you would go back and try to tell the man at the reptile shop what you have learned so he doesn't mis-inform anyone else. He might ignore you or even be rude about it, but try anyway. Once he hears it from enough people, it will start to sink in.
That's great thanks for all your helpful replies! I'm just so worried im not doing the right thing for my little one I had dreams of it all last night!
I have an open table as I heard that was a good idea so I need to make some humid hides. How do I actually make them humid and when you say 80% how do I measure that sort of amount?
Yes I will do that tom I was also told in another shop that wood chips will do so ill be visiting them too.
Is moss a good idea? The plants you can plant for them, can I get this from garden nurseries or is it an internet job?
I really appreciate your help so I can benefit my Herbert as much as possible!
Thanks.
Chloe from UK.
I have an open table as I heard that was a good idea so I need to make some humid hides. How do I actually make them humid and when you say 80% how do I measure that sort of amount?
Yes I will do that tom I was also told in another shop that wood chips will do so ill be visiting them too.
Is moss a good idea? The plants you can plant for them, can I get this from garden nurseries or is it an internet job?
I really appreciate your help so I can benefit my Herbert as much as possible!
Thanks.
Chloe from UK.
