Reptile & Amphibian Forums

just out of curiosity... should humidity levels change during the winter? if so, should they be higher or lower? i try to keep mine as consistent as possible, but i am just wondering what works best for other keepers. thanks
Ben

If you can maintain humidity levels high at a warm temperature throughout the winter that is fantastic.

I found that the frequency of renal failure goes up during the winter. I'm guessing the heat is cranked up without a compensation of an increase in hydration.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I keep an eye on humidity throughout the year, indoor and outdoor.

Indoor humidity really drops in the winter. Right now, in my house, it is at 30% and will go down to 20% in a month or so in my tortoise room. Air conditioning in the summer, if you keep anything inside, also takes the humidity out of the air. I think 50% humidity is good for a tortoise room, and than provide micro climate areas for the extremes. For example, under the 100W mercury vapor bulbs, the humidity is very low, but in a humid hide on the opposite end the humidity will be vary high.

I provide humid hides, and/or put a wet sponge in each inclosure where the animals can not reach it, (on a shelf).

I also soak adults weekly, everything else twice a week for hydration.

More recently I've been spraying inclosures with one of those pump up plant sprayers in the morning after the whole room warms up to 80-85F.

As others have mentioned on this forum, humidity seems to be one of the factors that contribute to getting smooth shell growth, especially for young torts.

Just stuff I've learned from others. Hope it helps...

JBLY

...with the (slight) exceptions for those hibernating types...