Help with Humidity and heat

Maro2Bear

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Greetings. Try & upload some pictures of your current enclosure & lighting. Substrste type?


 

1289Gabe

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Greetings. Try & upload some pictures of your current enclosure & lighting. Substrste type?


image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

Maro2Bear

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You need to figure out a way to completely cover the top so the heat stays in. Your substrste looks good, but it’s probably not moist enough. Are you soaking your tort daily?

What are you using for day heat? & then for night heat?
 

1289Gabe

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I soak him every other day, he has a heating lamp for day, and where he sleeps, he has a heating pad under.
Aslo, do you know if he’s pyramidin?
 

Tom

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I soak him every other day, he has a heating lamp for day, and where he sleeps, he has a heating pad under.
Aslo, do you know if he’s pyramidin?
Yes he is pyramiding because it is too dry in an open topped enclosure. You need a different enclosure. A closed chamber to keep the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise. If you don't make this change, the pyramiding will continue to get worse day by day, and it cannot be undone. Your tortoise will wear that damage for the rest of its life.

Heating pads should never be used with tortoises. Its potentially dangerous and usually ineffective. You need a CHE or radiant heat panel controlled by a thermostat for ambient and night heat.

What type of heat lamp? In that small hood, I'm guessing you have a spot type bulb. Those cause pyramiding by drying out the carapace.

They need to be soaked every day for 30-40 minutes. The water needs to stay warm for the entire soak.
 

1289Gabe

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Yes he is pyramiding because it is too dry in an open topped enclosure. You need a different enclosure. A closed chamber to keep the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise. If you don't make this change, the pyramiding will continue to get worse day by day, and it cannot be undone. Your tortoise will wear that damage for the rest of its life.

Heating pads should never be used with tortoises. Its potentially dangerous and usually ineffective. You need a CHE or radiant heat panel controlled by a thermostat for ambient and night heat.

What type of heat lamp? In that small hood, I'm guessing you have a spot type bulb. Those cause pyramiding by drying out the carapace.

They need to be soaked every day for 30-40 minutes. The water needs to stay warm for the entire soak.
Thanks tom
 

1289Gabe

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Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
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Yes he is pyramiding because it is too dry in an open topped enclosure. You need a different enclosure. A closed chamber to keep the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise. If you don't make this change, the pyramiding will continue to get worse day by day, and it cannot be undone. Your tortoise will wear that damage for the rest of its life.

Heating pads should never be used with tortoises. Its potentially dangerous and usually ineffective. You need a CHE or radiant heat panel controlled by a thermostat for ambient and night heat.

What type of heat lamp? In that small hood, I'm guessing you have a spot type bulb. Those cause pyramiding by drying out the carapace.

They need to be soaked every day for 30-40 minutes. The water needs to stay warm for the entire soak.
Can youimage.jpg tell what bulb this is?
 

Tom

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Will uvb and heat go through the plexiglass?
No. This is why its best to have the heat and humidity INSIDE the enclosure. Here are mine to show you what we're talking about:

You can get one from @Markw84 , and Will from @Kapidolo Farms might have one of Mark's custom made ones ready to go in San Diego.

You can also get one quickly from ReptileBasics.com.

I get mine from Animal Plastics. The quality, price and customer service is EXCELLENT, but it takes MONTHS to get your enclosure made and shipped. Mark W wasn't making them when I got my last ones, or I would have gotten mine from him. My next ones will come from him.
 

1289Gabe

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Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego California
Yes he is pyramiding because it is too dry in an open topped enclosure. You need a different enclosure. A closed chamber to keep the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise. If you don't make this change, the pyramiding will continue to get worse day by day, and it cannot be undone. Your tortoise will wear that damage for the rest of its life.

Heating pads should never be used with tortoises. Its potentially dangerous and usually ineffective. You need a CHE or radiant heat panel controlled by a thermostat for ambient and night heat.

What type of heat lamp? In that small hood, I'm guessing you have a spot type bulb. Those cause pyramiding by drying out the carapace.

They need to be soaked every day for 30-40 minutes. The water needs to stay warm for the entire soak.
No. This is why its best to have the heat and humidity INSIDE the enclosure. Here are mine to show you what we're talking about:

You can get one from @Markw84 , and Will from @Kapidolo Farms might have one of Mark's custom made ones ready to go in San Diego.

You can also get one quickly from ReptileBasics.com.

I get mine from Animal Plastics. The quality, price and customer service is EXCELLENT, but it takes MONTHS to get your enclosure made and shipped. Mark W wasn't making them when I got my last ones, or I would have gotten mine from him. My next ones will come from him.
How do I get the enclosures?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
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How do I get the enclosures?
I would contact Mark first. Message him at his user name that I linked in your post.

If he can't help you, then contact reptile basics and order up their 2x4' cage. You should have it within 2 weeks.

Then, for the long term, order a big one from Mark or from Animal Plastics that you can receive in a few months, and have a larger enclosure at the ready for when your tortoise needs it. Mark's enclosures are expandable, so this is the most sensible option for most people. Instead of buying another enclosure, you just add on to the existing one. This is better for the tortoise too.
 
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