New Yellowfoot Tortoise Owner, Help?

[ZEROPILOT]

Just went and got the digital temp and humidity gauge, its at 90°F, the humidity is dropping to 60 it seems. I think the temperature is fine for now, but I'm rather nervous about the humidity. Is it high enough? I still haven't bought the orchid bark.

That gauge is cool, isn't it?

 

[xKin]

90 degrees is good. The humidity needs to be higher. Can you close off some of the top?

A bit of the top is closed off, using literally the first thing i could pick up that would cover up a few holes - a mousepad.

 

[xKin]

Two things. Both bad.
The bulb on the right IS the type that can blind tortoises. I would get rid of it right away. The bulb on the left is the red tinted type that often confuses tortoises into thinking that things like the substrate look like food. (Because they look red. Tortoises LOVE red) Pet shops LOVE selling that junk.
Just screw in some inexpensive "frosted" U.V. bulbs. The ones that look like regular light bulbs. The pet stores also have them. I've also found them at Walmart. These will work for now as long as your temperatures stay within the 80-95 mark. Yellow foot like it a little warmer than Redfoot. At least this way you can re-use your light fixture and the money you have to lay out will be at a minimum.

So I just use two "frosted" U.V bulbs in place of the red and blinding bulbs? I'll see if I may have some lying around (i should, seeing as my stepdad and father are electricians) My parents may want to keep the red light on no matter what I tell them, claiming "its for heat". Ah jeez, i'm so sorry i'm bothering you with all of this. . .

 

[xKin]

That gauge is cool, isn't it?

Yeah it is, lol

 

[ZEROPILOT]

So I just use two "frosted" U.V bulbs in place of the red and blinding bulbs? I'll see if I may have some lying around (i should, seeing as my stepdad and father are electricians) My parents may want to keep the red light on no matter what I tell them, claiming "its for heat". Ah jeez, i'm so sorry i'm bothering you with all of this. . .

Any bulb of the same wattage would supply the same amount of heat. The red doesn't do anything magical. The frosted UV bulbs are only for animals and will need to be found in a pet area, not in general lighting. The ones I'm thinking about are almost a pale light blue in color.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I use black 75 watt heat light bulbs myself outdoors when it gets cool because they give off a faint glow and I can see that they are working. Also because a LOT of extra heat isn't needed and they are so inexpensive.

 

[xKin]

I use black 75 watt heat light bulbs myself outdoors when it gets cool because they give off a faint glow and I can see that they are working. Also because a LOT of extra heat isn't needed and they are so inexpensive.

I was able to buy a frosted blue light-bulb, and turned off the red one because it was increasing the heat (the red and frosted bulb would raise the temperature 90-100 degrees), so by turning off the red one, it never drops from 85 degrees, and never rises from 90. I've got the humidity under control-ish. I still have the same substrate, but its much more humid, reaching 68 degrees currently, sometimes it'll pass 70 or stay steady if I leave the ceiling fan on.
I purchased some food from a reptile-dedicated store, it wasn't processed, but homemade with things such vegetables, edible flowers, and leaves. The're rather small pellets, like what zoo-keepers give tortoises to eat i think. Should I just give him that everyday or still change the food around considering he needs to have a varied diet? (although the pellets contain a bunch of different foods i don't see which i should just keep changing it around?) I'm probably doing something wrong aren't I?