Burrowing!!

[TotallyTank]

Should I put more dirt in Daisy's humid hide. She has made a burrow sorta. Her substrate is coconut coir kept super moist and heated to about 70. She has dug a trench all the way down to the glass inside her hide. The coconut coir is about 1 inch deep all over. She really seems to like being in the dirt. If I make it deeper in the hide she may be able to fully burrow under the dirt. Any thoughts I mist her every time I see her out of her hide, face and all to keep the dirt out of her eyes!!

 

[dmmj]

Tortoises like to burrow, if she is digging and you can fit some more in, I would put more in, so she can dig to her heart's content.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Ya put more in there where the burrow is. I always put more dirt where my tort house is.

 

[Tom]

Young ones won't usually dig all that deep, but it won't hurt to add more.

What concerns me is a humid hide for a young tortoise that is only 70 degrees. It should be a minimum of 80. You run the risk of respiratory infection with it that cool and damp.

 

[TotallyTank]

Sorry Tom I may have been unclear. The air temp in the humid hide is 98. The soil in the whole tank is heated to a minimum of 72 with and under tank heater. Her humid hide is directly under a 150 Che and next to a 60 watt basking bulb. The soil in the humid hide is right about 85+. It is 72 on the cool end.

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On a side note after adding more dirt she has a blast digging around in it.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Sorry Tom I may have been unclear. The air temp in the humid hide is 98. The soil in the whole tank is heated to a minimum of 72 with and under tank heater. Her humid hide is directly under a 150 Che and next to a 60 watt basking bulb. The soil in the humid hide is right about 85+. It is 72 on the cool end.

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On a side note after adding more dirt she has a blast digging around in it.

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You need to up the temps on the cool end to 80 degrees. temps shouldn't drop below 80 any where in your enclosure so that ur baby wont get sick. Ur setup sounds awesome other than that

 

[TotallyTank]

The temp air temp on the cool end stays right at 78- 82 at night, and is warmer during the day. Again the 72 is the minimum soil temp with no heat lights I just wanted the ground to maintain a temp when I clean her tank. Which involves churning the soil about every 3 days. I do not believe that she is getting chilled at any point but will check again. Thanks 😁

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

The temp air temp on the cool end stays right at 78- 82 at night, and is warmer during the day. Again the 72 is the minimum soil temp with no heat lights I just wanted the ground to maintain a temp when I clean her tank. Which involves churning the soil about every 3 days. I do not believe that she is getting chilled at any point but will check again. Thanks ?de01

O no your fine I'm sorry I see now you were the soil temp is 85 in hide and 72 on cool end. I just thought u meant the air temp. The air temp that really matters is about an inch off the soil though LOL
I temp gun is the best way to measure temperature because it takes it at tortoise level. The tempature gauges don't do that unless mount them as low as you u can touching the substrate. The air temp way up above the tortoise doesn't matter because heat rises and it is probably much colder right above the substrate ...just my thoughts lol

 

[TotallyTank]

The temp air temp on the cool end stays right at 78- 82 at night, and is warmer during the day. Again the 72 is the minimum soil temp with no heat lights I just wanted the ground to maintain a temp when I clean her tank. Which involves churning the soil about every 3 days. I do not believe that she is getting chilled at any point but will check again. Thanks ?de01

O no your fine I'm sorry I see now you were the soil temp is 85 in hide and 72 on cool end. I just thought u meant the air temp. The air temp that really matters is about an inch off the soil though LOL
I temp gun is the best way to measure temperature because it takes it at tortoise level. The tempature gauges don't do that unless mount them as low as you u can touching the substrate. The air temp way up above the tortoise doesn't matter because heat rises and it is probably much colder right above the substrate ...just my thoughts lol

I finally saved up to get a temp gun yesterday and am pleased to report that her tank at soil level is not cooler than 84 anywhere the air temp just above the soil about 2 inches is about 3 degrees warmer. The temp in the humid hide is 94 basking rock is 105

 

[Tom]

I like those temps.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

I like those temps.

Ditto! !!

 

[TotallyTank]

the warm temps make her really active, i have watched her dig a tunnel, fill it in and dig it again, she is having a great time. I put her aquarium infront of a large window today i think it will help maintain the temps without havinf to use such high wattage lights.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

the warm temps make her really active, i have watched her dig a tunnel, fill it in and dig it again, she is having a great time. I put her aquarium infront of a large window today i think it will help maintain the temps without havinf to use such high wattage lights.

Its great your taking such good care of her she is a lucky tortoise