Need humidity recommendation for custom table

KirstenK

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Hi all. This is a roughly 3'x6ft tort table I had built. I have an adult Hermann's in it. He is having health issues which I think may be due to not enough humidity. Right now I missed it down manually as many times as I can per day but I'm learning at my apartment is really dry and that it's not enough (I'm a new tort owner). I'm definitely going to put more plants in to help hold the humidity, I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a fogger or other system that they think would be good.

Also, I'd like to add a heat source to the opposite end of the table - he definitely spends most of his time in the warm end with the lamps. I was thinking a heated hide of some kind but I'm a little scared of the heat mats. Any recommendations?

IMG_20200331_152324546.jpg
 

Tom

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Misting does nothing in an open topped enclosure in a dry room, as you are seeing. You need a deep layer of damp substrate to maintain humidity. You'll need to dump water into the substrate periodically to maintain the correct level of dampness. How much and how often will depend on many variable in your individual enclosure.

You could run a room humidifier to help too.
 

KirstenK

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Ok ty. I was thinking that about getting a fogger but wanted some confirmation.l. I do have a pretty deep layer, about 5 in I would say. But I can definitely make it deeper. I have sometimes been doing that by throwing some water in there, but I've also been afraid of mold. I never had a mold problem in there but I have read about that happening sometimes with coconut fiber which is part of my substrate mix.
Okay so my plan is increased foilage, another couple inches of substrate and add water directly as needed.
 

Maggie3fan

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Ok ty. I was thinking that about getting a fogger but wanted some confirmation.l. I do have a pretty deep layer, about 5 in I would say. But I can definitely make it deeper. I have sometimes been doing that by throwing s table, I have several, and most of mine have a built in hider tortome water in there, but I've also been afraid of mold. I never had a mold problem in there but I have read about that happening sometimes with coconut fiber which is part of my substrate mix.
Okay so my plan is increased foilage, another couple inches of substrate and add water directly as needed.
You don't need more substrate...you just need to pour the water over the soil and mess it up some...I like your table, I have several, not as fancy as yours, but one thing that mine have that your's does not is a hide built into the table with a roof and sides...I manage a good humidity for my animals, without a fogger...here's photos of my tables...mine aren't fancy inside as yours are...my animals spend their day outside...001.JPG019.JPG006.JPG010.JPGas my
 

KirstenK

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You don't need more substrate...you just need to pour the water over the soil and mess it up some...I like your table, I have several, not as fancy as yours, but one thing that mine have that your's does not is a hide built into the table with a roof and sides...I manage a good humidity for my animals, without a fogger...here's photos of my tables...mine aren't fancy inside as yours are...my animals spend their day outside...View attachment 289753View attachment 289759View attachment 289755View attachment 289756as my
Wow those look great to me. so is that a sheet of plexiglass over-the-top there?

So get this, I have tried a number of different hides in there and he just will not use them. I had one that was also made with the enclosure, a simple little house. he checked it out once and never went inside again. Then, I bought one of those tortoise caves (I think zoo med zoo med Maybe?). All he did was try to climb on top of it. Never went inside. He seems to just like hunkering down and his little corner over there where the lamps are. That's where he sleeps every night.
I love the idea of putting plexiglass over the top like it seems you have. I could really do that on two different ends.
 

Maggie3fan

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Wow those look great to me. so is that a sheet of plexiglass over-the-top there?

So get this, I have tried a number of different hides in there and he just will not use them. I had one that was also made with the enclosure, a simple little house. he checked it out once and never went inside again. Then, I bought one of those tortoise caves (I think zoo med zoo med Maybe?). All he did was try to climb on top of it. Never went inside. He seems to just like hunkering down and his little corner over there where the lamps are. That's where he sleeps every night.
I love the idea of putting plexiglass over the top like it seems you have. I could really do that on two different ends.
I have an adult tortoise who lives (sorta) in the first table and he sleeps at the cold end, in the hide, he never sleeps by the CHE...I do have some pieces of glass over the first table simply because I don't use heat in my house at night...so it gets fairly cold in here, I use some glass and cover the opening with a towel at night...just in winter...here he is peeking out of the hide...if I put my hand in there, it's pretty humid.026.JPG stick my
 

KirstenK

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My concern now is that I'm pretty sure he will continue to want to sleep in the corner with the lamps at night, if I cover that and with anything that he's not getting the light he needs. One of those domes is also a ceramic heat lamp that stays on a low temp overnight.
 

Maggie3fan

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My concern now is that I'm pretty sure he will continue to want to sleep in the corner with the lamps at night, if I cover that and with anything that he's not getting the light he needs. One of those domes is also a ceramic heat lamp that stays on a low temp overnight.
He does not need light of any kind at night, a CHE will suffice. He's an adult so heat and humidity is not quite as crucial as if he were a growing baby... and...frankly...that's a very cool set up...I suggest you allow him to develop his own tortoise habits and let him to enjoy that beautiful set up...
 

KirstenK

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He does not need light of any kind at night, a CHE will suffice. He's an adult so heat and humidity is not quite as crucial as if he were a growing baby... and...frankly...that's a very cool set up...I suggest you allow him to develop his own tortoise habits and let him to enjoy that beautiful set up...
Oh yes, sorry if that was confusing. He does not get light of any kind at night, just a little heat from the ceramic lamp and he does sleep under that.
 

Yvonne G

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What kind of "health issues?" And how did you determine it was due to the low humidity? One thing to be careful of is cool/moist. Warm/moist is fine, but cool/moist will make a tortoise sick.
 

KirstenK

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Oh thank you for that info about the mess. I haven't really been thinking about the temperature of it.
I don't know that the health stuff is due to the humidity, but I'd already been feeling like maybe it wasn't humid enough so I'm just trying to address that regardless.

He is usually a little motor but about 2 weeks ago his activity level dropped. Also, while he continued to eat and go to the bathroom pretty normally, he would strain when going to the bathroom and a couple times his penis came out. I'm working from home so I've been able to monitor him, have been giving him warm soaks a number of times per day. He's been more like himself for the past day and-a-half I would say - much more active, ate and urinated/urated what I would say is normally. And today he did not strain it all when doing that. He still does not seem quite himself though. I've been emailing with my vet and will probably bring him in for a stool sample and maybe blood work soon.
 

Tom

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Ok ty. I was thinking that about getting a fogger but wanted some confirmation.l. I do have a pretty deep layer, about 5 in I would say. But I can definitely make it deeper. I have sometimes been doing that by throwing some water in there, but I've also been afraid of mold. I never had a mold problem in there but I have read about that happening sometimes with coconut fiber which is part of my substrate mix.
Okay so my plan is increased foilage, another couple inches of substrate and add water directly as needed.
You have more than enough substrate. Coco coir, orchid bark and cypress mulch, all resist mold, bacteria and fungus, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Do you have a digital thermometer/hygrometer combo? Set it on the substrate in various areas of the enclosure and see what you get for a humidity reading.
 

KirstenK

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Haha uh, no what is that? would you mind posting a link to a product you recommend? Right now all I have thermostat that monitors the basking spot which maintains btwn 90-95 degrees at approximately shell height.
 

Tom

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Haha uh, no what is that? would you mind posting a link to a product you recommend? Right now all I have thermostat that monitors the basking spot which maintains btwn 90-95 degrees at approximately shell height.
Like this:
 

KirstenK

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Is this something you mount to the side of the enclosure? So in other words I'll need more than one?
 

peanut20

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Misting does nothing in an open topped enclosure in a dry room, as you are seeing. You need a deep layer of damp substrate to maintain humidity. You'll need to dump water into the substrate periodically to maintain the correct level of dampness. How much and how often will depend on many variable in your individual enclosure.

You could run a room humidifier to help too.
Tom- Just to clarify, how much water would you recommend mixing into the substrate and how often for a size like @KirstenK (3'x6ft)?
 

jeneliza

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Mine is very close to this one, I had all of the same issues, to dry, no good hiding place, etc, I got a temp, have one that's does both, temp and humidity, I added very damp almost wet Coco air, I add warm water every night, and check the dampness, I still needed more, added a buit in hide, still needed more added grass, to my set up, at first she ate all of it, but now she eats less of this, still needed a bit more,so I got plastic glass , I am luck because my husband works for a Toro dealer, and I was able to get ahold of a golf cart window, which is
Clear plastic, and has a hung, but any plastic glass or wood will work, I also used a piece of this and cut a large hole in it to make a hiding place, that is cooler than the rest of the encloser, I have a dry platform for the lamps, so she has a dry place, and most encloser everywhere else
 

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Tom

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Tom- Just to clarify, how much water would you recommend mixing into the substrate and how often for a size like @KirstenK (3'x6ft)?
This varies a lot. Some need a cup and other need two gallons. As you can imagine the rate of evaporation will depend on many factors. In a big enclosure like the one in this thread that is starting fairly dry, I'd start with a gallon of water and see what that does. After letting it soak in, I might add another gallon, or two, depending on how much the substrate is sucking it up. The idea is to keep the lower levels more damp while the upper levels remain relatively dry where the tortoise is in contact with it. All the evaporation will generate the needed moderate humidity.

In a dry house with a lot of air flow, high temps, an open topped enclosure, multiple electric heat sources over the substrate, and forced air heating or AC, a person might need to add this much water daily. In some other situations, half this amount weekly, might do it.
 

peanut20

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This varies a lot. Some need a cup and other need two gallons. As you can imagine the rate of evaporation will depend on many factors. In a big enclosure like the one in this thread that is starting fairly dry, I'd start with a gallon of water and see what that does. After letting it soak in, I might add another gallon, or two, depending on how much the substrate is sucking it up. The idea is to keep the lower levels more damp while the upper levels remain relatively dry where the tortoise is in contact with it. All the evaporation will generate the needed moderate humidity.

In a dry house with a lot of air flow, high temps, an open topped enclosure, multiple electric heat sources over the substrate, and forced air heating or AC, a person might need to add this much water daily. In some other situations, half this amount weekly, might do it.
Thanks. It's helpful to have a point of reference!
 

KirstenK

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This varies a lot. Some need a cup and other need two gallons. As you can imagine the rate of evaporation will depend on many factors. In a big enclosure like the one in this thread that is starting fairly dry, I'd start with a gallon of water and see what that does. After letting it soak in, I might add another gallon, or two, depending on how much the substrate is sucking it up. The idea is to keep the lower levels more damp while the upper levels remain relatively dry where the tortoise is in contact with it. All the evaporation will generate the needed moderate humidity.

In a dry house with a lot of air flow, high temps, an open topped enclosure, multiple electric heat sources over the substrate, and forced air heating or AC, a person might need to add this much water daily. In some other situations, half this amount weekly, might do it.
Yes thanks this is very helpful.
 

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