Need advice (temperature and humidity)

[Dianne-]

Hi

Thinking about this al Day.
My little hermans boetgeri, lives in a cage see picture below.
Substrate cocos made humid.
Temp under uv heat spot is 35 celcius. Most far corner 19 degrades celcius.
Spot is on for 14 hours
At nicht room temp drops to 17.5

Afraid he or she (hope she) is to cold, she digs close to stones under Light spot. She is not very active.

Outside temperature is dropping fast, im from the netherlands.

I put some cardboard in today to keep temperature higher.

I read a lot about humidity here.

Should I put her in a aquarium? ? So I can keep higher temperature and humidity??

Also little afraid that she got a cold because her eyes Maybe look a little thick and gray.
See pic below.

 

[Dianne-]

 

[Dianne-]

Oh also she eats very little....

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Diane:

It's pretty hard to keep that type of container warm enough for a tortoise. They're really made to house a small rodent or mammal. You might try completely wrapping it with plastic to try to keep the warm air inside.

 

[Dianne-]

In several websites they advice these type of housing.... its realy confusing.
I have a few aquariums empty, one is 60cm wide.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi Diane:

It's pretty hard to keep that type of container warm enough for a tortoise. They're really made to house a small rodent or mammal. You might try completely wrapping it with plastic to try to keep the warm air inside.

Is the enclosure big enough?

 

[Gillian M]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the forum, Dianne!

Have you read the "Beginners Mistake Thread?" There are also different care sheets that could help you to start.

By the way, you have a gorgeous tort - GOD bless. Take good care of it.

You're going to have to read conflicting info continuously; don't allow it to confuse your thoughts.

As for your tort not eating: torts take quite a lot time to adapt to a new place, home, climate, environment, owner, enclosure and the rest. Here, what you need is PATIENCE.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Hi Dianne-,

It is confusing to see so many ways to set up a tortoises in an enclosure. In theory it is all to the same end goal, maintaining a micro-climate that works for raising the tortoise. In your particular case it would appear that the enclosure you chose might not best match how you keep your home (temp and/or humidity) for yourself.

The lowest temp you mention is not so low. But it will not promote the growth and activity that you are seeing when baby tortoises are kept warmer and moister.

The debate between using aquariums (vivs) or other enclosed environment versus open top tables of bunny hutches is really a debate about the difference between how you keep your home for you versus what the tortoise needs. Either works if you like a warm humid home, then open top works, if you like dry cool air, then you need some way to keep both yourself and the tortoise being happy/doing well.

For smaller enclosure I do many things, but for your cage as it is now, I'd suggest enclosing it on five sides with foam insulation board, three side, top and bottom, and have the fourth side a plastic panel or curtain. That will make a well insulated enclosure and more or less use what you have already set up. Put the foam insulation board on the outside, not inside (like how you used the cardboard), if you choose to go with my suggestion.

 

[Dianne-]

Tonight im gonna set up the fishtank. Its one with a close top.
My house is old and windy. Also 2 german shepperds that need open doors to walk in and out of the living room.
So after all not the best set up for open enclosure....
Remember my husband mentioning something like that .... hihi Should listen more often... hm

 

[Dianne-]

Oh and this cage I keep for summer! For outside on sunny warm days

 

[Tom]

There is a lot of conflicting info out there, but the main thing for any keeper to look at is the conditions your chosen system is providing. If its all working, then great. If something is not working, like in your case, things should be reconsidered.

I don't like to let baby Testudo species get below 22C at night. Can they survive at 16-17? Sure. But I get better results at 22 overnight.

I prefer to use glass tanks for all the reasons "they" say they are bad. They hold in heat and humidity better. I don't know why some websites see that as a bad thing since we are intentionally trying to keep them warmer and moderately humid. I've used glass tanks for 30 years and had zero of the problems that people report. I think if you switch to a glass tank, cover most of the top, install a ceramic heating element set on a thermostat to keep your ambient and night temps a little higher, your problems will be solved.

 

[Dianne-]

There is a lot of conflicting info out there, but the main thing for any keeper to look at is the conditions your chosen system is providing. If its all working, then great. If something is not working, like in your case, things should be reconsidered.

I don't like to let baby Testudo species get below 22C at night. Can they survive at 16-17? Sure. But I get better results at 22 overnight.

I prefer to use glass tanks for all the reasons "they" say they are bad. They hold in heat and humidity better. I don't know why some websites see that as a bad thing since we are intentionally trying to keep them warmer and moderately humid. I've used glass tanks for 30 years and had zero of the problems that people report. I think if you switch to a glass tank, cover most of the top, install a ceramic heating element set on a thermostat to keep your ambient and night temps a little higher, your problems will be solved.

Thanks, she is almost 3 months so stil al hatchling I think?

Already on the internet looking for a CHE. Dont think its on al night because in almost closed fishtank it doesnt drop so fast after uv heat spot turn off.

 

[MortTheTort314]

Hi

Thinking about this al Day.
My little hermans boetgeri, lives in a cage see picture below.
Substrate cocos made humid.
Temp under uv heat spot is 35 celcius. Most far corner 19 degrades celcius.
Spot is on for 14 hours
At nicht room temp drops to 17.5

Afraid he or she (hope she) is to cold, she digs close to stones under Light spot. She is not very active.

Outside temperature is dropping fast, im from the netherlands.

I put some cardboard in today to keep temperature higher.

I read a lot about humidity here.

Should I put her in a aquarium? ? So I can keep higher temperature and humidity??

Also little afraid that she got a cold because her eyes Maybe look a little thick and gray.
See pic below.

 

[MortTheTort314]

Hi Dianne,

I would definitely recommend getting a glass tank/aquarium for the tortoise. The heat is not staying in the cage.

 

[Dianne-]

A few hours later.....
Defenitly not for long. But for this winter its ok I think.

 

[Tom]

Thanks, she is almost 3 months so stil al hatchling I think?

Already on the internet looking for a CHE. Dont think its on al night because in almost closed fishtank it doesnt drop so fast after uv heat spot turn off.

Run your CHE on a thermostat and the thermostat will turn it on or off as needed 24/7 to keep the ambient temperature where you set it.