Humidity for an Open Top Table

VBgecko

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Hey all,

I know having an enclosed table is ideal for the humidity a RF needs, but are there any ideas (besides me constantly spray bottling from time to time on the substrate and tort?

I have an open top table, because that's the only feasible setup I can give Scooter at this time (space is temporarily limited until we move again). I custom built this with some scrap wood to fit the available space I could fit it in. We're talking IKEA creative with space.

Scooter lives out in a fenced-in garden the size of a 4 car garage during the summer (Minnesota summers are great with heavy humidity), but I feel like a bad keeper in the winter months because keeping humidity up is difficult.

The table is 4 ½' X 2 ½'. Substrate is 2 ½" deep (sphagnum moss/bark/eco brick), the back part under the hide is organic potting mix that I seeded with grass. 1 ceramic heat lamp, 1 full spectrum bulb for heat and a UVA/UVB lamp.

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The way things are attached to a shelf the table is tucked under I don't know how to construct a tent that wouldn't be a fire hazard.

Suggestions?
 

wellington

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First, I would find a different way to hang the lights. Those clamps have been known to fail. Then, can you cover at least have the enclosure to make it humid? It's really hard keeping humidity up with heat lights without it being closed.
 

tortdad

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You can still use that table and make it enclosed. The more of the top you cover the more the humidity stays in. Can you get a piece of plexiglass and cut it to the size of your tank? If so just cut some holes for the lights and bang, yours is now a closed chamber.

Remember this, RF torts easily get shell rot because of the moisture we need to add. To prevent this you need to keep the top layer of substraight dry and the bottom layers moist. If you have an open top and you spray all day the top layer is wet and you have a much higher chance at rot. Also you not only need to keep your tort at a CONSTANT high humidity level. Not 80% when I spray, an hour later it's 20% so inspect again. High a the time and the only way to do that is to cover the top. I've seen people use plexiglass, wood, even tin foil. What I'm trying to get at is you don't need to rebuilt what you have to make a new closed chamber, simply put a top on it. The less about of air gap you have the easier it is to hold humidity. Mine are completely closed, no air gap at all and hold humidity like a champ....almost no effort at all. I was super hesitant about building one with no air gaps (I mean how do they breath, right). Then a member (I think Tom) said something to the effect of if a tort can live for 24 hours in a tiny box being shipped it has plenty of air A fully enclosed chamber. You will swap out enough air every time you open to feed, soak, and spot clean. That took all my fears away so I built a fully enclosed chamber and it was the best thing I ever did for my Redfoots.
 

VBgecko

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Just for the record, I know the clamps fail, that's why I use the addition of locking wood clamps to keep them secured. I don't need one of those crashing down on my buba <3.

I usually just spray Scooter and under the basking area to get some humidity going. The substrate under the dry layer is still moist.

The plexiglass is a great idea! I don't know why I didn't think of that. I guess was stuck on the plastic sheeting for some reason.
 

VBgecko

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Hokay,

So in the mean time (I'm still in finals at school and haven't the time) I finally found a new battery for my digital thermometer, and I have the areas surrounding his basking spot pumped up to 94.5º F (due to illness) and the humidity (without the cover) is holding at 50%. I hope this is adequate for the next week.

He moves himself in an out of the basking spots just fine, but at what temp is it too much for the tort's shell and they can burn themselves?
 

Tom

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Easy solution, and the only solution that will work for an open topped table. Heat and humidify the whole room. The problem with an open table is that it allows the enclosure air to circulate with the much greater volume of cool dry air in the room. If the whole room is warm and humid, circulating the air in to the tortoise table will be a good thing.

Remember that pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. 50% humidity is too dry for a RF in my experience. Spraying and keeping everything all wet all the time in a cool, normal room, is a recipe for respiratory infection and shell rot.
 

johnandjade

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i agree on plexiglass, i have just ordered some online as have same issue. cost was less than £20. i am also going to cover the holes cut for bulbs with wire mesh for added safty.

cheep, effective and tidy happy days
 

AmRoKo

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Even easier than plexiglass you can get some clear vinyl in the material department at walmart and just throw that over the top.
 

johnandjade

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thats the next step im going to take as well if adding a top is not enough. have looked into shop bought reptile foggers and 'doctoring' a domestic one seams to be the best solution, great idea!
 

christinaland128

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This Crane brand was $40 but absolutely worth it. It's suuuuper quiet, and adjustable. Got mine at Target.
 

Turtlepete

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For super-simple humidity, I've always just hung wet towels over the tops of enclosures. Doesn't even have to fully cover it, but it will really improve the humidity. Soak a couple beach towels and hang them over either end. Crude, and not very sightly, but effective.
 

VBgecko

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I was going to suggest making your own homemade fogger. But it won't be beneficial if there's an open top. I made a fogger from a crane humidifier, works great...View attachment 108524

I'm liking your humidifier setup, I think I might go with something like that when I finally get the plexiglass top finished. Thanks for all the good in a pinch suggestions!
 

VBgecko

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Finals are finished and that means I should have the table top and some sort of humidifier like christinaland128 demonstrated by this weekend.

In the mean time, the windows in my tortoise room look like the windows of a car on lovers lane and I was able to bring the room into the 70% humidity range, SCORE … for now. LOL

humidity.jpg
 

johnandjade

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i manged to cover my table with acrilic, wow what a difference! strongly advise it
 

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