Activity level in humidity vs dry

ShelbysMom

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I have noticed that my sulcata princess is more active when her area is kept dryer and she sleeps a lot when the humidity is higher. Is this normal? Is it ok to only have it humid for part of the day?
 

wellington

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How old/big is she? Hatchlings so sleep a lot. I would think with wrong conditions, like too dry, hot,cold, they move around more to try and find the right conditions. In the wild they would be able to move around and find the right conditions. In an enclosure they have to except what we give them, but they don't realize that so they keep searching.
So it's important they have the right conditions
 

ShelbysMom

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How old/big is she? Hatchlings so sleep a lot. I would think with wrong conditions, like too dry, hot,cold, they move around more to try and find the right conditions. In the wild they would be able to move around and find the right conditions. In an enclosure they have to except what we give them, but they don't realize that so they keep searching.
So it's important they have the right conditions
Yeah, she's not digging around. She has a preferred corner....... She doesn't spend a lot of time basking tho. So that worries me, but the summer sun is approaching in Nevada so I'll be able to take her out daily.

I don't know her exact age. I adopted her from a family that has no idea how to care for her. They had her on a pellet diet, with gardening soil for a bed.

I mean don't get me wrong.....I did most everything wrong when I took her, but I've made changes to her home, her diet.......I swear she talks when she's soaking.

I guess I worry, cause like you said...... They have to make do with what they are given. She didn't ask to be born captive.

Any and all advice is wanted
Please and thank you
 

wellington

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Post pics of the enclosure and give us a run down if all temps day and night and basking temp. What is the humidity at?
What type of lighting and heating bulbs/lights etc are you using?
 

ShelbysMom

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I finally found incandescent floodlight bulbs and have two in a double lamp for her basking area. I have two 75 ceramic heat emitters running at all times........ This brings my day time temp up to around 82-86 with a humidity of 50%. When I had it higher everything was soggy.

I struggle with night time temps, which is why I ordered two 100 che. I've got the worst night time low of 69 so far but the temp hovers in the low 70's at night. The humidity is the same.

I bought a very good thermometer and hygrometer all in one and I've had it less that a month and the humidity control already died. I have an individual hygrometer on the way. On the plus side the thermometer works ?

I looking into getting a whole different enclosure. I just don't know where to start.
 

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Tom

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That is an incredible amount of electric heat being thrown at that tortoise. I can't believe the temps are that low. I can see a probe from a thermostat or two, but how are you measuring those temperatures?

60 and low 70s is much too cold for this species. You are courting disaster there.

Hay is not a good substrate.

How are you maintaining any humidity with an open top and all that electric heat? I see the black tube. Humidifiers should not be used with tortoises. That, coupled with the cold temps, is a sure way to get the tortoise sick.

Give this a read through. Definitely time for a different enclosure. You need a closed chamber.

Questions are welcome!
 

ShelbysMom

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That is orchard something...... Unless I can't read that's what was suggested to be used by a member here. This is exactly why I'm looking chance the complete housing structure.

And again the Humidity was suggested to be used. Now I'm dumping an ridiculous amt of money attempting to provide a proper home for my baby girl. I do really really well with exact rules and specific instructions and this needs an immediate fix. She's too young for this.

So please tell me the exact changes that need to be made.
That is an incredible amount of electric heat being thrown at that tortoise. I can't believe the temps are that low. I can see a probe from a thermostat or two, but how are you measuring those temperatures?

60 and low 70s is much too cold for this species. You are courting disaster there.

Hay is not a good substrate.

How are you maintaining any humidity with an open top and all that electric heat? I see the black tube. Humidifiers should not be used with tortoises. That, coupled with the cold temps, is a sure way to get the tortoise sick.

Give this a read through. Definitely time for a different enclosure. You need a closed chamber.

Questions are welcome!
 

Tom

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That is orchard something...... Unless I can't read that's what was suggested to be used by a member here. This is exactly why I'm looking chance the complete housing structure.

And again the Humidity was suggested to be used. Now I'm dumping an ridiculous amt of money attempting to provide a proper home for my baby girl. I do really really well with exact rules and specific instructions and this needs an immediate fix. She's too young for this.

So please tell me the exact changes that need to be made.
There seems to be some misunderstanding. I'll do my best to clear it up and help out.

Orchard grass hay is a great tortoise food for any grass eating species when they get a little larger. It is not suitable food for babies, and should never be used as a substrate as it is much too dry. They need fine grade orchid bark for substrate. AKA: Repti-Bark if you have to buy it in a pet store or online and can't find it in bulk at local nurseries.

They NEED humidity, but humidifiers are not the way to provide it. Humidity needs to come from damp substrate contained in a closed chamber. Humid hides, large shallow water bowls, and potted live plants all help with this too. Having a screen top, the lights on the outside, and burning 100s of watts to keep things warm, all contribute to dryness. Closed chamber with the lights inside solves all of these problems.

This is the correct care info. Everything is spelled out and explained. If anything isn't clear, please ask questions:
 

ShelbysMom

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There seems to be some misunderstanding. I'll do my best to clear it up and help out.

Orchard grass hay is a great tortoise food for any grass eating species when they get a little larger. It is not suitable food for babies, and should never be used as a substrate as it is much too dry. They need fine grade orchid bark for substrate. AKA: Repti-Bark if you have to buy it in a pet store or online and can't find it in bulk at local nurseries.

They NEED humidity, but humidifiers are not the way to provide it. Humidity needs to come from damp substrate contained in a closed chamber. Humid hides, large shallow water bowls, and potted live plants all help with this too. Having a screen top, the lights on the outside, and burning 100s of watts to keep things warm, all contribute to dryness. Closed chamber with the lights inside solves all of these problems.

This is the correct care info. Everything is spelled out and explained. If anything isn't clear, please ask questions:
Thank you very much.......I will get these issues asap.
 

Yossarian

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You might not want to hear this, but the entire enclosure your using right now is not suitable. You need to get something bigger that can enclose the lighting and heat sources and hold several inches depth of orchid bark for substrate. Then you need to literally pour water into it and mix it all up so the bark absorbs the water, then basically, keep the bark damp all the time, the damp bark plus heat makes your humidity, the enclosure traps it. Humidifiers add a lot of liquid water to the air in the form of small droplets, this is different from water vapour which is a gas. Inhaling water droplets is aspiration and is associated with respiratory infections.

You wont be able to meet the correct targets with what you have, plus it is costing you a lot more money in electricity and hardware than it should, just using lights above a screen like that wastes something like 20% of the energy.

If I were you, I would sell that enclosure and start completely new with something purpose built.
 

ShelbysMom

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You might not want to hear this, but the entire enclosure your using right now is not suitable. You need to get something bigger that can enclose the lighting and heat sources and hold several inches depth of orchid bark for substrate. Then you need to literally pour water into it and mix it all up so the bark absorbs the water, then basically, keep the bark damp all the time, the damp bark plus heat makes your humidity, the enclosure traps it. Humidifiers add a lot of liquid water to the air in the form of small droplets, this is different from water vapour which is a gas. Inhaling water droplets is aspiration and is associated with respiratory infections.

You wont be able to meet the correct targets with what you have, plus it is costing you a lot more money in electricity and hardware than it should, just using lights above a screen like that wastes something like 20% of the energy.

If I were you, I would sell that enclosure and start completely new with something purpose built.
Yeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh....... I was headed that direction before I asked for help. I appreciate the help and honesty tho.

Do you guys have any suggestions for the enclosure? Such as where to get one? Plans to build one maybe? I prefer to buy one tho..... I'm not great with building -_-
 

Tom

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Yeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh....... I was headed that direction before I asked for help. I appreciate the help and honesty tho.

Do you guys have any suggestions for the enclosure? Such as where to get one? Plans to build one maybe? I prefer to buy one tho..... I'm not great with building -_-
Contact our own @Markw84 for the best tortoise enclosures on the market. Designed and built 100% with tortoises in mind by a master. Top quality at a ridiculously low price for what you are getting. When he told me what he was charging, I asked him how much money he was losing per enclosure! He does it because he loves it and wants tortoises to have good housing and healthy lives.

There are other makers too, but you'll spend the same money, or more, plus wait a long time to get it, and you'll have to do all the installing of the electrics, heat and lighting yourself.
 

ShelbysMom

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Ok, I contacted Mark and he will be getting back to me soon. In the mean time I think I've come up with an idea, which is scary, that will help me squeak by and protect her better until I can get the new enclosure. I'm going to ditch the screen cover, get a sheet of acrylic and cut it to fit the top of the tank. I'll cut holes in it to accommodate the lighting and heat. By doing this in hoping to be able to back off on the strength of the bulbs and the che. I'm going to get rid of the humidifier, change the substrate and get some little plants. You guys have any suggestions on ones that I can't kill easily?

To rectify the vents and the opening doors on the front..... I'll get another piece of acrylic and cut it to slide inside the tank to block the opening.

Do you think this will work until I can replace the entire thing?
 

Tom

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Ok, I contacted Mark and he will be getting back to me soon. In the mean time I think I've come up with an idea, which is scary, that will help me squeak by and protect her better until I can get the new enclosure. I'm going to ditch the screen cover, get a sheet of acrylic and cut it to fit the top of the tank. I'll cut holes in it to accommodate the lighting and heat. By doing this in hoping to be able to back off on the strength of the bulbs and the che. I'm going to get rid of the humidifier, change the substrate and get some little plants. You guys have any suggestions on ones that I can't kill easily?

To rectify the vents and the opening doors on the front..... I'll get another piece of acrylic and cut it to slide inside the tank to block the opening.

Do you think this will work until I can replace the entire thing?
Yes. It will help.

You can block vents with tape.

Foil on top is MUCH easier, safer and cheaper than trying to find, buy, cut and fit acrylic. It doesn't look pretty, but its effective and won't melt or catch on fire.

The lights outside and on top will still create a chimney effect, but close it up as much as you can.

I have no experience with it, but other members have been using and recommending large indoor portable green houses to enclose the whole enclosure. Hopefully one of them will see this and show you some pics.
 

ShelbysMom

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Yes. It will help.

You can block vents with tape.

Foil on top is MUCH easier, safer and cheaper than trying to find, buy, cut and fit acrylic. It doesn't look pretty, but its effective and won't melt or catch on fire.

The lights outside and on top will still create a chimney effect, but close it up as much as you can.

I have no experience with it, but other members have been using and recommending large indoor portable green houses to enclose the whole enclosure. Hopefully one of them will see this and show you some pics.
Ok, so this is what I came up with until I can get the enclosure from Mark. Whatcha think?
 

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Tom

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That looks pretty darn good to me. What does your thermometer and hygrometer have to say about it?

What three bulbs are you using?
 

ShelbysMom

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Omg..... So sorry for the late reply.......I have a 75watt che that I turn on at night. I use a 65watt incandescent and a different 50 watt reptile bulb.

This keeps the temp at about 90 during the day with a max of 54% humidity so far.

At night the temp is around 78 with about 48% humidity.

So a large improvement as far as stability goes. Is it ok so give her organic chem free potting soil to dig in?
 

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