Tips for keeping humidity up

[goReptiles]

I have two red foots that are about 10 months old. I'm having trouble keeping their inside enclosure humid enough, and although there's tons of humidity in GA outside, they're way to small for my comfort to leave outside all day without any supervision.

I soak down the substrate weekly. I have a fogger that is on daily, and they get soaked several times a week. Throughout the week, I also spot-soak the soil to keep it moist. And I have a lid across the center section of the tub to keep whatever humidity in that I can keep in.

I'm just having a hard time keeping the enclosure humid for them.

 

[Itort]

Try a larger percentage of coverage like 75% or more.

 

[Madkins007]

I have two red foots that are about 10 months old. I'm having trouble keeping their inside enclosure humid enough, and although there's tons of humidity in GA outside, they're way to small for my comfort to leave outside all day without any supervision.

I soak down the substrate weekly. I have a fogger that is on daily, and they get soaked several times a week. Throughout the week, I also spot-soak the soil to keep it moist. And I have a lid across the center section of the tub to keep whatever humidity in that I can keep in.

I'm just having a hard time keeping the enclosure humid for them.

Let's take this point by point. Humidity is just water + heat.

1. Substrate- is this enough wetting? Maybe you need to rethink the substrate to one that does a better job of contributing to humidity. You may also want to try stirring the substrate to get the wet bottom layer mixed up some.

2. Fogger- Foggers have a bad reputation in many circles. They reportedly cause respiratory issues and certainly can cool the air. There is usually a better solution.

3. Cover- you need to cover a proportion of the tub adequate to the job. Air conditioning, for example, removes almost all moisture from the air (one of its bad habits) so will suck all the moisture from your habitat unless you trap most of it in. Complete covers, however, tend to promote mold, mildew, smells, and other unhealthy issues. Look for the balance.

Do you know what the humidity REALLY is in there? Get yourself a cheap humidity gauge from a garden shop or pet shop.

Consider a humid hide- a small container of high humidity in a warm part of the habitat.

Consider a different set-up- different substrate, gentle undertank warming (to heat moisture up to percolate up through the soil), powered automatic mister, etc. depending on where you are.

In humid GA, I would bet you basically just have to stop letting the A/C steal all of your humidity. Can you shut the A/C off in a room and open it to the outside temps and humidity?

 

[goReptiles]

I try mixing it up, but I may have to consider a different substrate. What do you think is the best to get optimal humidity? I'm using coconut coir

I will definitely have to rethink the fogger now; I saw it had many high reviews on this forum when I was first looking at them, just last year. I guess I haven't kept up. I have two heat bulbs to keep the heat up and most of the fog goes to the other side of the tub, anyway. Would this be ok?

What about using a towel? Spraying down the towel and putting under the lid but draping it on the top of the enclosure. Does that make sense?

I do have a window unit in the room where the torts are when inside, unfortunately, I have to keep it on because my dog gets over-heated and has seizures. I turn it on a higher temperature during the day, where it's not super cold, but I have to keep it running for him. There's really no where else I could put his kennel, as the other dogs don't really get along with him, so when unsupervised, he has to be kept away from the others. The room would be crazy hot if I were to open a window.

Do you think that I could use a rabbit cage type deal to put him outside during the day? The only thing I really worry about is the temperature. We have the humidity and the high temps to go with it. Lately the temperatures have been in the mid to upper 90s with crazy high humidity, making the temps feel like it's in the 100s.

I've been considering changing the entire enclosure. I may try to do that this weekend.

 

[terryo]

Plants...that's what I use to keep up the humidity. When my Cherry Head was little, if you looked into his vivarium, you couldn't find him there was so many plants. I keep the top layer of substrate dry to avoid fungus and shell rot. I just water the plants and spray him until he drips every time he comes out of his hide.

 

[Tom]

Your outside temps are fine as long as he has at least partial shade at all times. High humidity doesn't affect reptiles the way it affects mammals who use evaporative cooling. In other words 90 feels like 90 to a tortoise whether its 10% humidity or 90%. To us, its a world of difference because all the moisture in the air hampers the evaporation from our skin.

 

[goReptiles]

Terry, I recently saw a picture of one of your enclosures. What plants did you use inside?

 

[terryo]

I've changed them so many times through the last three years. When he was little, I had a lot of green Irish and Scottish moss around the water dish, and some pansies, small Rose of Sharon seedlings, pothos and then I'd throw in some Spring mix seeds, and some tropical palm trees....tropical house plants. I always used this site for all my indoor enclosures ...boxies and Pio. http://www.africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm I always carry it with me when I go to nurseries and Home depot. Now that he's big and needs all the space, I just have a few plants around the water dish...some pothos and little Rose of Sharon. I have a big Rose of Sharon and it throws off the seeds and in the Spring there are hundreds of little ones all over my yard. So I just pick them as I need them, and stick them in his viv. Hope this helps.

 

[goReptiles]

I'm looking for some moss to put around the bowls. I used to have some in there, but I'm not sure what happened to it. Would Oregon Sheet Moss work? I used to have use Frog moss, but I found a cheaper, larger selection of the oregon sheet moss. I've added some grazing seed mix seeds to the enclosure tonight. I hope to order some moss soon.

I've read where pothos is toxic?
Do you use a light for the plants to thrive so well?

 

[goReptiles]

I was juat at home depot. Is golden Scottish moss ok? Or am I still ok with frog moss or Oregon sheet moss

 

[terryo]

I love the Scottish moss. It makes little white flowers, and spreads like crazy once it's established. I don't think the oregon sheet moss grows or spreads. I never used it.