Humidity Question

[mctlong]

Whats an ideal humidity for a sulcata hatchling? I have a 4-week old. Just want to make sure he's kept in the best conditions possible.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

70 to 80% at substrate level...

 

[Yvonne G]

This is MY opinion: I don't worry about numbers. Every morning I pour a glass, or a pitcher of water over the substrate and mix it up with my hands, while I have the babies out soaking. Then, still while they are soaking, I place the food on the food stations. By the time the babies are finished with their soak, the water has settled down, and the lights are starting to dry out the top layer. I put the babies all around the food and leave them alone.

Yvonne

 

[mctlong]

Thanks Maggie and Yvonne!

Maggie, when you say at substrate level, are you referring to the substrate surface humidity or the humidity within the substrate. I'm using moist coco coir. On the surface, the humidity is 60%. I don't have a probe to test subsurface humidity, but I can get one.

 

[tortoisenerd]

The humidity under the surface should be even higher (due to the mixing up of the moist substrate), as it dries out on the surface due to the overhead light/heat. Sounds about right. I agree with the make it moist but don't worry about the numbers too much thing. You can only make it so moist before it's just too wet. It shouldn't drip out water if you pick up a handful and squeeze it, but should hold shape. Maggie probably meant the humidity at the top of the substrate (in contrast to the air humidity--some people hang a gauge on the wall of the enclosure and call that the substrate humidity, when that is ambient humidity).