How can i create a closed chamber that won't realise humidity?

[AshleeSparling]

Lewis (my 18lb sulcata) recently had a RI, he was sick for nearly 2.5 months. We got him a humidifier and it worked along with the other things we changed to make him better.

We believe he got sick in the first place because we moved to an appartment, and there's so many working variables right now with this appartment. But the new issue is, we can't have a humidifier anymore because it made things moldy. It's not an option to continue to use the humidifier the way I was, but it seems he needs as humidifier as it's only been 2 days and he's started wheezing again. Can I create a closed chamber that won't release any humidity into the room?

I tried to put tiles down in his enclosure to protect the wood as I discussed in a different thread, and used weather seal tape as was recommended. Well he ate some tape, probably 4 inches of tape. In small pieces, but idk if I should be concerned about that. I'm not concerned as he seems fine and still ravenous but i figured I should mention that. That whole thing was a horrible idea, I tried to rip it all out but the tiles left an adhesive residue so I ended up running to home depot half an hour before they closed and buying a huge slab of wood to lay over it.

Finally, I am having some thoughts about maybe Lewis has needs I can't provide, and maybe I should rehome him. We are looking into getting him a shed in the future (within a year) but we haven't run it by the landlord yet and it's unlikely. How should I go about rehoming him if that's the decision I come to? What should I look for when it comes to someone I shouldn't give him to? Should he go somewhere he's the only tortoise or can he live with other Sulcatas?

Im not sure I even want him to stay in New York, I'd prefer if I could find somewhere warmer for him to go. I don't know of many sanctuaries or rehomeing programs so if anyone has any recommendations.

 

[wellington]

A humidifier is not recommended to begin with.
The problem is with temps. A cold tortoise gets sick.
The over all temp at his level should be 80-85.
Basking area of 95-100
Night temps also 80-85.
For now seeing you are hearing noises, make the day and night temps a constant 85-90.
How big is he?
Something like the picture can be used as a closed chamber. A tarp needs to be added for a floor. They come in 6,9,12 feet lengths. They are 3 feet wide. Get the biggest you can fit. All lights and heat will hang from frame inside

 

[Tom]

Lewis (my 18lb sulcata) recently had a RI, he was sick for nearly 2.5 months. We got him a humidifier and it worked along with the other things we changed to make him better.

We believe he got sick in the first place because we moved to an appartment, and there's so many working variables right now with this appartment. But the new issue is, we can't have a humidifier anymore because it made things moldy. It's not an option to continue to use the humidifier the way I was, but it seems he needs as humidifier as it's only been 2 days and he's started wheezing again. Can I create a closed chamber that won't release any humidity into the room?

I tried to put tiles down in his enclosure to protect the wood as I discussed in a different thread, and used weather seal tape as was recommended. Well he ate some tape, probably 4 inches of tape. In small pieces, but idk if I should be concerned about that. I'm not concerned as he seems fine and still ravenous but i figured I should mention that. That whole thing was a horrible idea, I tried to rip it all out but the tiles left an adhesive residue so I ended up running to home depot half an hour before they closed and buying a huge slab of wood to lay over it.

Finally, I am having some thoughts about maybe Lewis has needs I can't provide, and maybe I should rehome him. We are looking into getting him a shed in the future (within a year) but we haven't run it by the landlord yet and it's unlikely. How should I go about rehoming him if that's the decision I come to? What should I look for when it comes to someone I shouldn't give him to? Should he go somewhere he's the only tortoise or can he live with other Sulcatas?

Im not sure I even want him to stay in New York, I'd prefer if I could find somewhere warmer for him to go. I don't know of many sanctuaries or rehomeing programs so if anyone has any recommendations.

Welcome to reality. I don't mean this to sound harsh or insulting. What I mean is that you are finally realizing why most people in most parts of the world shouldn't buy this species. We see this constantly here. Your plight is not unique, and I'm sorry to see yet another person in this sad situation.

What you need is a large closed chamber made from 4x8 foot sheets of expanded PCV plastic that is sealed at all the seams. The problem is that at 18 pounds, your tortoise needs a closed chamber that is around 1000 square feet. How does one do that in the frozen North? It doesn't work. In another year or two he will need something around 50x50 feet. 2500 square feet of heated, humidified, well lit, tortoise space. Got an insulated warehouse on the property? In warmer climes, people simply move them outside full time into a huge outdoor enclosure with a heated night box for shelter on rainy days and cold "winter" nights, but they come out, walk around and bask in the warm sunshine all year long. We've had temps in the high 70s to low 80s here for the last week. In JANUARY! Its raining today, but it will be sunny again tomorrow and all my adult tortoises will come out of their heated boxes and graze until their heart's content on all the freshly growing weeds and grasses.

Find someone in a warm state to take your tortoise, and get a species that can be managed more practically in a climate like yours. There are so many people that are in the same position that you are in, that it can be difficult to find homes, so I wish you the best of luck.

 

[AshleeSparling]

Lewis (my 18lb sulcata) recently had a RI, he was sick for nearly 2.5 months. We got him a humidifier and it worked along with the other things we changed to make him better.

We believe he got sick in the first place because we moved to an appartment, and there's so many working variables right now with this appartment. But the new issue is, we can't have a humidifier anymore because it made things moldy. It's not an option to continue to use the humidifier the way I was, but it seems he needs as humidifier as it's only been 2 days and he's started wheezing again. Can I create a closed chamber that won't release any humidity into the room?

I tried to put tiles down in his enclosure to protect the wood as I discussed in a different thread, and used weather seal tape as was recommended. Well he ate some tape, probably 4 inches of tape. In small pieces, but idk if I should be concerned about that. I'm not concerned as he seems fine and still ravenous but i figured I should mention that. That whole thing was a horrible idea, I tried to rip it all out but the tiles left an adhesive residue so I ended up running to home depot half an hour before they closed and buying a huge slab of wood to lay over it.

Finally, I am having some thoughts about maybe Lewis has needs I can't provide, and maybe I should rehome him. We are looking into getting him a shed in the future (within a year) but we haven't run it by the landlord yet and it's unlikely. How should I go about rehoming him if that's the decision I come to? What should I look for when it comes to someone I shouldn't give him to? Should he go somewhere he's the only tortoise or can he live with other Sulcatas?

Im not sure I even want him to stay in New York, I'd prefer if I could find somewhere warmer for him to go. I don't know of many sanctuaries or rehomeing programs so if anyone has any recommendations.

A humidifier is not recommended to begin with.
The problem is with temps. A cold tortoise gets sick.
The over all temp at his level should be 80-85.
Basking area of 95-100
Night temps also 80-85.
For now seeing you are hearing noises, make the day and night temps a constant 85-90.
How big is he?
Something like the picture can be used as a closed chamber. A tarp needs to be added for a floor. They come in 6,9,12 feet lengths. They are 3 feet wide. Get the biggest you can fit. All lights and heat will hang from frame inside
View attachment 366020

He is

A humidifier is not recommended to begin with.
The problem is with temps. A cold tortoise gets sick.
The over all temp at his level should be 80-85.
Basking area of 95-100
Night temps also 80-85.
For now seeing you are hearing noises, make the day and night temps a constant 85-90.
How big is he?
Something like the picture can be used as a closed chamber. A tarp needs to be added for a floor. They come in 6,9,12 feet lengths. They are 3 feet wide. Get the biggest you can fit. All lights and heat will hang from frame inside
View attachment 366020

He is 11inches wide and 15 inches long. He weighs 18lbs.


That is a great idea! Thank you, I will look into a greenhouse to go over his enclosure. His box is 4ftx6ft

 

[Maggie3fan]

Ashlee...I am an old lady and I've been keeping Sulcata for a long time...they are my favorite species, so please believe me when I say...you are simply not doing that tortoise any favors. I moved from the California sun to the PacificNorthWest rain and snow and I bought my love, Bob with me...Bob was only a few years old when I moved here and when he died he was over 100 pounds. It was my love for him that killed him. You see, he was set up perfectly with a nice tort shed that stays 85 degrees or 90...I grew food for him he was perfect...Sulcata can't digest their food if their insides aren't 85 degrees or better. They have pooping problems if they don't get enuf exercise, in the wild they walk for miles daily. So as good as Bob was set up, he simply didn't walk enuf and I thought having a pond to swim in and to drink from that his was well hydrated, but he developed a bladder stone as big as a base ball. He died at 17 years old. He died because I tried to take an animal that needs more heat, more exercise, more UVB...and I placed him in the snow for 6 months every year. Your love for Lewis will kill him...I ask you, do you love him enough to find him a better home? He needs so much more than you can provide. He needs way more room or he will not grow right...here's what was Bob's tort shed,
here is my current Sulcata, she looked like this when I got her, and your Lewis will grow badly and could look like this...
see how pyramided she is???
the humidifier is what made him sick in the first place cold and wet is very bad...I don't think Lewis is warm enuf..please if you really do love him, think about what I've said, and find him a better home...

 

[Yvonne G]

At 18lbs, Lewis is big enough to either have a room of his own or to live outside with a heated shed. Would you keep an 18lb baby cow in an enclosure in the house? Well, that's what you have there. Lewis is a small cow and needs to be outside with the proper 'barn', with heat.

 

[wellington]

He is

He is 11inches wide and 15 inches long. He weighs 18lbs.


That is a great idea! Thank you, I will look into a greenhouse to go over his enclosure. His box is 4ftx6ft

4x6 is way too small for him. A small Russian needs a 4x8.
You need to dedicate a room to him or get the biggest greenhouse, the 3x12 and in the spring build him an outdoor shed.

 

[AshleeSparling]

4x6 is way too small for him. A small Russian needs a 4x8.
You need to dedicate a room to him or get the biggest greenhouse, the 3x12 and in the spring build him an outdoor shed.

He already has the whole room, we wouldn't have any room to walk if it was much bigger. I'm looking into a shed but I'm not sure if I could get one big enough at my appartment.


If I can't meet his needs, how would I go about rehomeing? Does anyone have any experience rehoming using a sanctuary or a program or would I be better off finding an individual person to take him myself?

I'm not set on rehoming him yet, I'm trying my hardest to get the things in order he needs. It may not come to that point, but I'd like to keep my options open seeing it would be in his best interest