Should I build a humid hide for my adult Leopards?

[Snow Leopard]

Do you feel that humid hides are necessary for adult leopards? Do your leopards use their humid hides after they have gotten past the juvenile stage? At what point do you feel they are finished most of their growth? Mine have slowed down but I imagine they have growing left to do.

Is there an adult leopard care sheet (or thread) that I can refer to?

Thanks

 

[Jodie]

Hi. Inside I have a humid night box for each tortoise. I heat it and keep it humid. In summer when they are outside full time, I have a heated night box. I try to keep the humidity up there as well. I think humidity is always beneficial for them. They have to be warm though if kept humid

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I also keep my leopard's heated tort house humid. Always will...
It's not 80% but I like it in the 60-70% range. I achieve this by using damp substrate.

 

[Greg T]

I have not used humid hides for my adults since they started staying outside over 6 years ago. Of course I live in Houston with a nearly 60+% humidity every day. I have not had any issues with pyramiding on my adults at all. One of them prefers to sleep in a hide, the other two sleep under plants or next to the fence usually.

 

[Neal]

Do you feel that humid hides are necessary for adult leopards? Do your leopards use their humid hides after they have gotten past the juvenile stage? At what point do you feel they are finished most of their growth? Mine have slowed down but I imagine they have growing left to do.

Is there an adult leopard care sheet (or thread) that I can refer to?

Thanks

I don't feel humid hides are necessary or beneficial for adults. That's not to say that they are harmful, only that they are not necessary. I house my adults outside year round in AZ where average humidity is very low. They are kept well hydrated, but ambient humidity averages below 10% for the majority of the year.

I have seen growth slow down, then take off again a year or two later so it's difficult to suggest a specific point that they would be finished growing. I do not provide increased humidity after approximately 5-6 inches of smooth growth in leopard tortoises. In my experience, the pattern for growth is well set at that point. All else considered, increasing or decreasing humidity levels for leopards greater than 5-6 inches does not have any negative impact on shell growth in my experience. Please not that the 5-6 inch method I use is a haphazard selection. I have not thoroughly tested variables to determine exactly what size tortoises can reach before humidity becomes irrelevant, it is simply what I have chosen to do and have had good results.

There is not an adult leopard care sheet that I am aware of (yet)

 

[Daveypryme]

I'm a little confused. My leopard is about 7 inches in length should I be using an enclosed tortoise enclosure to keep in humidity? Or is humidity not necessary at this point. I've been reading around a lot on the forum to find out different info but some of it is conflicting. Right now his enclosure is a tortoise table with mulch for substrate. I have all the necessary lights and temps are where they should be. It's not very humid at all. I was going to build on a top and change to co co coir to keep in humidity, is this necessary at this point? I just want to do what's right.

 

[Jodie]

I'm a little confused. My leopard is about 7 inches in length should I be using an enclosed tortoise enclosure to keep in humidity? Or is humidity not necessary at this point. I've been reading around a lot on the forum to find out different info but some of it is conflicting. Right now his enclosure is a tortoise table with mulch for substrate. I have all the necessary lights and temps are where they should be. It's not very humid at all. I was going to build on a top and change to co co coir to keep in humidity, is this necessary at this point? I just want to do what's right.

FYI, you will get more answers if you ask questions in a new thread. In my opinion at this size he is still growing and humidity is important. I think it is always important to at least have a humid hide.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I'm a little confused. My leopard is about 7 inches in length should I be using an enclosed tortoise enclosure to keep in humidity? Or is humidity not necessary at this point. I've been reading around a lot on the forum to find out different info but some of it is conflicting. Right now his enclosure is a tortoise table with mulch for substrate. I have all the necessary lights and temps are where they should be. It's not very humid at all. I was going to build on a top and change to co co coir to keep in humidity, is this necessary at this point? I just want to do what's right.

At 7" my leopard no longer lived in an indoor enclosure. He was outdoors, in a heavily planted pen with a moderately humid, heated tort house.
He's about 12" now.

Personally, If I had to keep him indoors under desiccating light bulbs, I would keep him in a closed chamber type of enclosure with some humidity.

 

[Daveypryme]

Ok. Thanks for the advice. He lives outside during the summer and most of fall. Is there a temperature that would be too hot for him to be out in? His outdoor pen is about 18'x13' with plenty of shade and plants to hide under with a small tub of water he can drink from and lay in.
I brought him in for the winter. I'm in southern Indiana the temps get really low. I've only had him since July so I'm still learning about the care. I would be lost without the tortoise forum.

 

[Jodie]

Ok. Thanks for the advice. He lives outside during the summer and most of fall. Is there a temperature that would be too hot for him to be out in? His outdoor pen is about 18'x13' with plenty of shade and plants to hide under with a small tub of water he can drink from and lay in.
I brought him in for the winter. I'm in southern Indiana the temps get really low. I've only had him since July so I'm still learning about the care. I would be lost without the tortoise forum.

As long as he can go somewhere to cool down he will be fine.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Hmmm, interesting to see the different opinions. It is only in winter that I am concerned, during the summer they are outside and there is lots of thick vegetation they can get under. The humidity in their enclosure right now is between 50-60%. I suppose I can put something together and see if they use it.

 

[von345]

Hmmm, interesting to see the different opinions. It is only in winter that I am concerned, during the summer they are outside and there is lots of thick vegetation they can get under. The humidity in their enclosure right now is between 50-60%. I suppose I can put something together and see if they use it.

I live in louisiana and its humid all year round. I'd hold of just to keep respiratory infections at bay