7 month old red foots w/chalky head & a little pyramiding

BonbonSammy

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Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Hawaiʻi
People who live in humid countries make the mistake of thinking it's humid here, my tortoise doesn't need more humidity, but that's the wrong thinking. Your tortoise's enclosure is under heat and lights. All this dries out the enclosure and it's not nearly as humid in there as you think it is. Wet the substrate and when it dries out, wet it again!
People who live in humid countries make the mistake of thinking it's humid here, my tortoise doesn't need more humidity, but that's the wrong thinking. Your tortoise's enclosure is under heat and lights. All this dries out the enclosure and it's not nearly as humid in there as you think it is. Wet the substrate and when it dries out, wet it again!
Thank you.

CHE is inside the enclosure but not in use. UVB 15w 10.0 T5 is on a timer, but maybe I will cut the time down..
Substrate is layers of hydroballs, coco coir and repti bark. I spray it down when it look dry or if I don’t see as much condensation in the hydro ball layer.
Water dish is really deeper then it looks. It is actually made to steam asparagus in the microwave. It holds about 3 cups of water. The area they walk on is the tray which is submerged into the water but is not to deep. That definitely work for the humidity.
Temperature sensor currently reads at 3:00pm inside their home is 87 degrees / 95% humidity. Just with UVB on.
Everyday after work, they come out of the enclosure and Luke warm soak for about a 20 mins. or so, hanging out in the container while kids are doing their homework and their “doing their business!”

** I do have one question when it comes to humidity. Can they have too much humidity?

At night before bed with nothing on in their enclosure, it can create up to 100% of humidity, at about 80 degrees. I lift the hood a inch to let some humidity out and drop it down to 90%. Just to be on the safe side because I’m unsure about that.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Ga
Thank you.

CHE is inside the enclosure but not in use. UVB 15w 10.0 T5 is on a timer, but maybe I will cut the time down..
Substrate is layers of hydroballs, coco coir and repti bark. I spray it down when it look dry or if I don’t see as much condensation in the hydro ball layer.
Water dish is really deeper then it looks. It is actually made to steam asparagus in the microwave. It holds about 3 cups of water. The area they walk on is the tray which is submerged into the water but is not to deep. That definitely work for the humidity.
Temperature sensor currently reads at 3:00pm inside their home is 87 degrees / 95% humidity. Just with UVB on.
Everyday after work, they come out of the enclosure and Luke warm soak for about a 20 mins. or so, hanging out in the container while kids are doing their homework and their “doing their business!”

** I do have one question when it comes to humidity. Can they have too much humidity?

At night before bed with nothing on in their enclosure, it can create up to 100% of humidity, at about 80 degrees. I lift the hood a inch to let some humidity out and drop it down to 90%. Just to be on the safe side because I’m unsure about that.
You don't have to worry about too much humidity. 100% is fine.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Thank you for checking in. I appreciate all the knowledge you all have shared.
It was stressful to know they needed better and I couldn’t get enclosures shipped here to the island. .
I actually figured out a simple fix for the current season here. I don’t need to turn on the CHE. I found that simply turning it off actually made the enclosure more stable as far as heat & humidity thru out the day and night. The UV comes on from 6 to 6 then shout off and that’s it.
Its rewarding now, I made it how I wanted it plus I can convert it later for outside.
??
Oh ya… one of my daughters wanting to buy/rescue 5 RF’s (probably around 3 yrs old) from the local Petco.
She noticed the setup was completely wrong for them. Treating them like desert tortoises. They hated the food, they were super dried out. Employees knew nothing as far as age, food etc. My daughter at one point turned and saw a brochure next to RF enclosure that explain care. The store/employees didn’t follow the brochure.
Be very careful when attempting to rescue a mistreated animal from a pet shop, etc.
I routinely spend hundreds or more on Redfoot just to get them healthy enough to give away to new homes. Or sell them at a steep loss.
You can help educate.
But you can't save them all.
 
Last edited:

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Thank you for checking in. I appreciate all the knowledge you all have shared.
It was stressful to know they needed better and I couldn’t get enclosures shipped here to the island. .
I actually figured out a simple fix for the current season here. I don’t need to turn on the CHE. I found that simply turning it off actually made the enclosure more stable as far as heat & humidity thru out the day and night. The UV comes on from 6 to 6 then shout off and that’s it.
Its rewarding now, I made it how I wanted it plus I can convert it later for outside.
??
Oh ya… one of my daughters wanting to buy/rescue 5 RF’s (probably around 3 yrs old) from the local Petco.
She noticed the setup was completely wrong for them. Treating them like desert tortoises. They hated the food, they were super dried out. Employees knew nothing as far as age, food etc. My daughter at one point turned and saw a brochure next to RF enclosure that explain care. The store/employees didn’t follow the brochure.
The last CLOSED CHAMBER ENCLOSURE Ihat I had in use also had no heat like yours.
The tiny amount that the UVB T8 electronics put out kept the thing at a perfect 82-83°
A proper T5 would be even Warner.
My torts all live outside 24/7 except for the very young or very sick.
My CLOSED CHAMBER experience is somewhat limited
 

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