Maintaining humidity without a roof

Zahavi

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How do you create a suitable indoor habitat for a redfoot tortoise? Since they need high humidity how can this be achieved without some form of roof. Surely to have an open topped tortoise table within a home in the UK would make it unbearably hot for human beings. This may sound terribly naive but I have to say I am very confused about this issue. Is it possible to have a partially covered tortoise table with the covered part containing the UV and basking lamp? Please can someone advise. Thank you.
 

tortdad

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Sure, people do partial covered tops all the time but know going into it that you'll be constantly fighting your temps and humidity as they will escape the enclosure via the open portion. The only way to get consistent temps/humidity is with a fully closed chamber.

If you look in the enclosure section of this website you can find all kinds of examples of what people have done. Go explore all the pics and see what ideas you can come up with.
 

Zahavi

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Sure, people do partial covered tops all the time but know going into it that you'll be constantly fighting your temps and humidity as they will escape the enclosure via the open portion. The only way to get consistent temps/humidity is with a fully closed chamber.

If you look in the enclosure section of this website you can find all kinds of examples of what people have done. Go explore all the pics and see what ideas you can come up with.
Thanks so much, Tortdad. Will do. Very kind of you to respond so promptly. Zahavi
 

wellington

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If it's an adult RF you could get away with a warm humid hide. However, it will only work if it uses the hide and won't work as well. A baby really needs a more constant high humidity to grow smooth and a closed chamber is it.
 

Tom

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How do you create a suitable indoor habitat for a redfoot tortoise? Since they need high humidity how can this be achieved without some form of roof. Surely to have an open topped tortoise table within a home in the UK would make it unbearably hot for human beings. This may sound terribly naive but I have to say I am very confused about this issue. Is it possible to have a partially covered tortoise table with the covered part containing the UV and basking lamp? Please can someone advise. Thank you.

Hello and welcome. This is a common question here. Unfortunately, the laws of physics make it very difficult to maintain tropical conditions in a temperate indoor climate with an open top. Closed chambers are the way to go.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Way back in 1970 John Hoke wrote a book about chelonians called "Turtles and their care", its few pages answer 90% of the common care questions posted here. I know it means reading a book and that sucks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0531006964/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

You make a closed chamber inside the larger enclosure. If you have an aquarium with one pane of glass missing then turn it upside down and make a vapor barrier curtain, like what has been shown for outdoor night-houses here on TFO, then you got a warm humid enclosure inside the overall bigger enclosure.

In the case of the John Hoke book the advice was offered for the care of baby box turtles, so they could have a warm humid hide.

TFO:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pics-of-nodders-humidity-curtains.41531/ as one example.

It's pretty easy to do. Otherwise @Tom 's regard to the laws of physics is the answer.
 

HenleyT

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Way back in 1970 John Hoke wrote a book about chelonians called "Turtles and their care", its few pages answer 90% of the common care questions posted here. I know it means reading a book and that sucks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0531006964/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

You make a closed chamber inside the larger enclosure. If you have an aquarium with one pane of glass missing then turn it upside down and make a vapor barrier curtain, like what has been shown for outdoor night-houses here on TFO, then you got a warm humid enclosure inside the overall bigger enclosure.

In the case of the John Hoke book the advice was offered for the care of baby box turtles, so they could have a warm humid hide.

TFO:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pics-of-nodders-humidity-curtains.41531/ as one example.

It's pretty easy to do. Otherwise @Tom 's regard to the laws of physics is the answer.
Hi Will....I have looked at the pics that you are sharing from lisalove home made humidity curtain and I am very interested in it until I can get my big indoor enclosure built. But can you tell me what kind of light that she may have over the hide? Is it sitting directly on top of the hide? I'm just not understanding how to keep it a warm hide with the humidity.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Hi Will....I have looked at the pics that you are sharing from lisalove home made humidity curtain and I am very interested in it until I can get my big indoor enclosure built. But can you tell me what kind of light that she may have over the hide? Is it sitting directly on top of the hide? I'm just not understanding how to keep it a warm hide with the humidity.
As her for those details. It's her enclosure. I've never been to her place to see directly.
 

Shaif

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Hi and Welcome!

I was in your shoes just months ago. I had a beautiful enclosure, but it had an open top. I tried everything from buying and cutting my own plastic lid to covering the top with shower curtains. I was never able to get the humidity to an acceptable range. I even paid a babysitter to spay my enclosure during the day when I was at work.
I finally bought a closed enclosure. It was the best thing I could have done. Life will get much easier for you if you can get one too.

Best,
Shaifali
 

Kapidolo Farms

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As her for those details. It's her enclosure. I've never been to her place to see directly.

I pulled one image out of the 10's of 1000's here on TFO. Anyone who build a nightbox or other enclosure within an enclosure will have a different 'recipe'.

The kind or type of heating device will depend on whatever that end larger enclosure will be, and the room conditions it will be in competition with.
 

HenleyT

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Hi and Welcome!

I was in your shoes just months ago. I had a beautiful enclosure, but it had an open top. I tried everything from buying and cutting my own plastic lid to covering the top with shower curtains. I was never able to get the humidity to an acceptable range. I even paid a babysitter to spay my enclosure during the day when I was at work.
I finally bought a closed enclosure. It was the best thing I could have done. Life will get much easier for you if you can get one too.

Best,
Shaifali
I agree...where did you buy your closed enclosure?
 

Shaif

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I agree...where did you buy your closed enclosure?


Check out AP Plastics. I got the biggest one. You might not need that big. I have not seen a bad review of the enclosures yet. I have no financial investment. Just sharing a good experience.
 

HenleyT

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Shaif.....what kind of tort do you have and how long will your tort last in your enclosure do you think....thanks for sharing. Do you have the swinging doors or the sliding? How many light holes do you have?
 

Shaif

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If you do a search on this forum for AP plastics, you should be able to find my post.

I used the lighting schematic of another forum member. It's brilliant. Uvb fluorescents in the back, ho t5 fluorescents in the front. Basking floods in between the two.

I have baby testudo in it now. Will probably need one enclosure per tort as they grow.

My size 8ft x 3ft x 2ft.

In my post, I've put pics and mods that I did. The biggest size only has sliding glass doors. We put handles on ours. We also put opaque window film on the doors to make the babies feel more secure.

I have 2 outdoor nest cameras-- one mounted on each side of the enclosure.

I hope that helps.
Shaifali
 

lisa127

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I cover enclosures with clear heavy shower curtains. It works for mine.
 
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