Hatchling growth and predation.

[Suze65]

If you think about the humidity med tortoises get in the wild, it's quite low, the air humidity will be about 35%, and under a thick woody shrub , in a scrape , about 55%. So I think baths and drinking water is more important. They live on a very dry substrate and only find moist soil when they dig a scrape or go down an animal burrow.

[egyptiandan64]

Well it is and isn't about the humidity Wendy It's more a specific time of day (over night) that the humidity is most important. That's usually an 8 to 12 hour span when a hatchling doesn't have access to water. If the humidity is low (30 to 40%) at that time, than a hatchling can become dehydrated over night.

Yes Andy I think it was the time of year in that during the summer and fall heating systems in the house are off letting the humidity rise. In the winter when the heat is on, the humidity will fall (especially over night) and this can effect any hatchling.

But you can't bath or soak during the night Suze

So basicly what I'm saying about humidity is it's beneficial for the sleeping areas of hatchlings to prevent them from dehydrating over night.

Danny

[Suze65]

Yep, I see what your saying dan, so even if your hatchling has hydrated plenty during the day, they potentially could dehydrate over night, so that's when the humid hide comes into play. Except mine don't always go in it, but dig under the basking area, but if the soil I'd moist here, they will get some humidity?

[Catwoman63]

That's why I soak the soil with a watering can and turn the soil so that its moist underneath x

[pagan queen]

I'm still not buying it Danny. I can't see how moist surroundings can stop you dehydrating. We don't take moisture in through our skin. If we are in a sauna for long enough without water, we will die no matter how humid it is. I would assume it's the same for torts. Plus the temps are lower at night, there is no basking light they are less active and don't need moisture like they would during the day.

[Merlin M]

Yeah but you lose moisture through your skin, you still sweat in a sauna so still lose moisture.
I am guessing a tortoise can also lose moisture through the skin but less so in high humidity?

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Merlin M

Yeah but you lose moisture through your skin, you still sweat in a sauna so still lose moisture.
I am guessing a tortoise can also lose moisture through the skin but less so in high humidity?

True Merlin, but we die more quickly in humid conditions.

http://engineering.mit.edu/live/news...-high-humidity

[Merlin M]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

True Merlin, but we die more quickly in humid conditions.

http://engineering.mit.edu/live/news...-high-humidity

Yes but that is more as we are unable to cool as evapotranspiration does not work as well.
As tortoises do not sweat to keep cool they will not necessarily have this problem...

[pagan queen]

To quote Danny. http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=45877
Therefore they will not lose moisture during the night.

[Merlin M]

Sweating is not the only way to lose moisture through the skin though...