Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have my 2 baby eastern box turtles in an aquarium that is approx. 15"x36" right now with close to a 50/50 ratio of top soil and sphagnum peat moss that ranges from 3-6" deep. There is club moss? and terrarium moss on top with 4 plants from the safe edible web site and planted bird seed, a few small smooth rocks and tree bark,2 plant pots made into caves on each side, and a food and water/soaking area. I am in the process of growing plant seeds because selection is limited so I am waiting for them to sprout before placing them. I have a heat lamp and a reptisun 5.0 uvb on them and have partially enclosed the top with 2 sheets of glass because the humidity gauge is around 65-75% after misting but diminishes to around 30% within an hour or so. I can't enclose the top altogether, like my hermies, because the light won't be able to pass through (so i'm told) but I am wondering how to keep the humidity up or if the misted damp ground is more humid than what my hydrometer says because it is a few inches up on the wall. I have a reptile humidifier/air exchanger here but it states to completely seal off the top so I'm not sure if that will work. The top of my ground (with most moss for now because I don't have decent leaf litter yet) also keeps drying out after a couple hours and I'm not sure if that is normal or if the heat lamp is causing it along with 1/3 of the top being open. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If you create makeshift little 'tunnels' or 'garages' out of just about anything vaguely cylindrical (yoghurt container, plastic flower pot, etc.)you will be able to add little micro-climates to the habitat.

I keep my Three Toed in a planted vivarium. I put a hole through the screen top and put a 100 wt heat emitter on one side and on the other side on top of the screen a long tube 10.0 UVB, for a 10 gal. tank, which doesn't give off heat. The light is filtered through the screen. Then I covered the rest of the screen top with clear wrapping tape. Watering the plants keep in the humidity.

I've been watering and misting the plants and I also used plastic wrap to enclose the top for the most part. I am working on getting some glass to enclose the top except for where the reptisun lays so it doesn't interfere with it. So far, it goes up to 70-75% humidity but is now staying around 50% after a few hours. Not good but better than what it was. I'm working on getting a heat emitter rather than the heat bulb because it, along with the dry air of the house is drying it out, where the top moss is temporarily moist but the dirt is dry. I also got my little one (1 1/2 inches) to eat 3 small crickets minus arms and legs yesterday so that is much improvement but she has a long way to go to be healthy. Thank you for all the advice - it has helped tremendously.